Being Light

Light of the World, guide our steps with Your brightness, Your mercy and Your peace. Call us to follow You, to become the light that You radiate and share, heart to heart, with each of us. Teach us to immerse our thoughts, words and actions with the brilliance of Your grace so that we, too, may give light to those who sit in darkness. By Your Holy Name, Amen.

Serving Your Purpose

You have told us, God, that we are blessed to be a blessing. You also revealed to us that we each have been created for a purpose, hand delivered, if You will, to contribute something specific from You to the earth and its inhabitants. With that kind of legacy embedded in our very being, how can we help but delight in discovering what gifts, skills and knowledge You have given us? How can we not get excited about what a difference we can make on Your earth and among Your people? Please help us focus on what it is You would have us do with our being while we are here. Please remind us what is different about Your purpose, what serving You and Your people looks like. Please continue to delight in us as we learn how to serve You better each day. Amen.

Faith is the Assurance

Ever-Present Caretaker, we are so fortunate to know You as our best refuge, our comforter, our supporter and our way. Without Your loving spirit to guide and protect us we would be canoes set adrift in a huge sea of despair and hopelessness. We trust in You always, we revel in our faith in You that assures us that hope is not lost, that no matter what the world can create that is not of You, You will prevail. And we will prevail with You. Amen.

The Full Measure of Forgiveness

Judgment and forgiveness go hand in hand, God, and we are reminded of this everyday. What we give comes back to us, what we learn becomes a part of us. What does judging each other accomplish? What does forgiveness offer in enduring hope and gratitude? These are the questions Your spirit raises in our souls, questions that cannot be ignored, no matter how hard we try.

Thank You, God, for the blessing of Your full measure of forgiveness. Something we must always remember is that You forgive us because You choose to, even before we have recognized our need for this grace and asked You for it's mercy. What a wonderful example to live by. We, too, can forgive each other because we choose to. We can offer that forgiveness in our hearts long before someone who has wronged us recognizes their mistake and seeks to make amends. The great surprise is that forgiveness isn't about someone else making things right, but about us living in a right relationship with You. Amen.

Spariousness

How big is the universe, God? How much farther do You extend past these borders for which we have no sight? We tend to filter who You are through the narrow field of vision with which we view ourselves and each other. How could You possibly be anymore that a very big person with the same faults and limitations as we each possess? How we perceive You, interact with You, is usually based in childhood stories which we have never outgrown. It is amazing that Your spirit has any room to work based on that simple fact alone.

What we need Your help with, God, are grown up images of You that we can carry with us as we walk out the door to work each day. Who You are is so big that we will never completely comprehend You until we see You face-to-face in heaven, but until then, we need to allow You to be God, Our God, a God as big as we can possibly see, feel, and experience You.

Your vastness isn't that hard to spot if we will only pay attention. The universe itself is Yours, and the Earth You have shared with us clearly took a grand effort, both in scale and loving detail. Your mystery and grace are evident, but our eyes must train themselves in Your vision, Your hope, to truly see with mature eyes the wisdom and beauty with which You present us each day. Amen.

God's Stillness

The psalmist tells us to be still and know that You are God. Call us to this place of stillness in You, God, as we pray for Your direction and purpose in our daily being. Our very breath is from You, inhaling and exhaling the loving grace with which you formed every single one of us. Keep us in this stillness, this mysterious, miraculous place of knowing that You are God, and that we come from You and will always be connected to each other through You. Amen.

Saltiness

God, You are a Great Chef, knowing just how much seasoning creates the best possible mix of flavors. Jesus talked about us, Your people, being salt here on earth, being Your seasoning within our communities. But how can we do that if we only stay to ourselves in Christian gatherings? You haven't called us to cling to other people who also follow Your word, but it is much easier to do so, much more comfortable really. But to do so means we are not following Your word at all. We are called to be about Your work, wherever that leads us. We are called to bring our flavor to the world. We are called to be salt, called to be flavorful in places that lack the zest of Your spirit. We are salt when we blend ourselves with people who may not be a part of our usual circles. We are salt when we seek out people and situations in which we can share Your recipe for living in relationship with You.

Continue to train us as Your chefs, God, understanding the balance of Your seasonings in their measure. Amen.