February 27 Prayer
The mountains bring forth peace and the hills righteousness You have to look up higher to see this Lift your head up from looking down From looking at the other With envy, comparison even admiration God is our only hope and help when we are troubled His very words bring life, They are full of the Spirit and life and this is where Jesus tells us to love, Love our enemies, those that hurt us Be made perfect as He is Be made whole The only way we can actually do this is to live out of our God created identity Live generously toward others, like God The way He lives toward you God gives us His best, the sun to warm and the rain to nourish the ground For all Let difficult people bring out the best in you , not the worst Pray blessings on others when you want to curse Have mercy on others when you want to bring judgment For all these perils we face we conquer overwhelmingly through Him who loved us. Nothing will ever separate us from this love of God in Christ. Rom.8:35-39 Matt.5:48, John 6:63 We pray now to look up higher than our circumstances Open the eyes of our hearts to see your great all encompassing love That covers all and is for all Help us to receive it, this love and believe in your words, Jesus, that bring life Let us bless others when it is hard And live generously full of your spirit and full of your love May we be deeply rooted in who you are and who you have created us to be Let the rain of your spirit nourish us And the sun warm us This day In Jesus name We pray Amen DB February 26 Prayer
Jesus makes things so clear through words that are hard to hear The words we say come forth from who we are and what we do It starts on the inside and That’s usually where we hide Until our outside world throws us curve ball and all turns us upside down “Peace comes to those who turn to God in their hearts. Glory will follow and fill the land, creating a pathway to walk upon.” Goodness and beauty, bounty and blessings That’s what I want. So shall we turn to God now and let him inside the envy, hurt, worry and fear? So we can be reconciled and made whole? So mercy can flow through. “Rise up Jesus in us and calm the chaos and the storm Rise up inside, so our words bring life and not enmity From the peace on the inside Where you are resting Mercy, faithfulness and truth they meet with an embrace. One leads to the other. May we be faithful to see what’s inside What needs washing to be clean. So your mercy and grace comes forth from who we are and words we say Jesus rise up in me today Keep our minds curious and open to repair May your mercy and truth follow me May we all learn to nourish forgiveness on the inside So we may cherish peace with others on the outside Jesus rise up within your church today That all we do becomes all of you In the Beautiful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen Matt.5:20-26, Ps.85:8-14 February 25 Prayer
A good Father loves A good Father sees knows what is needed. Cares and smiles over you A child wonders Unabashedly asks sometimes begs relentlessly for what they want. All we want is already there All we are waiting for In the silence and unknowns and unmet needs It’s there along, the answer is in the presence of seeking, asking and finding. May we never lose the wonder To simply seek, to simply ask, to simply wait for the opening In the dark and let the light come in. Like Queen Esther, Young and emboldened from stories on her youth She Remembers Father God, the one who brought her out of troubles, slavery and fear. She lays down her life into the hands of A good Father To trust in him even if she loses her life for her people She is willing to surrender all For a call to prayer A time set apart For courage to lead ‘May our prayers be simple and true Like Esther's honest cry, “Help me God for I am alone and have no one but you.” May our hearts take courage and rest in the wonder to be a trusting child We ask Lord, we receive, we seek You and find The doors opened before us today. Lead us as we trust in You. Let us find You in the faces we see, the unmet needs and desires Help us in this hour, we simply pray and simply trust. Thank you Papa for your hands of love and gifts from above. Thank you for the wholeness and peace you bring. We love You. Amen’ DB Matt.7:7-12, Esther February 24 Prayer
Jesus prays for you His love is steadfast He made the sea with the Father and the Spirit, So vast, so wide, so deep And all creation waits Longs, looking for the creator to open wide hands, giving food to satisfy and Breath to live. He prays for you, with you and through you So as you take a breath this day Let it be a prayer to enter in with all the prayers being breathed forth upon the earth An everlasting steadfast prayer Transcending all understanding this peace that keeps our minds and hearts steadfast on his In this knowing that his knowing is as vast as the sea is deep and wide Love knows no end I can breathe here again A prayer of peace A prayer of longing and returning Again I am Totally dependent upon his wide open hands to bring me what I need today. So I pray, ‘Jesus, May I be able to have open hands that are wide like yours May I have the kind of love that knows no end And A Peace that keeps my mind and heart resilient, Against what may come against me May I be an open vessel of prayer with you. Amen DB Ps.130:5-7,Ps.104:24-31,Heb.7:25 February 23 Prayer
