Wide

A Way to Pray

Wide – Words & Image by Martin Stewart
Mark 3:20-35

‘Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.’ Jesus

God, we think it begins with
Us Us to You

Our way of seeing things at centre-stage
God aligned to our way of thinking
our prayers articulated in such a way
that we know what answers to expect
because we’ve already decided the terms of reference!

Our Jesus. Cosy Jesus.
A Jesus not likely to shock, provoke, or upset.
Safe Jesus. Tame Jesus. Narrow Jesus.

But You, O God, present to us an altogether different Jesus:
A dropper of bombshells
A crosser of boundaries
An agitator against religiosity
A widener of perspectives

Bless You!

Bless You that who and how You are is not de ned by who and how we are.
Bless You that You refuse to be limited by our limited vision of what is possible.
Make us Your people even if those around us think we are out of our minds!

Help us to make room for You on Your terms Lord Jesus,
and through Your Spirit make Your kingdom.
Teach us to make room for strangers.
Help us welcome the renegade.
Open us to the enemy.
Cajole us to honour the child.
Widen our view of family, that we might understand the astounding truth that whoever does Your will— whoever, however, wherever—
is Your brother and sister and mother, and therefore ours also!

With You, for You, empowered and shaped by You, and in Your name, we make these our prayers.
Amen.

Possible words for a slide projected immediately after the prayer:

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe