A Prayer

Lord

Give me a heart for your children
Let it beat as yours beats
In love, hoping, wanting and desiring your best in their life
Let me pray for their protection
enlightenment
that they would find joy
humor
purpose
and the knowledge
that there is a depth of compassion and healing
that you have for them

Let me encounter their pain
and seek ways to help bear it
and help them lay it at the foot of cross
with the One who desires that we leave it there

May their voids be filled
lonliness dissapated
rejection rejected
the rejectors forgiven, and the pain they caused released

And help us to acknowledge how we've rejected others
turned from one another
abused ourselves in the name of survival
and created chaos when we are called to people of peace

Make the first words on their lips each
not be "Help Me Lord",
but "Help Yourself To Me, Lord"

Create your heart in me Lord,
for your people

Amen