Dearest Heavenly Father,

      You are the wounded warrior who has walked among us, who has worn our shoes, who has paid our debts.  For many a year the sun brightened your days.  The nights darkened your paths.

      Humankind bears its own wounds.  Buried deep within us are the wounds we have gathered over our lifetimes.  Some have risen up from our deep unknowing.  As our minds allowed us to see them, we asked You to help us bear the pain they brought.  You healed each wound as we brought them to You.

      You reminded us that we are the branches of Your vine.  “If we remain in You, and You in us, we can bear much fruit.  Apart from you we can do nothing.”

      In many ways, our deepest wounds have blinded us to Your love.  Perplexed and confused, we hold ourselves in distain.  Our wounds have ingrained themselves into patterns of alarming thoughts in our minds.  Our own thoughts despise us.  Our own thoughts persecute us.  Our own thoughts desert us.

       Let us learn Your eternal love from the wounds you bore for us.  You loved us.  You forgave us.  You died for us.  If you so loved us, we also must learn to love and forgive ourselves. 

Rejoice in the Lord always.