Entering the Story

What a beautiful Lord's Day it is, Father God!  Thank You for the blessings of friends, of church family, of the joy that comes from being able to call You "Father"!  Thank You for YOU!  Thank You that we don't worship an idea - How amazing that we are created in Your image, the Living God-in-three-persons!  How mind-boggling that we are called to enter into Your story, the story of the One who created the universe out of NOTHING!   What a blessing to know that Scripture is our story of being with You, not just some rule book we have to follow in order to earn Your favor.  Help me to enter into Your story with thanksgiving in my heart!  O Holy Spirit, I want to find the part that I can play in bringing in Your Kingdom.  Give me eyes to see it, and ears to hear Your guidance.  Don't let me think of anybody as not worthy of Your love and salvation.  I'M not worthy - and yet You love me - how amazing is that!  Help me to enter into the story of that love and spread its Good News everywhere I go.  Always for Your sake, Lord Jesus; always for Your glory, Heavenly Father; always with You, O Sacred Spirit - Always and everywhere - Hallelujah!  Amen!

Evening

It is the evening of the day, Heavenly Father, and You call us to end our day by spending time with You.  I love talking with You, and it never ceases to amaze me that You actually desire for me - ME! - to come sit with You and share my longings, my uncertainties, my dreams, my frustrations - no matter how unimportant they may seem in the eternal scheme of things.  Why do people think it's so hard to pray, Lord?  Thank You for the blessings You have given us, holy Jesus, by breaking down the barriers that stood between us!   Thank You that every moment of every day I can share a relationship with You.  As the night closes around me, You are still here.  If I wake up before the dawn, You are never asleep but with me always.  Through all my pains, my joys and laughter, my sorrows and grievings, You share it all. Help me to likewise take the time each day to share it all with You.  How amazing, how humbling, how mysteriously unfathomable is Your love!  Thank You, Father Son Spirit, my All-in-all, Amen.

The Goodness of the Garden

Heavenly Father-God, out in the garden there are small balls of tomatoes storing up their juice, every day coming closer to blushing into red.  Butterbean vines are mysteriously twining their way up the wire, always wrapping themselves in the same direction no matter where they are.  What a miracle Your creation is!  Thank You for all the many different vegetables You have given us.  There is such a huge variety of tastes and textures, each one bringing its own special flavour to our tables.  The corn is springing up now that it's had rain, tall stalks of deep green reaching for the sky.  How can something grow so slowly that we can't see it, and yet daily seem to grow in leaps and bounds?  Sometimes the life of my spirit seems that way.  I can't see that I'm any closer in my following You... but then I think back and realize that I too have grown in leaps and bounds.  Lord, help me to reach up to You with hands of thanksgiving, as the corn reaches to the sky!   Help me never to take the joy of food for granted.  And please, gracious Spirit of God, don't let me ever, ever refuse to share with those who are in need of a meal.  You have freely shared the bounty of the earth with us; each plant giving not only the fruit of its produce, but the seed by which it can come forth again .  May we never forget to just as freely share the goodness of Your earth with each other, in the name of Jesus and for Your glory, our Loving Father - Amen.

Righteousness

O Lord, our God, we give You thanks because You are righteous!  If you weren't perfectly holy then we would have nowhere to turn; no One to show us the right way to think and live and be.  I've come to realize, Lord, that sometimes I let the culture that surrounds us make me feel guilty for trying to live a righteous life.  Protect us from shying from following You just because someone may accuse us of being "self-righteous" or "holier-than-thou".  You know the heart, dear Jesus.  It is wrong to lord it over others - forgive me if I ever put myself above anyone - but it is never wrong to do the right thing and live the right way - for You are the Way.   You are the Truth, and in that Truth I must put my trust.  You are the Life, the right way of living for all eternity.  This day, and every day, O Holy Spirit, take my life and transform it into that which is wholly pleasing in Your sight - For Your glory always, my Lord and my God. 

