NIGHT PRAYER: Saturday 7/25

It was another scorcher, Lord,
the kind of heat that drains our strength
and strains the grid, leaving us powerless,
bent as wilted blossoms, parched and dry
in the noon day sun...

But summer's warmth's no more a curse
than heat that bakes a loaf of bread
or fires clay pots in the kiln
or flames with beauty on the hearth
or presses sweat from honest toil...

Heat and cold, sun and rain,
summer, fall, winter, spring:
all ways for you to touch us, Lord,
and make your presence felt, deeply,
in the marrow of our souls...

Not long ago we cursed the cold and prayed for warmth,
for spring, for summer days - and now they're here
and our temperamental tastes seek onshore breezes
until autumn comes when once again we'll mourn the loss
of summer's heat and sunshine's healing warmth...

Be patient with us, Lord,
when you send warm summer days:
bake us as bread for breaking
and make your presence felt, deeply,
in the marrow of our souls...

As the sun sets and the evening cools,
protect us while we're still awake
and watch over us as we sleep, Lord,
that awake, we might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

I searched for but couldn't find any hymns about heatwaves!  So,
I'm offering you Delius' tone poem, "Summer Night on the River"
- a piece well suited to accompany our prayer and reflection at
the end of this very warm summer day...

Summer Night on the River
 by Frederick Delius: London Philharmonic 




Tweet  

     
Subscribe to A Concord Pastor Comments