MorningPrayer

Dear God, In the background of humanities struggle, the world of nature continues to flourish and provide. There is an inherent complexity in the design,  and this complex web continues its flow into our veins and cells,  proving once again that we are part of the ongoing order of life. What part do we play? What should we do to in the competition for survival? We ask to be filed with your Spirit of Holiness that provides us with knowledge, insight and wisdom. Help us on our journey O God. Humbly speaking and seeking, we are yours. AMEN

Dear Creator God, May there Be Truth Beauty  Harmony In our Life. A Trinity like Unto the Father the Son the Holy Spirit. Show Us the Way the Grace the Peace. AMEN

Dear God, We have contemplated the rising of the sun and its setting from beginning to end. In our birth we have yet to see an ending and in our ending we often contemplate our birth. The mystery of life is the intrigue, Its fullness found in our experience. Let there be magic, wonder, awe, love  and experience of grace both universal and personal in the interval. How good it is to know God and the joy of creation's unfolding. How fortunate we are. AMEN 

                                                                                                                 peach blossom                                                                           Dear God, We realize that we are not isolated, an entity unto ourselves.   We are interactive community creatures,  flowing out from our core into the world and, like the wind,  becoming part of the movement of every living thing.   We realize that at our core, is the very breath of you,  the Spirit that energizes, ignites and vibrates our response to all of life. Help us to live within ourselves as outward manifestations of your Spirit.  Help us to be responsible to the earth as a whole and to all its members.  We are the Body of Christ, interactive and alive.  AMEN

Dear God, We are created in beauty and found in the promise of life eternal. We are intricate and complex,  systems of cellular design and spiritual interaction. We shall continue to live lives of purpose and integrity  and find meaning in our expression of love and faith.  We shall trust in you  and in the gifts of wisdom, knowledge and compassion  that you have shown us.  In the Jesus way we shall  be. AMEN

Dear God, Help us to rebuild ourselves into pristine vessels of your countenance. May our sagging pillars and musty interiors be refit and renewed. May we be transformed libraries of your knowledge and wisdom and may your spirit flow through the corridors of our mind. Reborn, nurtured and nourished in you, we live. AMEN

Dear God, Sometimes we need to look to the future. We travel the room of the present and peer into the space before us. We need a good attitude of hope  and joy in the promise that lies before us. We have already been nurtured by love and nourished in grace. "Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our life And we will be in the house of the Lord forever. AMEN

Dear Lord God, The Dogwood flower brings us spring flourishing--  New hope being born. Teach us to stop and ponder the meaning of beauty and the beauty of meaning. May we be content within the gentle petals of the flower. May we hear your whisper ever so soft, in the flutter of the blossom. May we know your presence and breathe in the scent of hope. Quietly, we are at peace in this time of rebirth. AMEN

Dear God, Somewhere in the world the sun is rising and somewhere setting. Our earth stretches endlessly from beginning to ending, a seamless rhythm-- Beyond what we can see and even know. Beyond our senses and our understanding Flows the Spirit; informing, caring, guiding--an endless, seamless flowing of energy. May we be open vessels that receive this flowing Spirit And be transmitters of this grace and love. May we be part of the cycle of life, without end, and with God. AMEN

Dear God, It is not long, only a blink in time, actually, that we must stay still. Stay in. Isolate, to protect ourselves and others. Why then, does it seem so hard, so long? Help us to be patient, to be gentle with ourselves, to mind our manners. Take away our arrogance  and pride and humble us in soft resignation to this fate, this time in history. Create in us a serenity and perseverance to maintain our space, but keeping you close.  We welcome your presence and rest against you, O God. AMEN

Dear Lord God, The light of the sun, slowly illuminates the valley in the distance. A rooster crows across the meadow. A Robin flits over the ground. I smell the coffee brewing. It is a normal morning, but there is no telling what the day will bring. Will it bring joy or sorrow, hardship or serenity? Will it bring challenges or complacency? We don't ever fully know... But we can hold ourselves steady in your embrace. We can walk on water with your support. We can be prayerful and filled with your life's blood. We can. We can. AMEN

Dear Lord, The day after is a whirlwind of uncertainty, joy, wonder, disbelief and amazement. Our world is changing, turning, twisting, erupting in new and different ways; transformative and inspirational. We are challenged with the question of, "Who are we,now? Help us to hang on, God and survive the spiraling of our world. Apparently, we are new creations in you, and the world will never be the same, AMEN

Dear Lord, Thank you for this day, a day of promise and hope for a future. You have brought us out of despair and into the light and life of resurrection. The world is brighter, cheerier and full of potential in the garden outside of the tomb. In this garden of life, might we grow and be nourished by your love and fulfilled in your grace.  Bring us to fulfillment and heal us of our failings. Save us from despair and from the darkness. In eternal wonder, we live in you. AMEN

Dear God, If we were the followers of Jesus, 2000 years ago, we would see the tomb as a closed form; lifeless, dead, no hope and no promise.  But today,we see the tomb as the possibility of new life, of nourishment, of hope for a future and people who longs for sustenance, revival and love. We are those who rejoice in this gift of life and renewal. We accept the promise and the opportunity for forgiveness in the name and life and death and life of Jesus. AMEN

