Healing into our freedom 2
Litany for healing the harm that comes from "Dressing" and not "Ad-dressing" our wounds
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” Galatians 5;1, 13-15
ONE: Once again, oh God, we implore you in the light of your love and grace to HEAL US INTO OUR FREEDOM!
ALL: We confess that we have inflicted harm on ourselves and each other because we’ve only “dressed” our wounds from the surface, denying their depth or their lingering residue.
ONE: Yes, we confess we have “dressed” our hurts and our insecurities with distractions and familiar – but often dangerous – habits and beliefs as well as our fear of change.
ALL: We confess we have covered our wounds with the band-aids of church talk and self-exaltation and over-work, and titles devoid of a testimony.
ONE: I invite you now to enter a moment of reflection to consider how you may be “dressing” wounds of your soul, mind, memory, emotions, body … [brief space of silence – with music “God Wants to Heal You Everywhere You Hurt”] But right now – even now we want to respond to the question the prophet Jeremiah posed and affirm that There Is A Balm In Gilead!
ALL: We repent of allowing shame to keep us from exposing our wounds to the light of your healing love and the accountability of a healing community in our Common Christ. We declare that we will allow you to address our hurts and we will also do our part to bring our healing and freedom into its full manifestation.
One: Yes, oh God – we will do the self-care, tend to our health, take our medications, go to our 12-step meetings, practice hospitality, practice forgiveness, devote ourselves to prayer and study in your word, and give ourselves to a spiritual community of accountability because we want to be HEALED INTO OUR FREEDOM!
ALL: We trust you to shepherd us in this journey and to turn us in the ways we must follow.
One: Beloved, BELIEVE the Good News: In Christ and in the Holy One, we are forgiven and healed.
ALL: Amen and Ache!
Created by Rev. Elizabeth Ann Jefferson for The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries 2015 Convocation.
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