A Pastor's Prayer for her Lenten People - 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

O God of Wisdom, who makes our wisdom foolishness,

We are humbled by our attempts to seek wisdom when in your eyes, we can know nothing except what you have revealed to us.

We are foolish when we think we know your grand plan for our lives, and suddenly,

something changes

something breaks

and our understanding falls apart.

We question you, and beg to know, "Why?"
"Why God? Why have I lost my job?
"Why has the cancer returned?"
"Why has he left me?"
"Why am I so broken, and why do I feel so unloved and hopeless?"

Our lack of wisdom and understanding leaves us to feel foolish and misled. So we come to you with our questions and brokenness and what it is you are doing with us in your grand scheme.

The stories we read are of little help at times, when we read of you,
becoming one with us in this dirty mess of a world,
and your Incarnate Being in Christ
schools Rabbis, though only a boy,
turns water into wine,
eats with outcasts
and succumbs to a ridiculous death on the cross.

It seems utterly foolish that your revelation to us is this odd witness, when we look for wisdom, and Jesus offers only clunky metaphors and dense parables.

But you, O God, know that we can see in a mirror dimly, and you promise that we will one day see clearly as we laugh at death, celebrate liberation from a job that was never a vocation, and find an even better love in true relationship with you.

Help us, Lord, to embrace the foolishness - not of our own failing actions - but of your ridiculous message of grace and peace
truth and reconciliation
turning the other cheek
the meek inheriting the earth,
life conquering death,
and a perfect love that you have for all of creation which comes from you and through Jesus Christ, so that we may know that in your wisdom and foolishness, we are your own children, who are bold when we pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever and ever.

Amen.