The good news of Christ
Lord, blow your trumpet
in the songs we sing,
in the gifts we bring,
in the prayers we pray,
in the roles we play,
in the lives we live,
in the alms we give,
in the love we show,
in the seed we sow,
in the thanks we express,
in the souls we bless,
in the Word we speak,
in the bread we break.
Make all the earth hear your sound!
Amen.
I posted a form of this prayer poem last night on an alternative social media account, inspired by a short prayer on commonprayer.net.
I’ve none but God in the end,
‘Tis he my guide and friend.
For me Christ bled, my daily bread;
To him I would ascend.
O Lord, for you I wait.
In me, I pray, create
A holy heart, from sin apart;
Take me to Heaven’s gate.
While earthly time remains,
Christ Jesus’ love constrains:
We sow the seed in word and deed;
O’er all our Savior reigns.
Open my ears, O God, to hear you.
Move me close, for me to be near you.
Every thought and action please you,
Faithful till my spirit sees you.
Christ is Lord! Help me to obey him.
Never may my heart betray him,
No excuse to fail or fault him.
Make my life and words exalt him.
Father of many children, hear us,
Prayers beseeching you come near us;
God of time and space and matter,
Make your enemies fall and scatter!
Sovereign Lord, attend our pleading,
We would see your cause succeeding;
Use us for your glory and honor,
Perfect love our highest banner.
To know and love, to be accepted
For who I am; to put rejection
Far away; for transformation —
A new soul and heart and mind:
For these I seek you, Lord, humbly,
Thirsty on the desert sand.
Father, make me clean this day,
That I might stand before you;
Take all my sin and shame away,
I urgently implore you.
With love let nothing interfere,
Let Satan not derail me;
On earth let glorious News appear,
Your power never fail me.
O God, the evil one will do us harm,
And yet we wander from your powerful arm!
Draw us near, and help us move with speed
Beneath your shadow, to live and always feed
Upon your Word, to drink that spiritual drink,
To thrive, in Christ, in his love and single work!
And when our faith is weak, help us think
That from the cross our Lord refused to shirk.
How hard, O Lord, to make a start,
To reach the end, much harder still!
What joy to know that in my heart
You work to give me strength and will!
— ‹‹«»›› —
Read Philippians 2.12-13; 4.13.
Awaken me to opportunity,
To open doors in my community,
To searching hearts that were resistant,
To bring those near who once were distant. Continue reading “With saving words and deeds of leaven”
All seek their own, not those of Christ,
By worldly gain and gold enticed;
To be a Demas is my fear,
To miss the Spirit’s movement near.
Come give me, Lord, a single eye,
Fixed on your will, on things on high;
Devoted to please your charge and call,
I’d seek your face above them all.