A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering: July 25

Coffee in the Morning by G. Mendoza

Good morning, good God!

O Lord - the last few weeks have been filled with
good days and hard days,
ups and downs,
disappointments and hopes fulfilled,
surprises (good and bad),
some loneliness and a reunion with a good friend,
consolation and confrontation,
good news and not-so-good news,
hot, humid days and cool evenings,
and, most of all,
an abiding sense of your presence
in my heart and by my side...

Since these last few weeks haven't been unusual,
I suspect that much of the same is ahead for me
and so I offer you my heart this morning,
wanting to be open and accepting
of all to come my way in the days that lie ahead...

I offer you my thanks for the good days
(may there be many!)
and my need for your help on the hard days
(may they be few!)...

I offer you my praise for the times
when my spirits are in flight
and pray you'll lift me up
when my spirits start to sink...

I offer you a prayer for strength
for times when disappointment clouds my soul
and another prayer of thanks
each time my hopes and dreams come true...

I know I'll need your consolation now and then
(or even every day!)
and I pray you'll give me grace
when I'm confronted and confused...

Good news and bad news?
I know that some of both
will make the headlines of my life:
thank you for the good news
and lead me through the bad...

It's summer, Lord, so I offer you these hazy days,
humidity and all, and pray for gentle breezes
to cool me at day's end..

Most of all, Lord, I thank you for your presence
above, behind, before me...

I thank you for your grace
and all the ways you get me through...

I thank you for your walking
close by me, at my side...

I offer you my heart this morning,
wanting to be open and accepting
of all to come my way
in the days that lie ahead...

I offer you my praise for all the ways
you are my rock, my refuge,
my joy and my delight,
whatever comes my way
in these middle summer days...

Amen.