Gracious and Loving God,

It is not lost upon us how fortunate we are to be your children and to be created in your image. Everything you have done and are doing for us is completely unimaginable, as we are completely unworthy. We cannot express our gratitude enough! Even so, great God, suffering perplexes us deeply. The horrors of the past, the present, and, sadly, probably the future confound and anger us. So many things that happen are intolerable.

Gracious and Loving God,

In that vein, precious God, we are especially bewildered by the idea that you thought you had to and, in fact, did die for us. Thereby, someway, somehow, you absolve us of our actionable and unactionable thoughts, words, and deeds. Amazing God, we are left only being able to ask why? We are simply and completely awed that you dwelled among us as one of us, suffering with us, showing us that weeping and hurting and agony are all a part of our human condition. Yet, you also proved to us that these dark experiences and emotions are not the entirety of our human condition.

Gracious and Loving God,

You turned everything upside down, giving us the strength of conviction and purpose to transform the terrible, sad, distressful, depleting events and things of life if we will only let down our selfish, ego-driven ways in order to authentically care deeply for one another, walking humbly in your path by following your example. Help us to claim the promise that kindness, compassion, and love are the ways in which we will find wholeness, joy, purpose, fulfillment, and healing.

In Your Holy Name We Pray, Amen


Rev. Mace Hall