A Prayer for the Weekend

Send out your Spirit and they spring to life—
    the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.
Psalm 104:30 (The Message)

Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work... 
Exodus 20:9-10

A Prayer for the Weekend

It's the weekend, Lord.
Renew us. Refresh us. Re-create us. Give us rest.
Send forth your Spirit, 
  and wash over us like the waves of the ocean.
Help us to observe sabbath rest -- 
  enjoying the abundance of your blessings,
  praising you for your goodness and your love,
  appreciating friends and family.
Fill our hearts with gratitude for your lovingkindness.

It's the weekend, Lord, but some still have to work.
They have long days, not rest.
They will toil, while others will relax.
Strengthen them. Encourage them. Bless them.

It's the weekend, Lord.
Renew in our hearts the desire to worship you.
Remind us that our sabbath rest is not just for us -- 
  it's for us to renew our love for you, too.

Send forth your Spirit, Lord, and renew the face of the earth.
Awaken our hearts to your glory.
Renew us. Refresh us. Re-create us. Give us rest.
Amen.

Recycle Me

“Whoever is in Christ is a new creation; the old has gone, and the new has come!”(2 Corinthians 5:17)

The recycling department of the City of Clinton (North Carolina) is located a few blocks down the street from our house. On the wall facing the street there are three murals made of discarded plastic containers. This prayer is inspired by those murals.

Recycle Me

I offer my life to you, O Lord.

It's not much, I know. I got the sin in me.

I'm not exactly perfect. Not even close, really.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm any good at all.

Still, I offer myself to you. As a living sacrifice.

Take me, I pray, and use me for your glory.

You are the God who makes all things new.

You take us as we are, but you don't leave us that way.

Your specialty is transformation.

You take broken and sinful humans,

and you make us new creations.

Recycle me, Lord.

Re-use me.

Renew me.

Make me part of something beautiful.

I offer my life to you, O Lord.

Use me, for your glory.

Amen.