Monday, May 30, 2011

A Prayer for Monday, May 30, 2011

“I Desire Mercy, Not Sacrifice”

Help us, O God, to do the right things; help us, O God, to respond to people in the right ways because our hearts are moved by the right motives.

Deliver us from substituting association with people of good reputation who hide their real lives behind their public masks for friendship with people of questionable reputation who know who they are and don’t try to hide it.

Deliver us from substituting public performance of religious ritual with private involvement in the lives of hurting and searching people.

Deliver us from substituting looking like we’re doing right and good things for actually doing what you regard as truly right and good things.

Deliver us from hearts that care more about how clean we look than about getting as dirty as we need to get for the sake of love and grace.

Help us, O God, to do the right things; help us, O God, to respond to people in the right ways because our hearts are moved by the right motives.

“But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’” (Matthew 9:12-14)

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