Sacredise - Prayer: What God Requires

What God Requires

by John van de Laar

It is not great sacrifice
        that you require of us, God,
    filling your temple with slaughtered animals,
        or the overflowing rivers of our wealth;

It is not laboured rituals or burdens of religious practice
        that you demand of us, God,
    proving our devotion through the exhaustion of our souls,
        or the callouses on our knees;

No, what you require, what you have asked of us
        is just this:
    always to act with justice,
        always to love mercy,
        and always to walk humbly with you.

What you require is not heavy,
    but it does ask of us our lives,
        given in thoughts, words and deeds,
    of life-bringing fellowship with you,
        and with this world
        that you love so much.

Amen.

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