Matthew R. Green's Blog, page 83

A Collect to Respect our Limited Frames

Heavenly Father, who sees and attends to all things at once, help us to respect our limitations, that we would not become overwhelmed by the needs and responsibilities we bear but would trust in your timing and your work, able to rest and work in measure appropriate to our frames, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who worked and rested and finally ascended to you and the Holy Spirit in glory. Amen.

'But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and distracted by many things."' - Luke 10:41

A Collect to Love Even When Overwhelmed by Our Needs

Loving Father, who has compassion and empathy for our frustrations, keep us from making demands of others when we are overwhelmed, but help us, even in our anger, to respect one another and to seek your will for our needs, that love would always be the timbre of our relationships with you, ourselves, and one another, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

'But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me."' - Luke 10:40

A Collect to Escape Burnout

Lord God, who created our frames and knows what we are capable of, teach us to know our limits, that we would not work until we are overwhelmed and burned out, but would learn to discern when to say yes and when to say no that we would remain of service to those you love yet keep ourselves healthy and available for you to use, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who rested and worked and sat down at your right hand in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'But Martha was overwhelmed with all the serving she was doing; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me."' - Luke 10:40

A Collect for Humility to Learn from Jesus

Wise and knowledgeable Jesus, whose words are life and health, grant us humility to sit at your feet and learn from you, that we would eschew our pride and sense of our own self-sufficiency and receive the wisdom that you offer freely to show us how to live well in the world you have made, through you who reigns in glory with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

'She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying.' - Luke 10:39

A Collect for Receiving Jesus

Lord Jesus, who stepped out of eternity and into our world, we welcome you into our gatherings, our homes, and our hearts. Ready us to receive you, that we would be filled with your wisdom and encouraged by the love your presence reveals, through you who is alive and reigns in perfect union with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

'Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.' - Luke 10:38

A Collect to be Known for our Love

High King of Heaven, whose name will be exalted by all creation, help us to live lives that are marked by your nature and character, that we would be known first for our love for you and one another, our goodness that springs from trust in you, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit in perfect love, now and forever. Amen.

'In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints.' - Col. 1:3-4

A Collect to Love All our Neighbors

Loving God, who cares for your creation like a gentle shepherd cares for a flock, give us hearts that bear compassion and love for all those around us, that we would see the people of the world and love them, desiring their good as you do and taking action to connect and care for all those who are in our path, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who intercedes for all of us to you in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."' - Luke 10:36-37

A Collect of Thanks for Jesus Paying for Our Healing

Lord Jesus, whose love is beyond our understanding, we are grateful for your generosity toward us, that you have paid what is necessary for our care and healing. May we been moved to act with great kindness and generosity toward others, having been emboldened by your loving example, through you who reigns in perfect love with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

"The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.'" - Luke 10:35

A Collect for Healing

Gentle teacher, who is moved with compassion at our broken state, when we are hurting and beset by enemies, care for our wounds, that we might find safety and comfort and be healed from our suffering and made ready to reenter the world to share the love that you have shared with us, through you who is alive and lives in glory with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

'He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.' - Luke 10:34

A Collect for Compassion

Lord Jesus Christ, full of compassion, soften our hearts, that when we encounter those in need, we would not merely pass them by and so avoid them, but we would be moved with compassion to care for them as you care for us, through you who gave yourself for our sakes and sat down at the right hand of the Father in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity."' - Luke 10:30-33