A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering: 12/8

Good morning, good God!

I pray today, Lord,
that you unburden my heart
of whatever might keep me
from Christmas joy...

Would you do that, Lord?
Will you do that for me?
Could we work on this together?

That's my hope and prayer
and so I offer you this morning,
for your mending and healing,
whatever might keep me
from receiving you with joy
this Christmas...

My selfishness hinders me, Lord,
and I offer it to you for healing
in this season of generosity...

I offer you my impulse
to keep things for myself
when I already have so much,
so much more than I need...

I offer you the urge
to buy and buy some more,
to have and still want more,
while others, millions of others
have so little or nothing at all...

I offer you resources I hoard
while others have nothing for a rainy day…

Free me to see the needs of others
as more important than my own
and help me welcome you with joy
at Christmas...

My grudges and resentments hinder me, Lord,
so I offer them to you for healing…

I offer you the heavy backpack
of stale arguments, old disagreements and tired arrogance
that weighs me down and keeps me
from running to greet you, to meet you
at the stable in Bethlehem …

Help me let go any ill will I cling to, Lord,
and lift from my shoulders the weight of my pride
that I might welcome you with joy
this Christmas...

Some fantasies and daydreams, Lord,
keep me from receiving you with joy
and with a pure, unsullied heart.
So I offer you my troublesome desires:
tame them, heal them, shape them, mold them,
use them for your glory
that I might welcome you with joy
and a clean heart on Christmas day...

Some of my circumstances might keep me, Lord,
from receiving you with joy
this Christmas.
I might worry about keeping my job,
finding a job, needing a second job;
my limbs might be weak, my fingers grown feeble,
my heartbeat too fast, my movement slow,
my credit's maxed out, bills are due,
the car needs work,
my family’s in trouble,
my will power’s failing,
my commitments wavering
and, well, Lord - fill in the blank ______________...

So I offer you this morning
the unsure broken pieces of my day-to-day…

I offer you my latest efforts to make things better
and my failed efforts of the past...

I offer you the empty feeling
that I have nothing left to offer…

Be with me in my difficulties, Lord,
and help me trust and know you’re there…

Help me know what I can and cannot do:
give me the wisdom to know the difference
and the courage to do what I can…

Help me to lean on others for support
and to understand their strength
as your gift to me through their hands...

Give me peace of mind and heart, Lord,
that I might welcome you with joy
this Christmas…

I offer you, O Lord,
all the hope and faith and trust I have
especially on those days
when that's all in short supply...

But what I have I do offer, Lord,
and I pray you'll make of that,
by your holy power and grace,
all I need
to welcome you
with joy
on Christmas day...

Amen.