Prayer & Praise

As we come to the text, we are mindful that we have not come first – for others have been there before us.

We do not come alone – for a cloud of witnesses await us.

We give you thanks for the brave people of the text, “prophets and apostles, saints and martyrs.”

These cadences come easy to us and are familiar.

But if we pray slow, we acknowledge before you that there hover around this text:

prophets – ancient and contemporary – who have been truth-tellers at risk.

apostles – ancient and contemporary – sent with passion and courage undaunted.

saints – ancient and contemporary – who have been single-minded for the vision of this text.

martyrs – ancient and contemporary who have witnessed and suffered and died for this particular truth.

And we are their heirs, children, continuers. Give us freedom to be in their presence.

Give us their innocence before the text.

Most of all, give us the grace to he haunted by them, haunted as they were by the text, haunted to newness.

We pray in the haunting name of Jesus.

Amen.
Walter Brueggemann. Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: The Prayers of Walter Brueggemann (p. 57). Kindle Edition.