Jesus Christ Liberator by Brother Robert Lentz OFM
Prayer for Liberation by Lisa Degrenia Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. – John 5:24 (KJV)
Merciful One, Liberating One, You break the chains You open the prison doors You pardon instead of condemn
Yet, we keep ourselves locked away from your love your light your joy
Emancipate us once and for all from condemnation Silence the inner critics Silence the liars Silence all that keeps us from wholeness
Open our eyes to see we are free Open our hearts to accept it in full To accept you in full
Glory and honor be to you Jesus our Rescuer and Redeemer our Freedom Fighter Amen
Steadfast Surrender by Lisa Degrenia For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, and he has given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man. – John 5:26-27 (NRSV)
Faithful One, make me faithful. Steadfast One, make me steadfast. Unchanging One, change me. I surrender to your Word and ways, your call and claim. Fulfill your good purposes in me and through me, now and forever. Amen.
Testify by Lisa Degrenia I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. – John 5:36 (NRSV)
So many testify to you and your work The prophecies The signs The Baptist The Father
Add my voice to the chorus Add my life to the witness
Glory to your Holy Name! Glory to your saving power! Glory to you, our Lord and Savior forever!
Long-Awaited Messiah, a prayer based on Luke 4:17-19
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Long-awaited Messiah
Lord of Hope
Have mercy
Long-awaited Messiah
Defender of Compassion
Have mercy
Long-awaited Messiah
Provider, Protector, Liberator
Have mercy
Release us from
the chains of this moment, born of imprisoned years
the distractions and false calls of those who cannot help
Release us from
the blindness to our complicity, frailty, and poverty
the apathy keeping us from seeing, speaking and caring
Release us from
the weight of needs stealing our courage to try
the slowness of change chipping away at our enduring
Have mercy on us
Finish your good and generous work
_______________
For the next few months, I’m reading a chapter from the Gospels each day. This is part of the Summer in the Scriptures reading plan sponsored by the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Click Here for the reading plan.
As part of the Facebook group, I’ve been supplying prayers based on the day’s reading. Feel free to post your prayers and observations based on the readings here or there as well.
May the grace of the Gospels, the challenge, and the call, inspire us to great faith and great good works in Jesus’ name. – Lisa <
Growing in Resilience
Day 22, Read Isaiah 61
Reflection: Comfort Us, based on Isaiah 61:10, NRSV
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Comfort us
Comfort us who mourn
When one suffers, we all suffer
Hear our lament for the ways we hurt one another and in turn hurt you
Our words weapons instead of life
Hear our wails for all shattered by sin and fear and shame
Hear our groans for all bent low beneath watching and waiting
for another in pain
or their own
Hear our tears for all captive to
their poverty
their addiction
their loneliness
their otherness
Hear our grieving for the powerful misusing their influence
The Forgotten… forgotten
Comfort us
Comfort us who mourn
Comfort us in your coming
Your freeing
Your healing
In your deliverance, there is a crown for our ashes
The oil of gladness pouring across tender brows till it pools in our clavicles
In the nakedness of our need you clothe us
Garments of Salvation
Robes of Righteousness
Jewels of our Belovedness
You dress us in your Victory
Wrapping us in your Joy and Delight
Swaddling us in your Promises made real
Growing in Resilience
Day 9, Read Isaiah 48
Reflection: Soften and Save, based on Isaiah 48:4-6
Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass, I declared them to you from long ago, before they came to pass I announced them to you, so that you would not say, “My idol did them, my carved image and my cast image commanded them.” You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it?
Merciful One, soften and save us
We are hardheaded
Obstinate
Obstructive
Merciful One, soften and save us
We are stubborn
Self-willed
Stiff-necked
Bearing the iron yoke of unhealthy pride and false idols
You alone can liberate us
Turn and return us
Metal to flesh
Ears to hear
Eyes to see
Minds supple in your truth
Lips open, declaring your saving power
A whole body rejoicing in our deliverance
Long-Awaited Messiah, a prayer based on Luke 4:17-19
Growing in Resilience
Growing in Resilience
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