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Holy One, your faithfulness is the bedrock of our own believing, even in what we have not seen or fully understood.
When we set aside the illusion of certainty, we are granted new vision and understanding through the Spirit about God’s work on earth as in heaven. Inclusive work happens in response to a broader understanding of the gifts of all people. Division and conflict recede to become climbable hills, rather than insurmountable obstacles. Removing the idol of certainty with your help, O God, broadens our horizons for how you include us in bringing about restoration, reformation and resurrection in this life, this world, this time.
Loving and merciful God, grant me openness to mystery and revelation. Help me to set aside certainties that are rooted in my own narrow experience and ways of thinking. I long to perceive the world through the broadness of your mercy. Strengthen me to set aside false limits I have created for judging and testing others. Forgive me for this habit and help me to forgive myself.
This message is excerpted from “A ray of clarity” by Julia Seymour in the July/August 2024 Gather magazine.