Prayers Bigger than Me.

This morning I’m caught off guard by the sound of my own prayers. My prayers are stuffy, stingy, and self-consumed. As I sit on my couch this morning talking to the Master of the Universe, I find myself requesting for mine: my universe, my world, my concerns. I have petty requests and shallow praises centered on me and my and mine.

But our God is bigger that that. Thankfully, bigger than me and my and mine. While I sit asking to get a good grade, make a friend, loose some weight, His eyes watch the Dalits in turmoil, overlooked and under privileged in the caste system of India. He sees the heartbroken mothers of the Southside and the men without purpose in the Middle East. He calls them to Himself for security, safety, and sanctification. His eyes are bigger than mine, His gaze broader. I guess this is why I’m not God.

I’m praying through this truth-telling book of prayers, Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth by Walter Brueggemann. It points to things bigger than me, prayers I would not think to pray for selfishness of the heart. This morning I prayed one entitled “An Answering and Refusing.” It’s a confession. Pray with me, privileged people…

“We confess you to be the God who calls,

who wills,

who summons,

who has concrete intentions for Your creation,

and addresses human agents who do your will.

We imagine ourselves called by You…

Yet a strange lot:

called but cowardly,

obedient but self-indulgent,

devoted to You, but otherwise preoccupied.

In our strange mix an answering and refusing,

we give thanks for your call.

We pray this day,

for ourselves, fresh vision;

for our friends, great courage,

for those who search for you in places more dangerous than ours, deep freedom.

As we seek to answer Your call, may be we haunted

by your large purposes,

We pray in the name of the utterly called Jesus. Amen.”