Praying Psalm 71

Hallelujah, Father God!  I trust You with everything and just know that with You, everything is going to work out for the best.  It may look gloomy right now, but You are my sunshine!  You are my refuge - the One I can always run to and find shelter.  You are the Rock on which I can stand above all the muck and mire that life may throw in my direction.  You've always looked after me, even before I was born!  I'm sorry when I forget You and don't think to give You the praise You deserve.  I'm sorry that I get spiritually lazy and let busyness be more important than You in my life - Nothing could be further from the REAL reality!  I put my eternal hope in You, Lord Jesus.  Blessed Spirit, help me to lift my praises more and more!  Don't let me ever stop talking about all You are and all You've done for me and for the whole world!  You are my strength, my comfort, my everything and I know You are the only One who will never fail me.  Blessed be Your Name, most glorious Triune God!  Hallelujah!  Amen!

The Path

Good Morning, Father God!  You are the Name above all names!  You are the One who rules the universe, yet You invite us to call You Abba, Dad.  Wow!  You have given us a new day, full of new beginnings.  Thank You that every morning is a chance to start over.  Help us to let go of the past and hold onto Your hand as we go through today.   No matter what the circumstances, with You we are safe in Your eternal Kingdom, a place that even death can't take from us.  We pray for those who still stumble outside the path You have shown us, dear Jesus.  I cannot imagine having to go through this tough life without Your hand to hold me!  We pray for those who have met You, but have wandered off the path, lured by temptations or dulled into apathy.  Give us words of love and wisdom to help show them the way back home.  Sometimes we are anything but kind and forget the gift of hospitality that we are called to offer to all.  You loved the world enough to die for it; Holy Spirit, enable us, sinners though we be, to love all of Your creation enough to live for it, for Your love's sake always - Amen.

For Calm

Heavenly Father, thank You for sailing with us through our lives.  Some days are easier than others.  Some times everything flows smoothly and nothing ruffles the waters.  Other days we get frustrated and irritable; it seems like everything and everybody crashes in on us.  I know those are the times we need You the most.  Calm us, O Lord, just like You stilled the storm.  Bring us into Your peace and help us to relax in Your love.  Blessed Spirit, bid the churning stress to cease, and enable us to remember that nothing matters more than You, our loving eternal Father-God.  And if the words or actions of others threaten to break over us, help us not to add words to the storm.  Let us, instead, be harbingers of Your calm, for the furtherance of Your Kingdom - Always, Amen. 

On Pentecost

O Holy Spirit,  You are with us always and we depend on You each moment. You are our strength; grant us Your gentleness.  You are our peace; grant us Your kindness.  You are our faithfulness; grant us Your love.  For what are strength, peace and faith if we aren't gentle with others, kind to others, loving in Your name to others?  As this day of celebration of Pentecost comes to a close, help us to be good witnesses of all that You are.  Sometimes, when I think on the example we show, I wonder why anyone would want to be a Christian.  Then I see gentle, faith-filled followers of the Body of Christ living out Your love in selfless service, and am reminded of how You never fail us.  Bless us and use us, that we may bring You glory!  May others see You reflected in what we say and do.  And when we fail, grant us humility to admit our faults, confess our sins and start again, held always in Your love, Heavenly Father, Blessed Son, Holy Spirit - Three-in-One.  Alleluia!  Amen       

Remembering

Good Morning, Father God!   What peace there is in Your presence... but sometimes it is so hard to get here!  I know I shouldn't let other things distract me from sitting down with You, for You alone are my loving Heavenly Father.  It amazes me how You are so eager for me to come to You with every little thing in my life.  After all, You are the Creator of everything that is Good; the entire Universe is brought into existence simply by Your Word.  I can believe that You know all ABOUT me (like the number of every hair on my head) much more easily than I can believe You want to know ME, just as I am, warts and grumbles and all.  Can I really believe that You would keep a watch out for me and race down the road to meet me if I even turn in Your direction?  Forgive me, Father, for letting other things distract me.  Forgive me for not remembering You, when I know that You always remember me.  Thank You, Jesus, for bringing me home. Blessed Spirit, grant me the peace that comes with sitting down with You and sharing my innermost thoughts, dreams and worries.  Always and forever, I am Your child -Amen.

