Prayer for the Week: We will soon notice the sounds and smells of fireworks as a way of celebrating our independence, though we wish to be mindful of our place and responsibility within our communities, our state, our nation and the world. O God of Grace and Glory, so often you become nothing more than a pretty accessory that people use to promote an agenda that does not resemble your Kingdom. We like to feel as if what we are saying or doing has your blessing, and so we borrow your name and insert it into our argument. Lead us to repentance, for you are not our marketing firm, but the One who calls us to a life that resembles the life of Jesus. May your love so generously offered to us be the model for how we speak and act. Teach us to serve others with true humility; make us respectful of those with whom we might disagree; show us ways of being faithful without being arrogant; encourage us to present Jesus, not so much in our words, but through our actions. O Lord of Life, help us to be open to your agenda and not the agenda of the world. We make these requests in the realization that the Spirit will work within us if we make room for the Spirit to work within us. Thank you for your patience as we are not always as willing to change as we say we are. Amen.
