Monday, March 1, 2010

Prayer of Thanksgiving

This is the prayer I offered for the Thanksgiving service today. I'm writing it in the blog for two reasons. 1) So I can hear myself thinking out loud. 2) So that you - the readers - can share in both the celebration of my cousin's life and prayer for the Andrews family.

Thanks for listening in - DEREK

"Loving and eternal God, this is a remarkable occasion, a day bursting with sadness, with wonder, with thanksgiving and with abiding love.

"People - your children - are gathered from this community, from around England, and from the ends of the earth - because we are compelled to honor, not only a life well-lived, but a Savior worth living for.

"So we want to offer prayers of Thanksgiving for the eloquent witness of Linda's great faith - for the profound testimony of her grace-charged struggle over this past year... and for the clarity of her passion for Your generous love.

"Thank you that Linda's passing breathes the insistent promise of truth into my spirit, and that my capacity to believe has been - and is - amplified by the undeniable fact of her experience of God.
  • May we all know such assurance
  • May we all connect so personally with your spirit
  • May we all find our home in the eternal presence of God's welcoming love
"Sometimes we can't begin to wrap our minds around your mystery, God. This is most certainly one of those times.

"And so, finally, we are thankful that your nature is not limited by our capacity to speak or to write. Linda knew you beyond words. Likewise, may our lives sing - with joy - the beauty of your love.

"In the good name of Jesus - Amen."

1 comment:

Charles said...

Paul Knitter would like your prayer.