There is a source of living water We search for it in the night when we are thirsty In the dense clouds and dark stillness The thirst within us will guide the way to God He causes the rain and snow to fall And will not leave until it fulfills a purpose To water the ground To cause a seed to grow and bear fruit What God intends for us will come about And it happens when we are in the night, when we are thirsty for more. All comes from God, The word, the water, the seed, the bread Everything we need. So give it up, The battle inside your soul To strive, worry and control, Let it go , and turn your thirst for holy water Be rooted, grounded here to live on every word that is sent from God This is our bread, this is our water, this is our life. Soak it up like dry thirsty ground The Faith, hope and love Pause to pray; ‘Thank you God for the rain, your saving grace will give us radiant joy upon our faces when we turn our gaze on you, the giver of all things. May we live on your every word today and drink from your living water. Fill us with such joy and faith that we will sow generously this grace to others. As His chosen ones, holy and beloved, May the peace of Christ control our hearts The peace in which we are all called In one body to be thankful! ‘You have given all to me and to you, Lord I return it, Give me only your love and your grace for that is enough for me.” Amen Is.55:10-11,Ps.33:20-22,Ps.34:4-10, Col.3:12-15 February 22 Prayer
First week of lent It is a long and arduous journey waking in the wilderness Climbing up and up takes effort and strength It may seem a bit daunting at times These 40 days This setting aside your vices and attachments Stripped away of your go to comforts. The desert experience is essential though It was for John And for Jesus, for he was led there by the Spirit, His spirit took him there To meet Abandonment, rejection, temptation, and there in the untamed wilderness He was met by angels sent from heaven To minister to his needs. Consolation came in Desolation. Pope Francis says, that “lent is a joyous time and a serious commitment, to strip ourselves of our selfishness, .. living each day with the desire to embrace the love that comes from God.” Yes, it is hard, it takes effort to go into the wilderness of our souls, shut out the world's chatter and distractions. But oh what joy is found in the simplicity of The quiet pool of reflection, To relax and rest and simply trust in Him. There will be gifts along the way up these stairs you climb Look for the Angels to arrive Take the time to rejoice when they come and receive the consolation they give you as you make the journey with Jesus. For you are never alone And everyday is a day of salvation Of returning to allow the Spirit to form you into the shape of Christ Look for the angels to arrive For consolation will come. It’s a gift if you are open to receive and able to embrace this wild time. There is an unfailing crown of glory that awaits you~ Pause a moment here to pray, Lord, Jesus we are willing and even eager to go with you on this journey, For where else would we go that leads us to a joy? Thank you for a glory that never fades and a love to embrace from heaven. We are your beloved, Lead us, We will follow You. Amen Mark 1:12-15,1Peter 5:1-4,Ps.116 DB February 20 Prayer
‘Bless the Lord, O my soul,” Wake up your soul and bless the Lord, With your whole heart! Return to His goodness and mercy in your life, His compassion beyond human, it is divine and Everything is possible for Him. Remember, we are but dust caught by the wind A seed falling into the ground A blade of grass The field’s flower birthed from the earth Fading in that same wind Never to be seen again- Return, and bless the Lord with your soul For Your life lives on in the everlasting love of God The wind blows with divine compassion Touching another seed to give birth again So let this day be one of delighting, Of blessing for he has given all to you And it is up to you to return it. Let him renew your soul and give you strength Let him give you the plenty that you desire Let him water your dry, parched land Let him turn your dust into a wall of restoration And make you a rebuilder of that which has broken down. He calls everyone, even those who seem too far gone To His great divine mercy To turn dust into a life form And become His body here on the ground Of earth- Sit here a moment and feel the wind of the spirit gently blow through you. See all the particles of the dust of your life become something completely new beyond your own imagination- “Jesus, suffering servant, we come to you now and receive your mercy. Blow the wind of your Spirit upon us Bringing our souls back to the life you desire for us to live. One of divine will and purpose that will live on in your everlasting Love. We pray for the ones we may encounter that feel they are too far gone from receiving your mercy. May we extend your compassion in a way that rebuilds and not tears down. We give back to you all you have given to us And we wake up our souls to bless you this day In our thoughts, words and deeds Be glorified. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. Ps.103:1-18,Is.58:9-14,Mk.14:36 February 19 Prayer
