Final prayer of Fresh!

when moses asked your name,
you said 'i am who i am'
so we called you 'lord' and 'king'

you came from a small town,
had little education and ordinary friends
and we painted you as emperor and judge

you filled us with wisdom,
inspired us into community and creativity
yet we spoke of power and authority

we had to dress you up like the gods of our context
so that we could understand you
you were too new

forgive us

forgive us our words of power and separation,
forgive our poetry that doesn't really mean anything
forgive our outreach that doesn't reach anyone
forgive our communications that can't be understood

at the start of a new year
we commit ourselves to being like you

always old and always new
deeply rooted and freshly grown
in community and available to others
speaking ancient wisdom in new words
keeping our identity, yet open to everything around us
loving our context, and challenging it

make it happen