Tuesday, October 22, 2002
Keep it brief
posted by John Davies at 4:00 PM
Sifting through a load of old prayers I've written, for potential publication, I'm struck by how 'clever' and wordy my earlier ones were, especially the ones I wrote and performed at theological college, ever so tense and precious. But even last week's are wordy, wordy, wordy.
Today I think the best ones are the briefest. Usually the ones done for all-age worship where everything is precied not to dumb-down but to pack-in meaning accessibly. Thus - pick of the bunch is the confession written recently with a computer theme:God sends us messages:
when we receive them God makes our lives better
when we delete them we make our lives worse.
When your message says: "Love others" and we don't:
Dear God, we're sorry
When your message says: "Love yourselves" and we can't:
Dear God, we're sorry
When your message says: "Love me" and we won't:
Dear God, we're sorry
Help us to love you
Help us to know you love us
Help us to share your love with others. Amen
Words of Forgiveness
May God who is full of love,
forgive you and free you,
heal you and strengthen you
help you to get the message
and live the new life of Jesus
in the strength of the Spirit. Amen. (Even that last bit goes on but that's the price you pay for having to be trinitarian)
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john davies
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