A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering

Good morning, good God!

Isaiah's words echo in my heart, Lord...

Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God

So this morning I offer you

the mountains of problems and struggles

your people face this day...

I offer you the peaks of pain

hiding hope of healing from the sick...

I offer you the heights of challenge and conflict

we try so hard to scale -

yet find ourselves still climbing...

Make good your promise, Lord,

and in our flesh and bone, in our own day,

make low, even just a little lower than yesterday,

the mountains that keep us from your peace and healing,
from the the comfort you promise
and the consolation we seek and long for...

I offer you, Lord, the age-old depths of hurts,

disappointments and memories that haunt our hearts...

I offer you the deep gorges of guilt and shame

that shadow our days and our dreams...

Make good your promise, Lord,

and in our flesh and bone, in our own day,

fill to level ground the ravines, the crevices,

the valleys of darkness through which we walk:

shine your light on our path

and let your mercy be our guide...

I offer you the winding roads where we lose our way

and the crooked paths that lead us in directions
where we didn't want to go...

I offer you the rough patches through which we stumble,

the distressed roads taking their toll on our strength...

Make good your promise, Lord,

and in our flesh and bone, in our own day

straighten the way that leads to your heart:

make a smooth highway of our rough roads,

and make straight the paths we walk...

As we prepare the way for your coming, Lord,

make ready the route for the advent of your peace
and its settling in our hearts...

Make us gentle companions and generous guides

for those we meet along the way:

may no one stumble on our account

and may those who have fallen find in us

a friend for the journey...

Make good your promise, Lord,

and in our flesh and bone, in our own day,

bring us through the valleys, over the heights

and along the road to your glory,

your peace and the joy that's yours to give...

All this I offer you this Monday morning, Lord,

and every day and night this week...

Amen.