Holy God:
With the Psalmist we say, “My soul clings to the dust,
revive me according to your word.” You
have set eternity in our hearts, and yet we so often put our nose to the
grindstone, go through the motions of the many tasks we must do, and forget all
you have set before us and all you have put within us.
So today, remind us that we will spend forever with your
Son, that we will spend forever and for always feasting at a heavenly banquet,
a celebration that will know no end, gathered around a table in which all your
children will come together as loving brothers and sisters—our friends, our
families, those we have never met and yet admired, even our enemies, people
from every tribe and nation and tongue.
Help us to get the party started now, today, in this
moment. Right now, we strain to see how
you will renew us, because we are broken in so many ways. Forgive us our sins. Free us to live joyfully and lovingly. We strain to see how you will renew the face
of the earth when the earth is groaning under the burden of war, disease,
animosity among nations, ecological concerns, the oppression of unjust
governments, widespread poverty, and so many other challenges. But you have put a vision in our hearts of a
day when the kingdoms of this earth will become the kingdoms of our God and
king. Bring that day closer. Help us to give our lives to the high
purpose of making your dream real in the world.
Lift us up to live as people whose citizenship is in
heaven. Keep us grounded as people who
serve a Lord who loved the world enough to give himself for its
redemption.
We have tasted of your love. We have tasted of your goodness.
We thank you for all you have done, for all you have shown us. Open our hearts to your word, your spirit,
and your presence in this hour of worship.
Open our hearts to each other.
Open our eyes to see an open heaven.
Amen.
Amen. Well said!
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