A Concord Pastor Comments: NIGHT PRAYER: Sunday 9/6

This Labor Day weekend, Lord,
I've been thinking about some work I need to do...

I need to work harder at understanding folks
whose politics are different from mine:
I need to work at moving
   - beyond their slogans and stump speeches,
   - through their deceptions and half-truths,
   - above the sarcastic and snarky,
   - out of my own bias and prejudice
   - around my stubborn resistance,
   - apart from my untested theses
   - and into their ideas and philosophies...

I need to dig deeper, Lord,
to see what the other side sees as good and just
where I don't see it at all...

I need to work harder, Lord,
at accepting that their beliefs are based on
reason, good will and justice as they understand it...

I need to work at acknowledging:
   - that they're as sincere in their beliefs
         as my side is in ours
- that not all the bad guys are on their side
   and not all the good guys are on mine
- that neither side has all the answers:
   we're all sometimes right
          and we're all sometimes wrong

So, that's the hard work ahead of me, Lord
and to complete it I need to let go of
   - my pride and rigid intransigence,
   - the conviction that I'm always right
   - the notion that some folks have nothing to teach me
   - thinking I've sufficiently thought through my positions
   - assuming you're on my side, Lord,
         and want nothing to do with the other...

That's a lot, Lord, and to achieve I'll need some rest
so protect me while I'm still awake
and watch over me as I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Before You I Kneel: A Worker's Prayer
by Stuart Towned and Keith Getty

Before You I kneel, my Master and Maker,
To offer the work of my hands.
For this is the day You've given Your servant;
I will rejoice and be glad
For the strength I have to live and breathe,
For each skill Your grace has given me,
For the needs and opportunities
That will glorify Your great name.

Before You I kneel and ask for Your goodness
To cover the work of my hands.
For patience and peace to shape all my labor,
Your grace for thorns in my path.

Flow within me like a living stream,
Wear away the stones of pride and greed
'Til Your ways are dwelling deep in me
And a harvest of life is grown.

Before You we kneel, our Master and Maker;
Establish the work of our hands.
And order our steps to seek first Your kingdom
In every small and great task.
May we live the gospel of Your grace,
Serve Your purpose in our fleeting days,
Then our lives will bring eternal praise
And all glory to Your great name.