A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering: 6/5

Good morning, good God!

Fresh from yesterday's Pentecost I am,
but still much in need of your Spirit, Lord,
and in need of your Spirit's seven gifts...

So, I offer you a confession of foolishness, Lord,
especially the foolishness of sin in my life:
give me your Spirit's gift of right judgment
to discern between right and wrong, fun and folly,
love and lust, self-care and selfishness,
humor and harm,
genuine care and gossip...

And I offer you my desire for the Spirit's gift of courage:
that I might follow my discernment's lead
to make wise choices and good decisions,
good plans and selfless goals -
all with plenty of follow-through, Lord!

I offer you my weaknesses this morning, Lord,
and pray for the Spirit's gift of understanding
that I might see how I should live according to your Word:
to speak the truth when a lie would be easier;
to speak out loud when silence would be simpler;
to act when doing nothing would cost me so much less;
to defend the weak when my strength might help;
to stand for what's just when others need support;
to do what's honest when others are cheating;
to walk humbly with you, Lord,
no matter what others may think...

I offer you my self-centeredness, Lord,
and pray for the Spirit's gift of wisdom:
to see you in all peoples and in all things,
and to see everyone and everything through your eyes;
to see the truth as you know it;
to see your hand at work at all times;
to find meaning in suffering;
and your fingerprints on every bit of my life
and on the whole of creation...

I offer you my pride and my know-it-all attitude, Lord:
and pray you'll give me the Spirit's gift of knowledge:
deepen my desire to know you and to love you;
make me hungry to know the truth of your Word;
make me thirsty for your Spirit's life within my soul;
teach me to love the path you walk, Lord
and give me the desire to follow you;
deepen my love for our Church and its teachings
and for any and all things that lead me closer to you...

In a world that often and easily forgets you, Lord,
give me the Spirit's gift of reverence:
give me a spirit of profound respect for you
and for the people you call your own;
make me humble before you, Lord,
and before my brothers and sisters;
give me a love for prayer and for time for prayer;
and give me a spirit of prayer
that leads me to rely on you
to be my light and my salvation...

I offer you my tendency to rely on myself, Lord,
and pray for the Spirit's gift
of wonder and awe in your presence:
increase my desire to be with you
and never to be separated from you, Lord;
keep me from anything or anyone
who keeps me from you;
teach me to find joy
in knowing you are always with me;
and teach me to find peace
in trusting that you are there
even when I cannot find you...

The gifts you offer are many, Lord,
and I know I need them all
every single one of them,
all the time...

Lord, help me share your Spirit's gifts
with those I know and meet
and open me to the gifts of all
whose paths will cross my own today
and through the week ahead...

Amen.