A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering 2/12

Good morning, good God!

Well, in 48 hours
it will be Ash Wednesday...

I want, Lord
-actually I need-
for this to be a good Lent...

I need to start again,
with you,
with your help...

I want to be refreshed
by making peace with you...

It's time for me to take a spiritual inventory:
to count my sins
and number your countless mercies....

You offer me a season of grace, Lord,
and my heart so dearly needs
what you so freely give...

And as you know well, Lord,
I've been here before,
so many, many times...

As with New Year's resolutions,
my Lenten promises sometimes fade away
- before the ashes are brushed from my brow...

So, I offer you my past broken Lenten vows
and I pray for your strong arm to keep me faithful this year
to my prayer, my fasting and my works of mercy...

I offer you a lifetime of unkept pious promises
and pray you keep me modest in my pledges
that this Lent I might, at last, be faithful -
even if only in a few small things...

I offer you, in advance,
whatever my Lenten failures might be, Lord,
and pray that when I stumble
your Spirit will pick me up, dust me off,
and set me back on the path marked out for me,
the path I pledged...

I offer you my ego, Lord,
and pray I take no pride in being faithful this Lent:
humble me with the strength of your grace
and sustain in me what I cannot do alone:
help me remember that without you
I can do nothing...

I offer you all my past false starts, Lord,
and pray you'll walk this Lenten path with me
from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday...

I offer you the 40 days ahead, Lord,
and pray you help me live this season
just one day at a time...

Help me to pray, a day at a time...
Help me to sacrifice, a day at a time...
Help me to be generous in giving, a day at a time...

Walk with me this Lent, Lord,
and remind me each day
that this season is first my offering to you,
and then a grace for me
that my faith in you might grow...

And as I walk this Lenten journey with your people, Lord,
open me to the needs of my brothers and sisters
who walk beside me, behind me and before me,
near and far,
around the corner, around the world...

Whenever, wherever I might be forgiving,
help me be as generous to others
as you have been to me...

One day at a time this Lent, Lord:
you and me, with your people, the Church,
in the grace of your Holy Spirit,
just one day at a time...

Amen.

Ash Wednesday Prep