I often find myself staring off into the distance wondering about the great mystery and paradox of the Christian faith... like the idea that God who created it all, who is vast beyond comprehension, with no beginning and end ...should also be the one who desires relationship and is imminent closer than any friend. I have tried to capture something of this in this humble prayer of thanks and confession designed for public worship.
It is a mystery
As vast and deep as the night sky
We can sit on a hill and stare off into space
Or look at the ever-changing ocean that neighbours this place
Yet O God it’s a mystery
Beyond the scope of reason and science
Telescopes, microscopes
Maps, charts, grand theories
Complex mathematics that strives to explain it all
Beyond our ability to comprehend
Beyond all there is the mystery
You O God are eternal, with no beginning and end
You spoke and it came into being
Beyond our wildest dreams
Beyond our hopes
Beyond what we deserve
Beyond what we could ever imagine
Beyond our ability to tie down and theologise
A great mystery of love and grace
You eternal God love us
You have chosen to reveal who you are to us
You sent your son to become one of us
You died to give us life
You chose to live with us, by your spirit
And call us your children
You draw us together to be one in you
You invite to witness to your goodness
To be your hands and feet
It is too wonderful to comprehend
It doesn’t make sense to us
Sometimes it offends our sense of justice
Yet it is liberating and hope filling
That as we admit what we’ve done wrong
You forgive and restore
Christ’s death has paid for it all
Our going our own way, breaking your law
Our not loving as you love
Our withholding of forgiveness
Our wanting it all for ourselves
Our refusal to share
Our writing others off
Lord God we confess that we have done this
We’ve blown our chances
We don’t deserve your kindness
Yet you are righteous and just
We hear the words “you are forgiven”
The stain is gone and we are clean again
It is a mystery beyond us
It is too marvellous for us to comprehend
But you O God are with us today
Your presence is a reality
You invite us into a relationship with you
So we ask that we might be filled afresh with your spirit today
That we might abide with you and you with us
Fill us that your love and grace might flow through us
Fill us to be channels of your love
To your glory.
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