Prayer for July 9, 2020

Prayer for July 9, 2020: Please pray with me.  God above all gods, soften our hearts.  It may be strange to mention gods.  We like to believe that the idea of gods is outdated.  Yet, how many idols do we face each day?  How many idols and false gods do we listen to and follow?   How many idols and false gods do we worship and revere, giving our full attention to, and follow their ways?  We don’t like to think about this.  We like to think we are innocent.  But is that possible?  Is it possible in a society that is values money, that celebrates license, that praises strength, that reveres success?  Is that possible in a society that makes excuses for poverty, for exploitation of resources and people, for greed, for mistreatment of others?  How is it that we are a society that only worships you if all of these things are true?  Radically reorient us Lord – we need to be turned away from false gods and idols that proclaim their gospel messages of fear and hate, anger and selfishness.  Turn us towards you so that we can not only come to know what you are truly about first hand, but that we can participate in spreading what you are really about to others and all of creation – love, peace, mercy, grace, wholeness, care.  Amen.