Do not speak to me of healing
if you’ve not been poisoned by a snake.

Do not apologize to me for your sins
if you’re not prepared to mend the damage.

Do not sing to me of victory
if you’re sending others into battle.

Do not speak to me in flattery
if you’ve been troubling peace.

Do not preach to me of salvation
if you’ve piled upon my stumbling blocks.

Do not call me to imitate your wisdom
if you’ve not known the delight of foolishness.

Healing God,
make from the poison an antidote,
and from brokenness, build something new.

Peacemaking God,
grant in conflict the clarity to disarm,
and in chaos, anchor the heart firmly in love.

Saving God,
lift from catastrophe a story of witness,
and from presumption, rescue joy and wonder.

a prayer on the Revised Common Lectionary texts