When I Am Angry, Save Me--Sept. 23, 2019

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O God of steadfast love and faithfulness,

when I come to you in evening prayer,

I remember how I have been angry--

how instead of offering her a gift

of love and gentle forgiveness,

I have turned away from you

and offered the stick of rebuke.

Send from heaven and save me,

lest shamefully I trample

on a heart I love.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 57; 145; 85; 47

2 Kings 5:1-19

1 Cor. 4:8-21

Matt. 5:21-26

Selected Verses

Ps. 57:3

[God] will send from heaven and save me,
          he will put to shame those who trample on me. Selah
God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.

2 Kings 5:11-12

But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!  Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?  Could I not wash in them, and be clean?”  He turned and went away in a rage. 

1 Cor. 4:21

What would you prefer?  Am I to come to you with a stick, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

Matt. 5:23-24

“…So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.  …”  [Jesus sitting on the mountain, to his disciples and the crowd]