Matthew R. Green's Blog, page 73

A Collect to Endure Trial and Receive Blessing

Almighty God, who bears authority to wield the sword as well as to lay it down, let us not expect that we will escape struggle and trial, even from your hand, but redeem the difficulties we face, and bring relief and blessing in the time of our need, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit in glory and majesty forever. Amen.

'I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you.' - Joel 2:25

A Collect for the Capacity to Humble Ourselves

High King of Heaven, who stooped low to take on our frail flesh, give us likewise the capacity to humble ourselves for the sake of love, that we would discover freedom from the trappings of our pride and be made available for you to lift us up in even greater measure, through you who now reigns in heaven with the Father and Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

"I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted." - Luke 18:14

A Collect to Recognize and Confess our Need

Lord of heaven, whose power is greater than we can fathom and whose mercy is of equal strength, help us to recognize our need and be willing to confess it to you, that we would not let pride stop us from reaching out to you and acknowledging our weakness, knowing that you alone are able to forgive and heal, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

"But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'" - Luke 18:13

A Collect for Mercy

Almighty one, by whose word all of creation came into being and through whom all things are sustained, have mercy on us who are small and fragile, finite creatures in a vast universe, that we might be sustained by you, the one who needs nothing yet loves all that you have created, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit from on high forever. Amen.

"But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'" - Luke 18:13

A Collect to Put Aside Contempt

Lord Jesus Christ, who invites all into the kingdom of heaven, keep us from contempt and derision, that we would never see one of your children as irredeemable or of no worth, but would love as you love, desiring that brokenness be healed and sins be left aside that each person would be made whole, through you who was wounded that our wounds might be healed. Amen.

'He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.''' - Luke 18:9-11

A Collect for Unity

Lord God of all nations, whose love extends to every creation you have made, give us hearts that seek how we are like others, that rather than setting ourselves apart, we would build unity and fellowship with all people, loving each other well as you have loved us, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

"The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.'" - Luke 18:11

A Collect to Not Rely On our Own Goodness

Lord Jesus, whose nature is exalted yet humble, keep us from trusting in our own goodness lest we lift ourselves higher than we deserve, but open our eyes to see our need of you and of your forgiveness and mercy, that we might humble ourselves even as you did and so become like our teacher, through you who overcame death for us all in the grace of the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

"The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.'" - Luke 18:11-12

A Collect to Instinctively Live According to God's Law

Lord God, whose promises are like iron, open our hearts that you might write your law within them, that your ways would be natural to us, instinctive and our delight, and we would live perpetually according to your laws of love, justice, and mercy all of our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the fulfillment of the law, the glory of you and the Holy Spirit made in our form and flesh. Amen.

'But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.' - Jeremiah 31:33-34

A Collect to Recognize the Consequences of Our Sins

Lord Almighty, who desires that none should die but all would turn to you and live, keep us attentive to the consequences of our sins, that we would recognize the damage they cause and so lose our taste for them and we would look for true nourishment, the kind that comes only from your life and your ways, through Jesus Christ our Savior who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

'But all shall die for their own sins; the teeth of everyone who eats sour grapes shall be set on edge.' - Jeremiah 31:30

A Collect to Remember God's Presence

All-seeing God, who watches over all that passes in this creation you have made, draw our minds and hearts to remember that you are present in destruction and present in creation, with us in both evil and good, that we would remain connected to you regardless of our circumstances and trust in the love that you have for us at all times, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

'The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of humans and the seed of animals. And just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the LORD.' - Jeremiah 31:27-28