God's Dilemma - Genesis 4:1-26

Our Father
Your mercy rings out to us
Your patience despite our rejection of you
Your immense grace in sending your Son
When you should have destroyed us
We praise you
Grow in us a genuine love for others
And an all-consuming love for you
Amen

Ishshah - Woman. Genesis 2v18-25

Our Father you have made men and women
Equal
Complementary
Not to rule but to serve each other.
We praise you for your plan displayed in marriage
We praise you for your plan displayed in the gift of singleness
We praise you for the way committed marriage models your commitment to us
We praise you that you have described the church as your bride
Forgive us
For sexism
For unfaithfulness
For adultery  
For discontentment
And for idolising sex
Help us to truly live for the day when we are wedded to your Son
Amen
In your image

Why are things the way they are? Genesis 3:1-24

Our Father in heaven,
You have given us your word but we have not listened.
Instead
we have followed our own desires
we have followed the voices of the world
Your judgement has justly come upon us
Forgive us
And shower your grace upon us
So that we may again hear your word
And seek your face
Amen

Who am I?

 

Genesis 2:4-17

Father you have made us.
From the dust of the ground
You have breathed life into us.
You have made us for life
And blessing in abundance.
You have made us to hear and obey your word.
You have made us for yourself.
We praise you
That we are fearfully and wonderfully made,
That we are treasured and known.
And we long for the renewed life that your Son has brought to us
Not in the garden but in the city.
Amen

Resurrection

Darkness.
Foggy despair.
Tears from broken love direct faltering steps
To find emptiness
It is empty!
Not there but there
Not dead but alive
Not eclosion, nor emergence
Better – resurrection!
Existence altered
Tragedy transformed
Life from darkness
Light from despair
Hope released!
Resurrection!

Loved by the Father: John 16:16-33

Our Father, in heaven,
We are so privileged to call  you that.
Jesus is with you.
He will come again.
Now, because we are loved by you,
We are blessed to be able to ask!
Help us, when we are scattered
To remember that we can ask.
To remember that we are not alone
And to remember that Jesus has overcome the world.
Amen

John 17 - The thing (and things) that really matter

Father glorify your name, even as you glorify your Son.
Father keep us
Father sanctify us
Father make us one
Empower us to go into the world
even as we are not part of it
For your glory alone
Amen