Thursday, February 10, 2011

Mystery; A Prayer of Thanksgiving and Confession


I often find myself staring off into the distance wondering about the great mystery and paradox of the Christian faith... like the idea that God who created it all, who is vast beyond comprehension, with no beginning and end ...should also be the one who desires relationship and is imminent closer than any friend. I have tried to capture something of this in this humble prayer of thanks and confession designed for public worship.



It is a mystery


As vast and deep as the night sky

We can sit on a hill and stare off into space

Or look at the ever-changing ocean that neighbours this place

Yet O God it’s a mystery



Beyond the scope of reason and science

Telescopes, microscopes

Maps, charts, grand theories

Complex mathematics that strives to explain it all

Beyond our ability to comprehend

Beyond all there is the mystery

You O God are eternal, with no beginning and end

You spoke and it came into being



Beyond our wildest dreams

Beyond our hopes

Beyond what we deserve

Beyond what we could ever imagine

Beyond our ability to tie down and theologise

A great mystery of love and grace

You eternal God love us

You have chosen to reveal who you are to us

You sent your son to become one of us

You died to give us life

You chose to live with us, by your spirit

And call us your children

You draw us together to be one in you

You invite to witness to your goodness

To be your hands and feet

It is too wonderful to comprehend







It doesn’t make sense to us

Sometimes it offends our sense of justice

Yet it is liberating and hope filling

That as we admit what we’ve done wrong

You forgive and restore

Christ’s death has paid for it all



Our going our own way, breaking your law

Our not loving as you love

Our withholding of forgiveness

Our wanting it all for ourselves

Our refusal to share

Our writing others off

Lord God we confess that we have done this

We’ve blown our chances

We don’t deserve your kindness

Yet you are righteous and just

We hear the words “you are forgiven”

The stain is gone and we are clean again



It is a mystery beyond us

It is too marvellous for us to comprehend

But you O God are with us today

Your presence is a reality

You invite us into a relationship with you

So we ask that we might be filled afresh with your spirit today

That we might abide with you and you with us

Fill us that your love and grace might flow through us

Fill us to be channels of your love

To your glory.

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