Sunday, August 21, 2005

Why I Wanted to Run

... to the nearest Episcopal church:

This was the opening Prayer of Confession today at the Presbyterian church across the river in Rock Island, Illinois, where Noah played his last service as summer organist before heading back to Oberlin:

Mysterious God, we shut out the infinite dimensions and variety of who You are to cut You down to a size we think we can manage. Then we cut ourselves down to stereotypes we can pigeonhole. In this limited view, creativity and spontaneity are snuffed out. Even Jesus becomes a predictable relic of the past. O God, forgive us for so distorting reality that we miss Your surprises. Welcome us back to Your big world of possibilities. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

5 Comments:

Blogger Dawgdays said...

It's the thought that counts?

5:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

wow. what a great prayer.

10:50 AM  
Blogger The Archer of the Forest said...

Did the church leader's really think anyone was going to understand that? At least had they said it in latin, it would have sounded nobler...

12:39 PM  
Blogger geebrooke said...

"...creativity and spontaneity are snuffed out."

Well, they are alive and well in this service! :^)

"Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks"; but I recall that it was the prayers of confession in the BCP that first attracted me to Anglican worship.

7:14 AM  
Blogger The Rev. Dr. Debra K. Bullock said...

While I suspect the sentiment might have been expressed more aptly, more succinctly, more . . . (er) something; I have to concur with Laurel's assessment of the content. What better way to show the power of making room for God in one's life - and the cost of trying to live your own life as if you were driving solo.

1:47 PM  

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