The Celebration of Today

We cry to You out of our depths, O God, and You lift us out of the muck and busyness of our lives into a joyful spirit of praise!  What a beautiful day You have given us!  What a gift to be able to draw breath, to sing of Your glory and never-failing faithfulness!  In a moment of stillness, a young squirrel joins me on the porch and reminds me to take time to listen.  There is joy to be found in the bees feasting on the lantana, showing us work at its best.  There is laughter to be discovered even in the battling of the hummingbirds who bluster and bash their way to the feeder. How often our selfish, blustering, jostling for position must seem so ridiculous.  I hear the scolding of the mother wren when I venture too close to her nest and it gives me pause, to think on a parent's love for her child, even when not yet born.   You have surrounded us with such goodness, mercy and grace that there is something new to be learned of Your love every day.  O Father, dear Son, blessed Spirit, Three-in-One, lift us up to join in the celebration of Today!  For Your glory, we ask - Amen.

Stormy Friction

Dear Father-God, thank You for today.  It's not always easy to say that, or to really mean it when we do.  As I feel the crackle of lightning in the atmosphere and listen to the windows shake with thunder, I am reminded of the friction in our lives.  When the heat of the moment meets the cold of frozen hearts a storm erupts.  Words fly like forks of lightning against the shouts of booming thunder.  We still live in a world that is fallen and broken, Lord.  Forgive us when we create friction.  Forgive me for not holding my tongue when I have nothing positive to say.  Forgive me for snide remarks and self-righteous attitudes that sting like hail.  Forgive me for not treating others with the respect that I believe they owe me.  Instead of pouring out the oil of peace and kindness, of goodness, mercy and self-control, I flash my temper and boom my demands. Forgive me for not loving my neighbor; forgive the friction I cause around me. Help me to clear the clouds of misunderstanding and the tear-filled rains and hurt.  May Your Light, O Christ, be what shines forth in all I say and do.   O Holy Spirit, heal the friction in my heart and bring forth Your peace, to the glory of our Father, now and forever - Amen.  

For You

O Heavenly God our Father, how thankful I am for Your loving arms of comfort and strength.  The cooling breath of Your Spirit gently blows through the sultriness of the day and touches me with Your mercy and kindness in the midst of whatever befalls me.  O Jesus, Lamb of God, it is only because of Your selflessness that I can come before You, my God, with each and every moment of my life!  How can I possibly thank You for such a gift?  Take each breath I breathe and let it be lived for You.  Take my hands and use them to reach out to those who need a friend.  Take my words and let them be the honey of Your Word to those who are tired and brought low.  And when I stumble and fall, forgive me, enable me to learn from it and move forward once again.  You are my God, I am Your child, and it is all too awe-inspiring for words... Forever, Amen.

This Moment

Gracious Father God, how wonderful it is to have a new day, fresh and clear of yesterday's mistakes and not clouded with tomorrow.  Help me not to drag yesterday into today, or cloud it over with a day I don't even know if I'll see. Let me leave behind hurt feelings, and embrace forgiveness.  Forgive my falling to temptation and, by Your Spirit's grace, enable me to stand stronger today. Keep me focused on You and what is, not worried about what may never be.  THIS is the moment I am given.  Help me to live it, Lord!  Don't let me throw it away, mire it in the past or not even notice it's here. For Your love's sake and basked in Your glory, now - Amen!

Just as I am

Our Heavenly Father, You are the Name above all names, You are the Good Shepherd, the Great Physician, the Loving Father who welcomes us home with a party!  Why do we find that so hard to believe?  Why do we think it only applies to us if we're good enough, rather than if we'll just come to You?  Forgive me for thinking that I have something to prove.  Forgive me for rejecting the challenge of accepting and following You by using the excuse that I'm not good enough.  Forgive me for still living like those Pharisees You chided so sternly.  You whisper my name and You call me to come - That is enough!  You stretched out Your arms, Lord, and gave all for the love of the world - for me, sinner that I am!  I know You want me to respond to Your love by giving and living that love in the world, but it can only be a response that comes from accepting Your Love.  Forgive me for living as though the salvation poured out from Your precious and holy death on the cross depends on what I do!   I can't do this wondrous, miraculous thing!  Only You, Lord, only You!  To the glory of the Father, in the power of the Spirit, O Lamb of God, I come!  Alleluia! Amen!

