Monday Morning Offering - 71

Coffee in the Morning by George Mendoza

Good morning, good God!

Those two widows in yesterday's scriptures, Lord:
they gave away everything they had -
and you and I know so well
that I'm not even close to doing that...

Maybe I need to take an inventory
of all the things I hold on to
and find so hard to let go...

Can I offer you, Lord,
the things I cling to the most?
Can I begin to name them?

I'm going to try...

I offer you, Lord, my time:
all the minutes, the hours and the days
I want to keep for myself...
Help me let go the time you give me
to be with you in prayer,
to be with others, to be there for others,
to share with others what you have given me...

I offer you my theories and notions, Lord,
and my opinions and positions
and my ways of seeing and doing things...
Help me, Lord, to know when to let go
of my way as the only way...
Help me see the world around me
through your eyes
and through the eyes of others
whose paths cross mine...
Help me see more than my own eyes see,
help me know more than my own mind knows,
help to think beyond what my own thoughts tell me,
help me believe beyond the limits of my doubt...

And I offer you the resentments, anger and grudges
I cling to so tightly - and chips on my shoulder, too:
loosen my grip on them, take them away from from me
and heal me, Lord...
Lighten the burden I carry
when I will not let go the hard feelings
whose wounds I nurse...
Free me from my attachment to bad memories,
old griefs and stale disappointments...
Take away what keeps me from taking on
the yoke of your spirit and love...

I offer you my anxieties, Lord:
the ones I cling to
in fear of the peace
I hunger and thirst for...
Help me see when my fears have befriended me
and led me to believe that fear is all I'll ever know...
Heal my fears and help me find and welcome
your presence and your peace...

I offer you my possessions, Lord:
the things I hoard for no good reason,
the money I save while others are in need,
the stuff I buy that I don't need
and the things I waste while others want...
Change my vocabulary, Lord:
less me and mine,
more you and yours
and ours...

My life and mind and heart are cluttered, Lord,
by things better shared or given,
left behind, cast away,
disposed of, or forgotten...
Help me let go, Lord,
especially when I find myself clinging,
holding on to what is less
than good, pure, true and just...

I cannot give all this away today, Lord,
but help me let go something this day
to free me for tomorrow, for the rest of this week,
for the whole of my life...

I offer you what I need to let go, Lord,
and pray you fill me with I truly need...

Amen.

-ConcordPastor