'first being last and the last being first' thinking...

We used this prayer this morning written by Gary Kowalski

Gracious Spirit,

Who makes the first to be last and the last to be first,
Who makes the rain to fall and the sun to shine upon all,
Help us to understand that life is not an contest
Where having the most toys is the point of the game,
To realize that the victor’s circle can be the loneliest spot on earth,
To recognize that the greatest rewards don’t come from winning
but from relationships where both triumphs and tears can be celebrated and shared.

Powerful Spirit,

Infuse us with your lifegiving strength
And grant us the inward security of knowing our own goodness
without needing to prove it to the world;
Lift us above both envy and pride --
the need to feel superior to others and feelings of inadequacy alike --
Enabling us to walk together as equals,
At home in the great community of life.

Wise Spirit,

We know that life is not a race to be won
But a journey to be savoured.
Grant us the faith to live each day with the finish line in sight
So that when our days are over
Our achievements will be measured not by the degrees we’ve earned, or the size of our estate,
but by the dimensions of our character,
not by the quantity of our possessions
but by the quality of our love 

Triumphant Spirit,

Instill in us a yearning for the prizes that matter most:
Not the laurels of celebrity or acclaim that bring just passing pleasure,
But grant us the more enduring gold
Of a life well lived,
Spent in gratitude for what we’ve been given rather than in pining for things we lack,
Gratitude for friends, for work, for opportunities to use our gifts in service to the world.
Holy Spirit, hear our prayer.

Comments

Brian Oxley said…
Thank you Gordon, for reading a prayer helps when personal thoughts into words don't come easily, or at all: aware always that, as Paul claims-God, though Jesus can be aware without prayer words, but I find words helpful.
6:07 PM
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