Heavenly Father,
You are a God of gifts. You love to give good things, and you are doing so constantly. You provide us with life, with existence, with a capacity for understanding ourselves, and relating to each other, and for loving you. We couldn't create ourselves, but you made us. We owe our very living to you, but that is not a debt you ask of us - it is a gift you give to us. You give us beauty, creativity, innovation and seemingly endless variety. Why are there a so many types of flowers and fruits and sand? Why are there so many colours and shapes and sounds? We feel so much wonder at seeing a sunset, or a beautiful painting or photograph, or when we hear a good piece of music, or eat a really good meal, and it's because you have given us that wonder as a gift, to bring us joy. We thank you for the everyday joys of life - for sunny days, that particularly good cup of coffee, or seeing someone we love smile - and we thank you for those special days of joy - graduations, new jobs, weddings, births, and all the things we have to celebrate.
We want to thank you today, not just because there are nice things and we get to experience them, but because you are a God of love and goodness who loves to make good things, and to give good things. These aren't gifts you only give your own people. Your sun shines on everyone, the righteous and the wicked, and you allow all people to have life and to experience what you have made. And you don't just reveal yourself to those who seek you out - you have signed your name on every creature, every natural vista, every work of art and every new invention, so that everyone gets to catch a glimpse of you through what you have made. You put all these things into our hands - a whole planet of resources, a whole kaleidoscope of talents, so we can be as giving to each other as you have been to us. We can experience the joy of giving gifts just like you give to us, and for that we thank you.
But we're not perfect, and we don't always succeed in giving gifts as freely and as richly as you give to us. We fall short of the example you have set for us. You don't discriminate in your giving, but we live in a system that is unfair and unjust. You are open and welcoming to all, but we shut ourselves off from some people, or refuse to give them help, or simply ignore them. When we were far from you, you didn't hold back - you gave your own son, Jesus, and paid the ultimate price of death and separation. You emptied yourself of everything on that cross for us, to give to your enemies the greatest gift of all - an eternity with you. It cost you so much, and yet you still sent him in overflowing love! But we still count our dollars and cents, and our minutes and seconds.
We pray, Lord and Father, that you will continue to give to us - not just in goods, not just in beauty and wonder and closeness to you, but we pray that you will keep giving us that same spirit of love and giving that you have towards us. Make us into your hands and feet, so that through us you might give to those who are in need, who struggle to make their rent or to put food on their tables; so that through us you might heal the sick, and bring comfort to those who are tired and distressed, so that through us you might open arms of welcome to those that our society marginalises, despises and rejects. Give to us your spirit of generosity, so that we might overflow in that same way your love overflows to us. Don't let us be pools of your blessing, but make us fountains that spill over to everyone, so that your great gifts might reach those who need them.
Do this in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, Amen
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