Mad Dash

Gracious Blessing from Above, 
Thank You.  What simple two words those are, and how often I forget to say them.  And yet my life is filled to overflowing with reasons to lift up my thanksgiving to You, my loving Father!  I am surrounded by Your glorious blessings and yet I too often fly past them, intent just on getting to wherever it is I think is so important that I have to race there.  Do I think that You won't give me whatever time I need for whatever I need to do?  And why do I forget that what You need me to do is all that is eternally important?  Forgive me for racing through this life on my own timetable, instead of pausing along the way of today and asking what You would have me do.  Help me to trust that You will give me all the time in Your world that I need to be in Your presence and follow the path You lay forth.  Forgive me my mad dash that blurs not only Your Kingdom but Your voice.  Grant me, O Holy Spirit, the peace that the world can never in its hurrying hurly-burly give.   Only You, O Christ; only You.  Alleluia!  Amen.

Change

Heavenly Father, it's the time of in-between.  The sky is still holding onto its light, but the night is rapidly taking over.  Mosquitoes begin their swarm attacks while the frog choir tunes up around the pond.  The air is heavy with humidity, but there is no sign of rain to relieve it.   It is a time of change; not quite night but no longer day, no longer raining but not really clear.  While it is an ordinary time for many, it is an evening of change for others.  
We pray for those who are at crossroads of unwelcome change - the passing of a loved one, the loss of a job, the breakdown of a relationship, the disablement of disease or accident.  May they know Your never-changing presence and arms of comfort around them.   
We pray for those who face the challenges of new and exciting change - retirement, a new child, graduation, marriage.  No matter how welcome, such life changes can be nerve-wracking!  May they too know Your constant presence and feel Your Spirit guiding them into new paths of their journeys.  
And for those who are facing the greatest change of all - that from life through death to new life eternal - may they be wrapped in Your merciful peace and carried over the threshold in Your strength and never-changing love.    
For those of us who are having an ordinary evening, may we remember that we are blessed in order to be a blessing.  May we make the time to spend it in with You, and lift up to You all those for whom it is a time of change.  Hold us all safe in Your arms this evening and forever, for Your love's sake we ask. Amen.

Taking off the blinkers

O Father God, how easy it is when the sun is shining and all is well in my world to forget those for whom the storms rage and even their very existence is threatened.  Am I so self-centred that I believe that if everything is right with me then all is right with everybody?  Forgive me, Lord Jesus.  That's certainly not the way You lived, and so not the way You're calling me to be.  As painful as it is, take my blinkers off so that I can see my neighbors, whoever and wherever they are, know their needs and reach out with Your love.  Strip me of self so that I can truly live in Your Kingdom, not just scuttle along obliviously on my self-contained rat racetrack.  Painful as it is, there is peace in knowing that I am with You, because You are there in the stinking, miry pits of our existence, as surely as You are present on the mountaintops that glow.  Holy Spirit, grant me the courage to walk this Christian walk of discipleship - every moment and not just when it's comfortable.  Shine Your Light, Great and Gracious God, and help me throw away the blinkers for Your love's sake - Always, Amen.

Caring Like Mary

On this Lord's Day, Father God, we lift up to You all those who have shown us Your love in our lives.  We thank You for all those who have shown us a mother's love, caring for us as Mary cared for You, blessed Jesus.  Whoever has touched us - mother, grandmother, aunt, neighbor, Sunday School teacher - we lift them to You in thanksgiving and praise.  Through them You have blessed us, but we know that You don't want us to let it stop there.  Help us to be a blessing to others; to shown them Your unconditional love that knows no bounds. 

And if mothers have brought pain into our lives, enable us by Your grace to forgive and let go of the hurt.  Bring healing into our hearts and minds, dear Jesus, that we may go forward, knowing that we are wrapped in Your love.
   Enable us all to be role models for any children You place in our lives, whether at home, at school, at church, in our neighborhoods or in our communities. Let Your light shine through us, O Holy Spirit, so that no matter what comes they may know that they are never alone.  May we together know that You are with us always - this day and forever and ever - Amen.   

GPS

Gracious Father God,  sometimes we have to change our plans.  Sometimes we're irritated that we can't do what we want to do, when we want to do it. Sometimes I literally stomp my foot and protest loudly to anyone who will listen. That's You, isn't it, Father God.  You always listen.  And sometimes the changes in plan are because YOU have other ideas, so why do I gripe about it so much? Forgive us when we're childish rather than childlike, Father.  I know I need to look behind the outward way of things and seek Your presence in the midst of whatever is going on.  Is the devil trying to block my path and get me off course?  Or is it Your loving hand guiding me into Your will, full of Your possibilities?  I know that I don't need to worry about getting the right directions if only I'll just keep bringing it all to You and asking for Your blessing. You alone are the One who wants the very best for me.  You alone can take my fumbling, grumbling efforts and turn them into good and blessed moments.  You alone are the perfect, never faltering GPS for my life!  Thank You, blessed Saviour, loving Father, guiding Spirit! Amen! 

