JR Woodward :: Blog :: Praying with Karl Barth

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Lord, God, Our Father,

We thank you that here with each other we can call on you and listen to you.  Before you, we are all equal.  You know that life, thoughts, path, and heart of each of us, down to the smallest and most hidden detail, and before your eyes none is righteous, no, not one.  But you have not forgotten or rejected, or condemned a single one of us.  Quite the opposite: you love each one of us; you know what we need, will grant it to us, will look at nothing but the empty hands that we stretch out to you, in order that they might be filled - not sparingly, but richly.  In the suffering and death of Jesus, your dear Son, you were gracious and exceedingly helpful when you took our place, you took our darkness and laments on yourself, and you have made us free to come to your light and rejoice as your children.

In his name, we ask that you now give each of us something of your good Holy Spirit, so that in this hour we may understand you, ourselves, and each other a little better, and that thereby we may be quickened and encouraged to take a step forward along the path that you have set for all of us, whether we know it or not - both then, as Jesus, hanging on the cross, bowed his head and died, and from all eternity. Amen.

From Fifty Prayers by Karl Barth