Sunday, December 9, 2018

The Second Sunday in Advent

It’s the second Sunday in Advent. Darkness reigns not only in our brains but also in our souls and on all sorts of landscapes: politics, home, church, and school. This prayer, written by Keith Watkins, sometime before 1995, still seems very appropriate for today.

God, we confess that ours is still a world in which Herod seems to rule:
the powerful are revered,
the visions of the wise are ignored,
the poor are afflicted,
and the innocent are killed.

You show us that salvation comes
in the vulnerability of a child,
yet we hunger for the “security” of weapons and walls.

You teach us that freedom comes in loving service,
yet we trample on others in our efforts to be “free.”

Forgive us, God, when we look to the palace instead of the stable, 
when we heed politicians more than prophets.

Renew us with the spirit of Bethlehem,
That we may be better prepared for your coming. Amen.

(from Thankful Praise: A Resource for Christian Worship)

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