A prayer for the coming week

It was the summer of 1972, I was eight years old, and I was excited about the song from Godspell, "Day By Day".  I didn't know anything about Godspell except that the song was on the radio and it was a cool song.  I remember finding the Godspell album at the store where my grandmother worked and just almost shouting, "It's Day By Day, Robin and Company!" (the credited singers for the track.)

I now know that Godspell is a musical loosely based on the Gospel of Matthew and containing interpretations of other Biblical stories.  In the '80's, I saw a community production of Godspell in Tallahassee, Florida, where the cast members were costumed '80's style (including one member dressed as Michael Jackson).

This song has been an earworm for me for the last few days.

I've been very disappointed this past week in the behavior of many who claim to wear the name "Christian".  Frankly, we're called to be better than this.  It seems that we are more interested in protecting our political power and influence than we are in carrying out the command of Jesus to "go and preach the gospel to all nations" and in fulfilling the greatest command to "love one another as I have loved you". 

This week, I fear we will face similar turmoil.  I fear we will see truth-tellers branded as liars and people that will posture before the camera and the microphone who claim to want the truth and who claim to care about people and care about this country--when, in fact, they are addicts whose drug of choice is power and prestige. 

Christians are not called to this.  I am not called to this.  The power Jesus had when he was on earth, he exercised to the glory of his Father and to the service of others. 

The song "Day By Day", which is a cool song, is also a prayer.  The song is one chorus, repeated six times. 

I think it's a good prayer for the coming week.

Day by day
Day by day
Oh dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see Thee more clearly
Love Thee more dearly
Follow Thee more nearly
Day by day.

Just my .04, adjusted for inflation.

If you want to hear this cool song, click on the picture above.