The Muse is Loose

We worshiped today at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church. The pastor, Dr. Blair Monie, brought a significant message for the day. He has been with them for seventeen years and loves the church. He was a wonderful deliverer of the Word.

We read the prayer I am printing for you. I thought it important enough to pass on to all my friends and readers:

" Holy and loving God, we come to worship you today with old wounds that need your healing touch. We remember the events that happened a decade ago, It seems like yesterday, for old wounds die hard. We remember the acts of terrorism that seemed to shatter our securities and shake our confidence. We remember our outrage at the death of people much like us, who were going about their lives and their work. We remember how mystified we were that such violence and hatred were possible.As we remember these things, we confess to you that the fear and the hatred were possible.As we remember these things we confess to you that the fear and the anger have shaped us too much. We have trusted less and feared more, and we have allowed our fear to influence our attitudes toward people of other faiths and other cultures. We have grown distrustful. We confess that we have not trusted you to hold our times and seasons in your hand. Open us, by your grace, to believe in a new day of peace, justice, and harmony. Forgive us, we pray, in the powerful name of Jesus Christ our Lord. A-men."

Perhaps you do not need this prayer as much as I do. I am grateful if that is so, if it is. However, I know if we allow ourselves to fight hate with hate we will be no better than those who hate us. That is not the Christian way.