“Why don’t you fast like we fast?” Look how we do it, I’m more holy than you because…. Oh, what rhetoric and empty talk the early followers of Jesus had. Do you suppose they were missing the point of a fast? Why did we fast during lent? What do we fast? Lent is all about returning, Laying down our selves as a sacrifice for others Perhaps we should start here and fast comparing, Fast our measuring judgements Turn our focus away from these things, That take our hearts down the wrong path That leads to judgment That closes the door for relationship Shall we choose the fast that God has declared for us? Return and delight in the Lord Feast in His presence of mercy and grace Rejoice in this very moment As the sun rises and the clouds light up with a gentle blush, As if to say, “wake up you silly head” Return to the Love that’s inside of you That’s where you are to live today Come alive in your fasting from shame and blame, comparisons our convictions, calls and causes. And be the beautiful light to shine on others With a glow of gentleness and acceptance Like Jesus did It’s not about your fast or mine It’s about us Fasting together Following him on the road all the way to Jerusalem That’s where your wounds will quickly heal, And the glory of the Lord will follow. When we cry out together, That’s where He is, and says, “Here I am.” Be with Jesus today, then you will be like him No matter where the road takes you Stay with him and you’ll be good We all will be good Together Pause and picture in your mind someone you have compared yourself with recently. Someone you have criticized or think is better or less than you. Bless them now pray; “Lord, we return to the kind of fast you desire for us We lay down our comparisons and judgments Forgive us we pray. Keep us close to your heart today May we follow you where you will lead us and trust all will be good as we stay close to you. Let our call and cause be to bring your glory here on earth. Together we pray in Jesus' name. Amen Matt. 9:14-15,Is.58, Ps.37:1-6 February 18 Prayer
Great suffering, The journey begins Rejection, death, loss. The road leads deep yet the destination is life. Those who will follow me Walk in my ways. He calls forth giving us due warning It’s not an easy path It will require sacrifice To live righteous To lose the chains of prisoners, And bring justice to the oppressed, To lose yourself to save it. The walk leads you deeper The loss of all the is false The outer shell of protection will fall away Leaving you naked But without shame Clothed by the very cross you carry He carries you Covers you Raises you up again when you fall There are mysteries unsolved and treasures, Joys will glimmer on the edges of the dark path Leading you there to your true home. Do not run away from suffering, embrace it, for you will find him there As you carry your cross He carries you “Those who follow me must walk in my ways.” Let the shadow of his cross fall upon you For He carries the weight upon His shoulders Choose life, not doom For life is the destination His Glory awaits you The whole complete infinite weight of Glory Falls on you by the shadow of the cross. In the stillness of your imagination begin to feel the soft glow of His presence upon you now as you pray. ‘You, God of my heart, have fashioned all things, that they might have being. We are your beings. Shape us and form us into your image so we may follow your ways. Even in the ways of suffering that we are afraid of. May we find your courage and strength there. Knowing that where it leads us, You are present We receive your faith and trust to carry with you the cross And leave our old selves behind. Pull us out of ourselves into the infinite abundance Of your divine life, Your never ending love. We choose to follow this path today. Guide us to bring hope and kindness to all that are suffering. And keep us on the path that leads to life! Amen - DB Lk.9:22-25, Ws.1:14, Deut.30:15-20 February 17 Prayer
‘Return to me with all your Heart’ Tear them open, Take off the clothing that covers and restraints. Rend your hearts, Of all of its hiding, All it’s shame, In weeping,in mourning, In the tearing apart, from the familiar and what keeps you secure. In the dust and ashes black, and scorched falling like rain until the soil becomes soft and rich enough again, to birth something beautiful here. A blessing is left behind, Though the ripping open of a crack in your heart. There is no punishment here, No penance here, no retribution to pay. Only a returning home, to the One who enters into your heart and receive the blessing left behind. Mercy, grace and a strong love that does not waver but waits for you to return again. Place your hand on your heart Feel the warmth of God’s hands there, entering in with all the gifts you have desired and longed for. In that place of receiving, offer your heart back to him to be His heart for the world. ‘Lord, we return to you all that you have given. May our hearts be your dwelling place, a home and shelter for the lost and weary, the hungry and weak, to find your new life springing forth from the ashes. In the sacred name of Jesus we pray.’ Amen Joel 2:12-14 |