Saturday, May 4

A prayer for the morning



God, help me to know my talents, and to use them.
That I do not waste them away like the barren fig tree.

What can I do well and what am I good at? Do I do it?
Do I use what you have given me for the sake of all your people,
And to Your glory?
Or do I sit on it?

Because what you have given me is not mine to keep.
What I am is not for myself alone.
Am I a good steward? Do I use what you gave me to the benefit of your people?
Or am I wasting away, already withered, like the barren fig tree that bore no fruit?

Like the barren fig tree to which You had given life and nourishment,
But which gave nothing back?

God grant to me to give something back.
Something excellent
- that is - to express that which You have given,
like the moon reflects the light of the sun and is like a light in the darkness.
Amen.


1 comment:

  1. A correction on 'A Prayer for the Morning':

    I think the theological stance in this piece is wrong. It would be more correct rather to say: God make me pure of heart and gentle of spirit so that I might be useful to you. so that I might not be a rusted useless tin.

    Our aim is to become pure of heart so that we can see God, and then, have no concern for what we will say when we are brought before the courts, but trust that God will give us something to say. I mean: a Christian's intention is not to be useful to the world. It is rather to keep the flame going. To be a light. so that it's owner will not hide it but bring it out to shed its light in the room.

    What i mean is this: if you aim to be purified of sin, and that it becomes so that it is not you who lives but God who lives through you, then, when God wants to use you for something he will put you out there.

    The saints for example: they didn't go out there to become teachers. They tended to their souls. And then God revealed them to the world, and people from every corner went to them to be taught.

    What do you think about this? Am I wrong?

    ReplyDelete