Showcase: Assorted Treats

  • Paradigm Questions +

    Paradigm Questions To which of the following commands of Christ’s do you only pay only lip service? Love your enemies Read More
  • July 27 Devotional: FB Meyer +

    He suffered thee to hunger. Deuteronomy 8:3 Read More
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

On December 5, 2008, The Honorable Joe L. Webster delivered the invocation at the dedication and open house for the new home of the North Carolina Office of Administration Hearings in Raleigh. The  following is his invocation.

Heavenly Father, we know the scripture says that in all of our ways we should acknowledge you and that you will direct our paths. (Prov. 3:6) And so on this special occasion of the Dedication of this new home of the Office of Administration Hearings of the State of North Carolina, we first give honor to You, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

God, we thank You for all that you have given us - life, health, comfort, food, raiment, for the sunshine and the rain, and even the cloudy days in our lives. We thank you for the leaders of this State and of the Office of Administrative Hearings whose vision helped make today's occasion possible.

As we dedicate this brick and mortar, we pray that it is symbolic of more than the evidence of the completion of a larger barn to store up our goods; our law books and court files and other things that we already have too much of, or a place to make us look good, feel comfortable and boast about. But we recognize that we cannot begin anew in this building without also being transformed ourselves. And so we pray for forgiveness for the leaders of this state, the Governor, legislators, the Judges, the advocates and those who are visitors. We ask for forgiveness because all have committed reversible error and fall short of the ideal of perfection in all that we do and say, and fall short of the glory of God. And so today as we dedicate this building, we also pray for guidance, for wisdom, for understanding, for reconciliation among the races, different cultures, religions, and genders. We pray for patience, for courage, for humility, stamina and more grace as we begin anew in this place. 

We pray for those who are conspicuously absent from this ceremony - the less fortunate, the homeless, the severely disabled, the mentally ill, the blind, the little children, the ones who are unemployed in these uncertain and difficult times, the ones who couldn't afford to be here even they wanted to be here. We pray for those who will come into this building who have been traditionally denied equal access to justice, the ones who cannot afford a lawyer, those for whom this building was constructed and without whom there would be no need for a new building. We pray that you will pour out your abundant blessings upon them.

God, and so as we begin anew during this historic moment, we pray for a double portion of teaching. Teach us God what it means to be fair to all sides of a dispute, even handed, unbiased, and unashamedly committed to the cause of justice. And so when our time at this place has past, we pray that all will be able to say that within these walls and throughout the State of North Carolina wherever Administrative Law Judges and other Judges preside, that in the words of the Prophet Amos, (5:24) that justice rolled down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream. A-men


Reflections to Consider

  • 1

Publications

  • 1

Music

  • Jesus be the centre

    Center is a song that speaks of the essence of our life in Christ, and echoes the words the Christ Read More
  • I Lift My Hands

    A powerful hymn of adoration and praise Arkansas Gospel Mass Choir. This succinctly captures the joy of knowing our savior. Read More
  • 1

Audio & Video

  • 1

Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
  • 1

Hidden Blessings

  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
  • Wilberforce, Hollywood's Amazing Grace, Charlotte Allen +

    William Wilberforce's relentless campaign eventually led the British Parliament to ban the slave trade, in 1807, and to pass a Read More
  • Making Beauty out of Ugly Things: Grace by U2 +

    Grace, she takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain It could be her name Grace, she carries Read More
  • The True Nature of Grace and Love: a movie review of the Soloist +

    The 2009 movie The Soloist is based on a book by the same name, written by Los Angeles Times columnist Read More
  • 1