A moment of hope

A Prayer about the atonement



Oh beloved Lord Grant that we may know you, and by knowing you love you more.

Help me to believe and in believing understand.

Your son our saviour who for us men became man of a woman.

Who oh, lord can come to you cross and not weep and tremble at such a
thing?

You gave your son who gave his life for our life.

We come not as those in need, as dogs to the crumbs of you table. Yet you wash our feet and call us friend.

How can a Lord that teaches us to love our enemies, not do the same.

Can you be angry with us forever, do you not act toward us in love?

Are you ever disunity with yourself?

No, surely you love and wrath are not against each other.

Oh, the depth of love, you came to you own and were baptised as one needing repentance.

Yet we cannot accept that you would stand amongst us, like Peter we say away from us.

Yet there your son stands amongst us, one of us, bleeding, dying as a criminal.

Pleading and repenting, as one of the estranged.

Coming to the far of country

Are we not shamed by this your grace, even here we want cheap grace.

We cannot let it cost you what it has cost you.

We love to be standing as estranged, but even in the depths alienation you are there a bleeding, naked Jew.

Come Holy Spirit, make it known, strength our weak hands to hold, enable our slow hearts to believe.

Amen.