Led By Mercy, Strengthened By Love
This week’s message is modified from a blog post of the same name. You can read the whole, original post at www.darianduckworth.com/musings
Sometimes when we don’t know how to pray, or what to say, we lean on the prayers that have gone before us. One such prayer that I find myself uttering often is “Kyrie Elieson — Christ, have mercy.” Rooted in Scripture, it is the plea of a blind man named Bartimaeus. Simple and powerful, the prayer reminds us that we all stand in need of a grace we cannot earn: as individuals, as communities, as institutions. Within the prayer is a longing for transformation.
Yet I have longed for something “more” to pray. One morning, as I watched my dog’s nose lead him around the park from one scent to another, another prayer from the past came back to me.
Let mercy lead
Let love be the strength in your legs
And in every footprint that you leave
There’ll be a drop of grace
The late singer-songwriter, Rich Mullins, co-wrote this song with his friend, Beaker, for Beaker’s newborn son, Aidan. The “you” in Mullins’ song is the singular child, Aidan, but his prayer is also a blessing for all God’s children to follow mercy, to find strength in love, and to leave a legacy of grace. It makes a wonderful
prayer for ourselves, our families, our leaders, and any other group.
On Sunday we will hear a story of mercy leading Jesus to two women in need of healing. If we follow him, then we follow mercy. If he is led by mercy, let us pray that we, too, will be led by the mercy that saves us and sets us free!
all good things to each of you, Pastor Darian
Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 1, 2018
2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
Psalm 130
2 Corinthians 8:7-15
Mark 5:21-43