Unto Whom All Hearts Are Open

NOTE: This prayer was sent to me by Sarah Cannon a few weeks ago and is reproduced here for your edification. (Pastor Hill)

By Walter Brueggemann

 The pastor says, “Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open…”

            We rush to the next phrase,

                        but now we linger there.

            We ponder our hearts…

                        our deepest feelings of love and devotion,

                        our closest organ of vitality,

                        our place of deep decision-making,

                        our instrument of being fully ourselves.

Our hearts - that throb for contact with You -

            our hearts are open.

            They are not always open by our choice,

                        for we would like sometimes to

                                    close our hearts and our minds and our hands.

            But they are open, because

                        our hearts cannot resist

                        Your steady care and address.

            Our hearts are open for You, very God.

                        You are the one who has made us

                                    so that our hearts are restless

                                    till they rest in You.

Do Your mysterious, majestic God-ing

            with our hearts:

                        reclaim,

                        renew,

                        re-enliven,

            that we may leave your presence

                        transplanted,

                        transformed,

                        transposed,

            become by Your attentiveness whom we

                        have not yet embraced,

                        open and receptive,

                        honest and undefensive,

                        unafraid and committed to obedience.

Let the pulse of our heart throb now,

            according to the cadences of Your rule;

            command and we will obey,

            overrule and we will yield,

            lead and we will walk

                        where we never thought to go.

Unto You…

            not unto each other,

            not unto our pet projects,

            not unto our favorite charity or passion.

Unto You...our hearts are open;

            we are Yours; be our God - yet again.