A Prayer for the Day....

Eli Stone: But I don't believe in God.
Dr. Frank Chen: Sure you do. You believe in right and wrong! You believe in justice and fairness! You believe in love! All those things are God!

(quote from the TV show, Eli Stone, episode 1, the Pilot)

I'm a bit hesitant to sometimes to share the more spiritual side of me at times. 

 I know that sounds weird coming from someone who preaches and prays aloud in the church. 

This morning I led worship at a local church with a good friend of mine.

Part of my role was to write a prayer which would be part of the liturgy during worship.

I got up this morning and after playing on the computer, decided I had to birth something since worship was just two hours away.  My friend was preaching on a text in John related to the Samaritian Woman who encounters Jesus at the well.

I read the text and then sat down to push forth something......what I'm giving you is what came.

I was reluctant to share it in church..I was afraid folks would think it was too....something..

too weird, too flowery, too "out there"--remember i do attend the Presbyterian church and we pride ourselves on intellectualism--some call us the "frozen chosen".

Since nothing else came, i had to pray this prayer...

i was nervous,

I felt my stomach shaking inside like I might just throw up.

Why I wondered...I ususally don't mind being a bit "out there".

So i walked over to the pulpit...

could feel my legs shaking a bit--(usually I don't wrestle with the nerves-especially during the prayer)

and i started praying.

When i started, I could feel the Breath of the Universal Spirit take hold of the words,

move about in them,

could feel my voice getting stronger and so I leaned into her.

When shaking folks out....

people spoke of the meaning of the prayer for them....

I was a bit surprised to even hear folks commenting on the prayer...but once they did,

I was glad I didn't have anything else to pray.

I was asked for copies of it...so I told folks I'd post it in my blog (sort of selfish but at least i knew I might get a few hits)

Here it is:

Thirst Quenching God,

We wonder around aimlessly,

Busy, living our chaotic lives,

Separated and disconnected,

Trying to fill the thirst inside us with all kinds of stuff,

 and

All the while you move amongst us,

holding out substance to fill us,

energize us, set us on fire and quench our spiritual thirst.

It is your life-giving, spirit-reviving water  that renews our being

 and

 it is your love that sustains us

even when we don’t acknowledge that this is how we get through the day.

 For this—we say thank you.

Flowing God,
our world is so full of chaos, and destruction,

 Earthquakes,

 Floods, Daily Ruin, Death, Despair,

Overwhelming Grief and Sorrow

Financial Upheaval,

Hunger and thirst and pain—

Power starved individuals everywhere,

Oh God it is most often too much for us to take in,

Most often we choose not to,

We don’t know how to help

 and 

 it is easier and less painful to just close our eyes,

 turn our head and move about our daily business.

We feel helpless and sometimes oh God we even feel a bit hopeless…

 But this morning, we do what we can

 and

 cry to you on behalf of the chaos in the world,

Flow over this Universe,

Gush over us,

Give us that which quenches the worlds thirst.

Inspire us to make a difference and Heal our World we cry.

As a rock dropped in a pool of calm water,

 the rings move out, rippling forever,

Inspire these people to be the ripples of your love that move 

 from here to there,

may they  bear of the Gospel to all they encounter.

Flow over their spirits, revive and convict because.

Grant them Courage, Inspiration and Hope

We pray especially for those who are ill,

For those who grieve,

For those caught in transitions,

For those bound by addictions,

For the homeless, the spiritually thirsty and the hopeless,

We offer these prayers to the Universe because we need

Hope,

in faith we pray these things.

Amen.

That was my prayer and i share it with you...

read it though,

pray it aloud,

send forth an echo to the Universe

for some Love and Hope to wash over us,

Heal Us,

Make us Whole...

If you will...

so will I....even though I'm afraid sometimes.