Leftovers

Dear Father God, 
You alone are the Most High.  There is nothing, there is nobody who is above You.  So why do I let other things take top priority in my life?  Why, Lord, do I just give you scraps of time?  Why do I think that You, Almighty God - Saviour and Creator and Holy Spirit of the universe - are worthy only of the leftovers of my life???  Forgive us, Gracious God, for thinking that whatever we're up to is more important that You.  Forgive us for falling for the fallacy that if we give up our time for You that we won't have enough time for the rest of what we think we need so desperately to do.  Will You, the Creator of time itself, not grant us enough time to worship and praise You?  Will You not provide us with more than occasional leftover time to reach out to others with Your love as You have commanded us to do?   Grant me the courage to give You more than my leftovers.  For You alone ARE the Most High!  Blessed be the Father, Son, Spirit now and forever, Amen!  

All the Time of Eternity

Good morning, Father God!  You have made today and You call me to rejoice and be glad in it, but with the rush of things it's hard to be still and know You are not only God but my loving heavenly Father who wants only the best for me. People and circumstances and mental to-do lists crowd for my attention and yank my eyes off of You with their insistence to take priority.  It's hard to remember Your arms around me when there are messes to be cleaned up and others demanding my presence.  O Lord, this is just a hint of what it is like for You, as we crowd You with our cries for attention and needs for You to clean up our messes!  And yet, You always have all the time of eternity for each of us, and long to hear our every word.  You are always in our presence, loving and patiently waiting for us to return that love to You.  You are as much in the messes and demands of my life as You are in the rare quiet moments of calm. Help me to speak with You in the midst of it all - tough and smooth, pleasant and painful, frazzled and peaceful - whatever the day may bring, let me rejoice and be glad in it simply because You are in it with me!  Father, Son, Spirit - Alleluia!  In Your Love, Amen.   

Risks

Gracious Heavenly Father, You have given me a new day, full of possibilities.  I can choose to risk living it in Your Kingdom; I can ignore that there's any choice to be made and stubbornly go my own way; or I can choose to retreat into my shell, terrified of making such a risky commitment.  Lord Jesus, You were never afraid to stick Your neck out.  You knew that to live in the Father's love means to stand out from the mob.  Forgive me when I'm scared of being different. We slip into the world's way of wanting to be accepted by the people we think are the important people. We forget that You call us to stick our necks out and follow a seemingly unimportant Jewish carpenter who was shamefully nailed to a cross.  Forgive us, Lord.  Help us to risk sticking our necks out and walking Your way in this life, even when it isn't the smooth path lined with buttercups, but a rocky road that causes us pain and discomfort.  Thank You for those in my life who have followed You and are examples to us all.  Holy, holy, holy Spirit, grant me the courage to take hold of Your nailed-scarred hand today and stick my neck out with them, rather than turn away to my own way or withdraw into the shell of fear.  
                                      

You are with me always. 
              You enable me to walk tall
                                    in a way different from the world around me and, 
                    even when others see me as ridiculous, 
                                                                 I know You love me!   

                                                        To Your glory now and always, Amen.  

For eyes and ears

Blessed Father God, I gaze out the window onto Your world and marvel at how often I don't have eyes that see or ears that hear how everything around me proclaims Your glory.  You paint with infinite colour and texture, all within a flower petal.  You compose with every pitch and percussion, as sparrows and geese sing with tree frogs and cicada.  And You do it all simply because You love. The warmth of the sun reminds me of Your presence, that has brought me through the winters of my life.  The whisper of the breeze reminds me of Your touch, even when I have walked in desert places. Forgive me for my blindness as I dash through my day.  I confess that all too often I am deaf to Your voice, and let the raucous noise of media drown out Your whispers, O Holy Spirit.  May I crave Your presence more than I crave anything else in my life, dear Christ...for You craved my salvation more than You craved even life itself.  Glory!  What wondrous love this is, poured out for even one life me and surrounding me every moment of every day!  Holy is each moment spent with You, forever in Your Love, Amen.