This Sunday’s scripture readings had to do with good choices: the blessings of entering into good covenants before entering the promised land from the Deuteronomy text, and the much harder words from Jesus in Matthew, “upping the ante” on how righteous one must be. At least in Jesus’ case, the challenge seems impossible: who has not gotten angry? Who has not “lusted in their heart?” Rev. Kent suggested in the sermon that rather than forming the basis of penal law codes (and the disdainful moralism they sometimes engender), these admonitions were meant to inspire the efforts to rehabilitate broken relations and to live into the good choices God sets before us. Here is the prayer related to all of that, offered for all who have felt too imperfect too often. There is always time to make the next good choice.
Lord of the stiff necked, Lord of the self-righteous, Lord of the wrong-headed, and ill-equipped: we know for a fact that you are our God. How else could we live into such promise and grace? Help us live our lives forward in a covenant of care: care for our selves, care for right relationship, and care for your creation. The only perfection we could ever attain is to be perfectly in love. We can’t love, or do anything perfectly, but we hope to carry forward the standard of your blessing, the banner of your affection, and the seal of your unfolding, unending refinement. Help us be limber in our theological contortions, adamant only about your grace, and full of a willingness to try better whenever we fail you, or ourselves. Heal our hearts, lord, and lift our spirits for now and for the living of these days in light. –Rev. Kent Gilbert
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