Almighty God, who can raise up a people from the very stones of the earth, keep us from trusting in religion for our righteousness and status, but help us to truly become the kind of people who may be citizens of your kingdom, who desire justice, love mercy, and walk in humility with you, through Jesus Christ our example and forerunner, who loved us to the end and ascended to you and the Holy Spirit. Amen. “Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.” – Matthew 3:9