Invitation to Prayer
God, whose word spoke life and creativity into a formless universe,
and order to a nation of escaped slaves,
whose strong and compassionate voice challenged injustice through frail prophets,
we praise you.
Jesus, whose touch smoothed the broken skin of lepers,
and brought a bleeding woman back to health and belonging,
whose hand raised dead girls, and refused to throw stones at prostitutes,
we praise you.
Spirit, whose breath restores souls and bodies, and whose presence comforts the grieving,
whose fire ignites compassion within us for the healing of the nations,
we praise you.
In the noise of voices calling for revenge, judgement and punishment,
we pray for the courage to speak out for restoration.
When pain, poverty and persecution leave people blind to grace and compassion,
we pray for the courage to carry the light of love and forgiveness.
Where the quest to even the score has left our world angry and wounded,
we pray for the courage to release our grievances and seek wholeness for all.
As you intercede for us, Jesus, we intercede for our world that all may know
the Good News of restoration in Christ.
God of wholeness, we celebrate the healing you bring
to us and our world, and we celebrate the promised
wholeness that awaits all of creation in your eternal reign.
God of restoration, in our blindness and ignorance,
you open our eyes and lead us to truth;
in our arrogance and defiance, you still our souls and teach us humility;
in our weakness and displacement, you protect us and lead us home;
While we deserve only judgement and the heavy burden of paying our debts,
you offer us grace, and the hope of life renewed.
And so we praise you
and thank you,
with all our hearts. Amen.
~ Nicole Terblanche
