Lord, I have gathered together
Lots of clay pots,
Ancient, very old, a bit damaged, fairly new,
Large, small, tiny.
I love these earthen ware containers.
They remind me that the common clay
Can be transformed into something beautiful.
These pots are cherished.
Some, outliving their usefulness,
Are simply enjoyed,
Others still work as containers,
All are the result of a potter’s hand
Turning the clay.
When all the trappings of our lives are stripped away
We are left like these clay pots.
Unadorned, their simplicity of form
Design and the texture of their touch
Being all that makes them
What they are –
Yet they are more.
Our lives once stripped bare
Reveal the essence of our being.
We pray that you may find us beautiful;
That we have not despoiled your design beyond repair;
That you, seeing into our very selves,
Still love us
Though we are cracked and worn.
Look tenderly with mercy on your people
And give us strength
To love you more.
Amen.
Reading: Ephesians 3:7-20
STF 618 Sacred the body
Prayers for January by Hazel Parsons
