We can scarcely believe it, God,
this story of your birth in the world.
We rationalize and reason,
we read the headlines and we doubt,
and still, we hope, desperately,
that it just might be true.

If we have lost faith in the promise of change,
unwrap our doubt to make a space for love.
If we only know despair over your church,
unwrap our grief to make a space for joy.
If we’ve been angry with your people,
unwrap our resentment to make a space for peace.

If we’ve looked back on the past nostalgically
unwrap our sentimentality to make a space for life.
If we’re looking forward cynically,
unwrap our scepticism to make a space for hope.

God, if we have lost the faith to believe that you are
making your world and your church new,
unwrap our darkness to make a space for light.

Cheryl Lawrie