A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering

Image: George Mendoza

Good morning, good God!

Sometimes, Lord, without my even asking,
you give me your grace and your strength
and you change me:
you do for me
what I've not been able to do for myself,
or by myself...

You draw me closer to yourself
and help me live more faithfully
according to your Word...

I thank you for such grace, freely given,
and I offer you praise
for what you've been doing in my life,
day to day, especially in these last several weeks...

Sometimes I'm so busy,
so preoccupied with myself and my problems,
that I fail to see all the ways you care for me
and all the ways you make of me more fully,
more simply and more beautifully,
the person you created me to be...

Sometimes you surprise me, Lord,
dropping your gifts of grace
in the pockets of my mind and heart
and along the path I walk...

For the quiet, unexpected
and yet-to-be-discovered ways
you help me, Lord,
I offer you thanks and praise...

Make me faithful, Lord,
to what you've given me
and let me not for a moment
take for granted
what you've done, what you're doing
and what you will do in my life...

Teach me to trust
in the ways you come to help me...

When I'm tempted to doubt
that such good gifts come from your hand,
deepen my faith in you
and in your abiding love for me...

Slow me down, Lord,
help me keep the pace you set for me;
help me see how much you're doing,
how much you're giving,
to help me live more faithfully
the life you desire me to live...

You never fail to help me live
as you call me to live:
help me not fail to live
by the help you offer me...

Remind me every day, Lord,
how I need to find time to slow down,
to pause, to wait for your presence,
to listen for your voice,
to reach out for your hand
lifting me up, supporting and guiding me...

Let nothing come between me
and the gifts you offer me, Lord...

And as I become more and more aware
of your strength within me, help me to see
how others might lean on you
by leaning on me...

And when I'm weak and need help,
teach me to lean on others
when their strength is there for me...

This is my prayer this morning, Lord,
this day and all this week...

Amen.

(For an archive of previous Monday Morning Offerings,
check here or click on the coffee cup at the top of the sidebar...)