A raw intercession

Dear Lord Jesus Christ–

You are full of mercy and love,
and you amaze me
because we are a desperate and sinful people,
and yet you don’t annihilate us.
At least, not yet.

And so I pray to you.
Grant us mercy–give us time to repent.
On behalf of those who serve you,
if we have pleased you with our rare and paltry obedience,
please go with us into the earth.
Convict us.
Transform us.

Forgive the arrogance and selfishness of us, your name-bearers.
We misrepresent who you are to your world.
We are stubborn and rebellious.
We elevate our own agendas.
We hate the lost, and we compete with our brothers,
and we call it Christianity.

Please forgive our wickedness.
Our sin is grievous to you,
and it confuses your message of forgiveness to the world.
Under the canopy of spiritual election,
we have confused freedom with grace,
conservatism with purity,
and protection with compassion.

Your heart must be breaking at the sight of us.

We bear your name,
and we look nothing like you.

Make us your inheritance,
the recipients of your blessings–
not because we deserve ease and comfort (because we don’t!)–
but because your name is Jesus,
the One and Only,
the Lover of our Souls,
the Hope of All Creation.

Covenant with us to use us in spite of our egotism,
to transform us in spite of our failures.
May your name be glorified on earth
forever and ever.
Amen.

(taken from Ex. 34:8-9)

image by George Hodan