A Concord Pastor Comments: Pause for Prayer: MONDAY 12/11

Good morning, good God!

Every mountain will be made low...
age old depths and gorges will be filled to level ground...
every valley shall be filled in...
the winding roads will be made straight
and the rough ways smooth...

What an awesome pledge!

So this morning I offer you

the mountains of problems and struggles

so many will face this day

- and the opportunity

to make good on your pledge!

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

- and find ourselves still climbing...

Make good your promise, Lord,

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

make low, make even just a little lower

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

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 where we don'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 of our rough roads a smooth highway,

and make straight all the paths we walk...

As we walk the Advent path to Christmas,

make ready the route that leads to your peace

       and make us strong for the journey...

Along the way,
   make us gentle companions and generous guides
       for one another.

May no one stumble on our account

and may those who have fallen find in us

a friend and companion...

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 your joy...