To some, O God, it is an abomination to refer to you as Mother; to others, a long awaited healing. For some, You can only be Father, but for others, that image carries too much pain. At our best, we remember that all words fall short of capturing the character of who You are and cannot possibly summarize the fullness of our experience of You.
You are the gentle Disturber of the satisfied, the fierce Comforter of the distressed. You actively seek to welcome us as we prodigals return from the far country of our pride and negligence. Hold us, for a moment in the embrace of mercy and healing, that we may learn again and anew that we are blood-bonded with you. Be the Divine Mother to us in those moments where we learn again that You are gracious beyond any lesser gods of greed or popularity or patriotism or success or career that have brought about narrowness of vision.
Then challenge us, confront us even with whoever and in whatever ways are necessary to unburden us of our cherished illusions about ourselves. Be the urgent Father who nudges us beyond our careful timidities, fills us with the audacity and delight in the gifts You have bestowed.
Mother-Father of us all, love us and exhort us to live with assertive hope and compassionate humilty, that the world is a better place because of how we used the blessing of life given us by You. And hear us as pray in the name of Jesus, who in both kindness and demand, shows us the way to live. Amen.
Mother-Father of us all, love us and exhort us to live with assertive hope and compassionate humilty, that the world is a better place because of how we used the blessing of life given us by You. And hear us as pray in the name of Jesus, who in both kindness and demand, shows us the way to live. Amen.
Offered in worship by Dr. Roger Paynter on May 10, 2009.
0 comments:
Post a Comment