King Jesus,
You are the God who can calm a storm with a word. Be the God of calm for us. Whenever we are consumed by anxiety, or fear, or anger, or the tension and stresses of this world, give each of us your peace, for you know your plans for us and they are good. Renew our hearts with your peace, Lord, and have us know and trust that we are in your hands, united in you in one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.
Lord,
When our hearts are heavy and you feel far away, rest us in the truth that You are as near to us as our next breath. Renew us by your Word of forgiveness that in unity in You, we might be living mirrors of your grace, proclaiming words not of ceaseless condemnation, but of restoration in you. And rest us in the truth that in the midst of the turbulence of this life, by your Word you are working to refresh us, restore us, and to renew a right spirit within us.
Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Open our hearts and turn us to love the least among us, the “different”, the stranger, the outcast.
Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. When we are beset by anger or resentment, have us recall that Christ, who indeed had reason to avenge himself, instead intercedes with righteous tears and cries of mercy upon mercy, grace upon grace.
Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Cause us to love, not in selective mercy, but with the fullness of Christ’s compassionate heart. For you show your love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Give us the heart and spirit of Christ, that as His body, the church, we might be His image, His hands, and His mouthpiece of the justice, mercy, and grace of the Good News of His present and eternal Kingdom.
AMEN.