God of grace,
Speak to me through your word.
Help me to encounter you in the stories of your people.
Show me who you are.
Show me what you are calling me to do, who you are calling me to be.
Empower me to read with a critical eye;
to question and wonder about your people in these stories, to question and wonder about the people who wrote them down.
Empower me to read with an open mind and heart;
to see the stories through your eyes of love for the world.
Empower me to discover the beauty and purpose in scripture’s various forms, its challenging language, its surprises, and its tragedy.
Empower me to learn about myself through the stories of you and your people through the ages.
Empower me to learn about you.
Amen.