Generous God
Here we are, your humble people, bowing before you in prayer
Coming to give our thanks for all you have done in our lives, in the life of the world
Your abundant provision never ceases to amaze us
it is like gentle rain on the land
allowing blossom and flower to bust forth
bearing grain for our daily bread
forming rivers and lochs by which we may rest
How can we thank you, truly thank you for all you give us
for you give much more than we need
for body, mind and soul
if only we would embrace your generosity
we would realise we should be praising and thanking you every moment of every hour
for sunshine and rain
for friends and neighbours
for nurses and counsellors
for the church, which offers fellowship, support, care
for joy and laughter and singing and fun
We praise you, Lord God
May our lives be full of praise to you
May we take your generous provision and pass it on
being generous, extravagantly generous, as you are
caring not for the cost, worrying not about the consequences
May we sow seeds of love
with those who are lonely, isolated
with those who are in pain
with those who are lost
with those who are in positions of power
with those who are in positions of weakness
with those who are desperate
with those who have everything
with those who seek a home
with those who mock us
with those who are here today and gone tomorrow
with those who always take and never give
[pause]
May our generosity be like yours, Lord God
ridiculously extravagant
sowing seeds on the worst soil
as well as the good soil
For it is through you they are watered
And, as we are ridiculously extravagantly generous as we sow seeds of peace and love
may the hearts and mind and souls of those who receive those seeds become more open to letting love and peace and mercy and justice and hope grow in their lives
Through Christ our Lord
Amen