 |
| Photo souce |
I will thank the Lord with all my heart:
great are the works of the Lord,
to be pondered by all who love them...
- Psalm 111
The scriptures praise you, Lord,
for all the seasons and every element of nature -
but I complain about the snow in January,
I pray for warmth in February
great are the works of the Lord,
to be pondered by all who love them...
- Psalm 111
The scriptures praise you, Lord,
for all the seasons and every element of nature -
but I complain about the snow in January,
I pray for warmth in February
and I curse the heat in July...
In my heart of hearts I long for a universe
tailored to my whims and wants
and so I often miss the power and beauty, the drama and glory
of the world you made, the works of your hand:
all to be studied and pondered in grateful prayer...
I pray for the warmth of your love
but fail to find it in the sun of summer days
when you bake me in its rays...
I pray to be showered by your grace
but shy away from clouds that bring a summer's rain:
I run for cover lest I be drenched in all you pour upon me...
Draw me out into the sun, Lord,
as into the light of your face, too bright to see.
Be the heat upon my eyelids, cheeks and flesh:
my whole body warmed as your heart burns for me...
When the rain comes, draw me out
to inhale the sweetness only you and summer showers bring.
Soak me in your grace until I shiver in knowing
how generous is your care for me...
Whether under the sun or in the rain,
let me see the work of your hand, Lord, in everyone around me:
in all whose paths cross mine today;
in family and neighbors, in strangers and the best of friends,
in colleagues and clients,
in passers-by and folks I see each day...
In their words and their silence, in their stories and their tears,
help me hear how you live and move in their lives.
And in their smiles and laughter
help me hear the delight you take in all of us, in every one of us,
in my neighbor and in me...
In all I hear today, Lord,
let me hear the sound of your Spirit
moving, blowing and breezing
through my heart, my home, my workplace and my neighborhood.
Then I will praise you and give thanks for the work of your hands,
for all that echoes in my heart...
Let the weather, rain or shine,
and the people, friends and strangers,
and the silence and all sounds
leave their mark upon my soul, Lord...
In my heart of hearts I long for a universe
tailored to my whims and wants
and so I often miss the power and beauty, the drama and glory
of the world you made, the works of your hand:
all to be studied and pondered in grateful prayer...
I pray for the warmth of your love
but fail to find it in the sun of summer days
when you bake me in its rays...
I pray to be showered by your grace
but shy away from clouds that bring a summer's rain:
I run for cover lest I be drenched in all you pour upon me...
Draw me out into the sun, Lord,
as into the light of your face, too bright to see.
Be the heat upon my eyelids, cheeks and flesh:
my whole body warmed as your heart burns for me...
When the rain comes, draw me out
to inhale the sweetness only you and summer showers bring.
Soak me in your grace until I shiver in knowing
how generous is your care for me...
Whether under the sun or in the rain,
let me see the work of your hand, Lord, in everyone around me:
in all whose paths cross mine today;
in family and neighbors, in strangers and the best of friends,
in colleagues and clients,
in passers-by and folks I see each day...
In their words and their silence, in their stories and their tears,
help me hear how you live and move in their lives.
And in their smiles and laughter
help me hear the delight you take in all of us, in every one of us,
in my neighbor and in me...
In all I hear today, Lord,
let me hear the sound of your Spirit
moving, blowing and breezing
through my heart, my home, my workplace and my neighborhood.
Then I will praise you and give thanks for the work of your hands,
for all that echoes in my heart...
Let the weather, rain or shine,
and the people, friends and strangers,
and the silence and all sounds
leave their mark upon my soul, Lord...
Stir within my heart, Lord,
memories of how you've touched me
in every season, through so many people, and in all the sounds
that still whisper of your presence by my side...
In my prayer today, Lord:
refresh the images and memories of times past
(happier, perhaps, than today)
when you've shown yourself to me
and when you touched my heart and flesh
with your powerful, quiet presence...
in every season, through so many people, and in all the sounds
that still whisper of your presence by my side...
In my prayer today, Lord:
refresh the images and memories of times past
(happier, perhaps, than today)
when you've shown yourself to me
and when you touched my heart and flesh
with your powerful, quiet presence...
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please THINK before you write
and PRAY before you think!