Wrapping up the sermon last Sunday, we prayed a prayer based on Romans 12:9-21. I’d like to invite you to make this prayer written by Steve Garnaas-Holmes part of your daily prayer in the days ahead. As we’re talking about three community agreements we can make that help facilitate welcome and belonging in our personal lives and in our collective life at Park, this prayer helps center us in commitments to do no harm, do good in every possible way, and to stay in love with God. As you pray it, you might pay attention to what comes to the surface for you and to what God is saying to you (or calling you to) through the prayer.
Praying Romans 12:9-21
God, may my love be genuine.
May I let go of what is evil in me,
and open myself to what is good.
By your Spirit in me, may I truly love others:
not just to tolerate them but to honor them.
Give me your zeal, your energy, the true desire to serve you.
Give me the faith to rejoice with hope,
to be patient in suffering, and to persevere in prayer.
Help me take the opportunities I will have today
to contribute to the needs of those around me…
to extend hospitality to strangers…
to bless those who oppose me — to bless and not to curse them.
I am mindful of those who rejoice, and I rejoice with them.
I am mindful of those who weep, and I weep with them.
May I be present for them today.
Give me your grace to live this day in harmony with others.
I do not need to pretend that I am wiser than I am.
Help me not to be haughty
but to know that the lowly are my peers.
Give me grace to not repay evil for evil,
but to focus on what is good for the sake of all.
Give me grace to live peaceably with all.
Give me your grace to feed the hungry even if they oppose me,
to give drink to the thirsty even if I do not like them.
I pray that I will not be overcome by evil,
but that I may overcome evil with good,
by the grace of your love in me.
Amen.
Much love,
Pastor Gregg
