A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering: 7/17

Good morning, good God!

I come to offer you my grateful heart, Lord,
and to thank you for so many gifts -
especially the ones I didn't expect
and hadn't been seeking,
the gifts you knew I needed more
than the many things that I'd been wanting...

You know me better than I know myself, Lord:
you know what I need
to be the person you made me to be;
you know what I need
to find the happiness I desire
but often confuse
with other foolish things I want...

In the past few months
you've given me more peace
than I ever dreamed of having;
you've given me more healing
that I even knew I needed;
you've given me blessings
beyond my understanding;
and you've given me hope,
enough to carry me through darker days
and tougher times
when my trust is sorely tempted...

I don't want to seem greedy, Lord,
but I can't help but wonder
what else you have in store for me -
so I pray -
open my mind and heart to every gift
you're ready to offer me...

Open my eyes to see what I need
and not just what I think I want...

Open my imagination
to dream outside the box,
the tiny box of what I think I need,
the bright and shiny trinkets
that capture my attention...

Open my soul
as wide as souls are meant to be,
as deep as souls are meant to go
as far as souls are meant to reach
to open up to grace and healing,
joy and peace,
contentment and serenity
in kind and measure far beyond
what I have often sought...

I come to offer you my grateful heart, Lord,
and to thank you for so many gifts -
especially the ones I didn't expect,
the gifts you knew I needed more
than many things that I'd been seeking...

You know me better
than I know myself, Lord:
fill me, satisfy me, complete me
with only the gifts you know
I truly need...

Amen.