Opening Prayer
Jealous God, we must frustrate You so much! Like Your people from ancient times, even today we get lost in our affluence and success. We depend only on our own resources. We create gods of our restless needs and desires. We forget that You are the Source of all we are and have. We have forsaken You, Holy Creator. We are strangers to You in the way we live. Please do not give up on us. Stretch out your hand of mercy and save us from ourselves and the crazy righteousness that blinds us to Your presence. Like pharisees, we judge rashly what we do not understand or agree with. Show us again Your heartfelt pity, Lord Jesus. Our self-serving and restless needs have exhausted us. We need You more than we know or can admit. Embrace us as strangers and name us friends! Empower us to plant the seeds of Your divine power and presence in fields of our lives.
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