January 23 Prayer

January 23 Prayer
‘I will have mercy,
I will have compassion’ Ex.33:19

Gods’ spoken words
of righteousness and justice for those treated unfairly

‘He is out of his mind’
spoken words over Jesus by his own family
unkindly words

How do we handle spoken words over us?
What are our spoken words over others?
By what we think and how we act,
how quick we are to condemn.
Like the ones surrounding the condemned woman before Jesus
ready to throw their stones

Spoken words of Jesus,
‘Then neither do I condemn you.’

Mercy is offered, yet mercy must be received.
Mercy cannot be received if we try to earn it by our own self condemnation
our own self focus and deprecation

it comes when we allow the human bitterness to
turn into unusual sweetness,
and that sweetness is the kindness of our God.

So now by Christs blood we have a cleansed conscience
no longer having to prove ourselves as good

We can lay down the dead works and come alive to worship
a living God.
Who will have mercy and compassion.
Let us live in the ‘now of eternity as our present possession in this life.’*
Pause, breathe to Pray;

Lord show us where we are not living with you in your mercy and compassion
toward others, towards ourselves.

I lay down my dead works of striving and competition
judgments and stories I make up about others
misunderstandings and …..

I receive your mercy and compassion
Give me a desire to enkindle hearts with the love of God
for this is your eternity now, your blessed kingdom come.

Let our spoken words say,I will have mercy and I will show compassion.

May we each enter into your lovingkindness today with spoken words
that bring life.

For that which we freely give we will receive.

Amen
John 8:3-11,Heb.9:14,Ps.103:6-8 * Bd. Henry Suso (1298-1366)