Prayer & Praise

The pattern of faith and life is clear enough among us.

You give and we receive,

You give and overwhelm us and we receive,

You give far more abundantly than we can ask, or imagine … and we receive.

You give life and breath to the world and we receive.

You give miracles of deliverance and newness, and we receive.

You give rain and sunshine and food, and we receive.

You give yourself in this strange Jesus, and we receive.

You take and bless and break and give, and we receive … nourished, quenched.

You give and sometimes we are among the tenth that thanks:

thanks with our words;

thanks with our study;

thanks with our money;

thanks with our lives;

our abiding thanks,

gratitude transient when contrasted with your abiding gifts.

Amen.
Walter Brueggemann;Anna Carter Florence. Inscribing the Text: Sermons and Prayers of Walter Brueggemann (Kindle Locations 403-406). Kindle Edition.