I created this acrostic prayer for one of my books, Scared Steps: Lectionary Year B. I didn’t do the full on acrostic style, like Psalm 119, where each stanza and each new sentence in that stanza begins with the same letter of the alphabet. As you can see, I decided to complete a thought or sentence with a different letter of the English alphabet. Yes, that is cheating a bit. I’ll be back to my responsibilities on February 2 as the first Season 1 of my sabbatical this year comes to a close.
A Sabbatical Acrostic Prayer
At this hour I pause, O God
before the sun fully rises on the day.
Creation wakes to the majesty of possibility that you embed
daily; and into me, my friends, family, and neighbors.
Enable me today to be more:
faithful in my discipleship;
generous with my time, talent, and tolerance;
humble in my presumptions;
informed and just.
Judge me by my actions today.
Kindness, let me give more than I receive.
Look upon me as worthy of Your image,
magnifying the lessons of being known by You.
Nuance guides my journey in faith that claims
openness to ideas, people, vision, experiences, and You.
Protect humanity from ourselves.
Quarantine our violent nature, for a day, a week, a year; and
reprise in humanity, in me, the goodness we knew as children.
Supplant my need to win with the knowledge of
trust, of right and wrong, so justice may be done.
Uncovering the universal Truth that Jesus lived is the
verb that resets the compass of my discipleship.
When, O God, I fail, when humanity fails, trust enough to
xerox Your spirit, Your vision, Your willfulness, and Your
zest for creation into me and all humanity.
Rev. Michael Davison (27 January 2019)
