A paraphrase
Be gentle with me, O God,
hold me in your constant love.
With your abundant mercy
free me from my sins.
Wash away the grime
that covers your image in me.
I know I don’t live the life you give me;
you know the difference.
My love is not perfect;
this you see.
But you lead me to live in harmony
with my inner truth,
to be transparent
to your presence within me.
Purge me with your love,
that I may be pure love.
Fill me,
that I may be pure light.
Deep within me, in your light,
I discover joy,
gratitude even for bones broken
to be reset.
When you look at me you don’t see sins;
you see love.
Create me all over again, O God;
breathe your life-giving breath in me.
Hold me close
and give me your loving spirit.
You are the joy that sustains me;
you give me my willing heart.
O Beloved, when I open my lips,
my mouth will sing praise, only praise.
I can’t offer a thing to please you,
can’t determine your love for me.
What delights you is just me,
this broken heart,
this true, simple heart.
Use me as I am to love the world.
That will be gift enough for both of us.
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
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