Dear God, Good Friday presents us with a bleak picture of justice--  humanity turning against, love, justice and peace.  The ruins of hope surround us and we might feel fear and profound loss of purpose,  But we are reminded by your presence and grace that life continues . We are reminded to seek out that window of light and joy as the hope for our future.  You keep us alive and you prepare us for new life.  In you, hope is born again and again, and we will not fear.  Your angels attend us and sing new harmonies of wonder and potential.  Amen

Dear God, Morning has broken on a new day. We never really know what the day will bring But the sun shining through the trees and the mist rising Suggests a life of possibility and a pathway of options. We participate in the glory of the day and  Find peace and serenity in the surrounding beauty. Open minded  and with renewed spirit, we open our hearts to you. AMEN

Dear God, In the glare of the fullest of moons we make our move-- Like Nicodemus we walk out of the darkness into the light of your presence. We stand illuminated and our shadow floats across the land, broadcasting our actions and our faith.  Shine on us, O God, so we might be revealed for who we are. Shine on us, so we might be lights in the darkness and beacons of hope and peace. Let us be your love. AMEN

Dear God, Sometimes it feels like we are warped and formed by the winds of time; unable to do anything to help or protect ourselves. But, you have given us reason, tradition and strength of spirit. You have given us hope, words of faith and perseverance. You have given us the gift of life and the promise of eternity. You have given us Jesus,who shows us the way of true being. You have told us we are not alone, but you are with us, always. Our destiny is not formed by the winds, but by you. AMEN

Holy God,     When discouraged, hold us in the palm of your hands.  Instruct the angels to sing songs of hope and sunrise to us,  surrounding us with new harmonies to uplift us.   Instruct the elders to surround us with loving compassion and protection.   Breathe into us the Spirit filled breath of new life and love.   In endless grace let us move and be.  AMEN

Dear God,  It is Palm Sunday. A special day in our Christian life. Our church buildings may not be decorated and filled with people, But our hearts are full of hope And filled with love. We might not be together  in the pews But we are communing with one another in our Spirits. We rejoice in Jesus as he enters Jerusalem And we sing praises of gratitude to God. We are one. AMEN

Dear God, Morning in the mountains can be a time of Glory and Awe. We need signs of beauty  and moments of hope, right now. We are living in a bleak time, God, of isolation and increasing fear. Financial ruin is a large part of our concern and illness is another. We pray for those who have already lost so much during this virus, and for those who have lost life and loved ones, our hearts are filled with compassion. In the silence of this morning, we pause and pray for our world. We ask for your help, God, and ask forgiveness for our sins. Above all, we need ongoing love and grace. AMEN

In God, Pay attention to beauty, For it will restore your soul. In the reflection of the cosmos, Find yourself and your spirit will be lifted. In the mirror of life before you, Pay attention, for God gazes at you. In the harmony of earth, sea and sky, Hear and see the breath of God, Lingering in compassion as we breathe in God's loving beauty. AMEN

Dear God, When the world seems dark and dangerous and we are filled with strife, we look to your for that opening of hope,  that ray of light that shines in the darkness. Help us to keep our senses open and alert  so we don't miss the promise of love. Help us to commit to prayer, devotion and gentle harmony  so we might live within that light as our source of nurture and life itself.  In Jesus we pray.  AMEN

Dear God, Like manna in the wilderness, you provide. In gratitude, we say, "Thank you, girls." In times of stress, anxiety and fear, we are grateful for signs of grace and mercy. We pause, and are still as we reflect on the gifts you provide. We pause within the rhythms of life and  recognize ourselves as part of the process of existence. We whisper a prayer of wonder and thanks. AMEN

Dear God, "You are our refuge and fortress", we will dwell under the shelter of your wings. "We will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day." Lord God, even though we might be stressed, anxious,  and fear the valley of the shadow of death, we will be strong and faithful in you. In you, O God, we know eternal love and grace. In you, O God, we live and breathe. AMEN

Dear God, Gratitude.... For what are we thankful.... Blessings... What gifts have we received... Relationships.... Where is love found.... Difficulties... What have we learned... Simple pleasures... What gives joy.... Grace... What does this mean for us... Life... How do we make it meaningful.... God... AMEN

Dear God, In the nighttime of our lives, there is still light that illuminates. We are never in total darkness because your star of life shows the way. We see hope in the lights of our houses and the love that lives there. In times of crisis and fear, your presence glows about us. Can we see the glow? Do we feel the warmth? Open our senses and our minds to your loving presence, O God.  AMEN

Dear God, The beaches of our life are cluttered. People, events, thoughts, sins, anxieties litter our mind. But also, the beauty of those people and events and the  walk of life is precious. What a joy it has been, and we are grateful for  the textures and the tides of time; Tides that wash our thoughts clean and cleanse our souls. You, Jesus are the tides of our life, healing, saving, purifying. In the waves and waters of new life we find new birth. AMEN

Dear God, Surround us with beauty-- the elegance of simplicity, the wonder of complexity. Open our eyes so we might see. Open our minds so that we might know, Open our hearts so that we might feel. The Divine whispers our name. AMEN

Dear God, Sometimes it is the little things in life that make a difference. The tender moments that amuse and give delight. In the midst of difficult times, isolation, fear and stress, open our eyes and minds to these moments of joy,  the pause in the chaos that you provide for us. Open our hearts to the flashes of the Spirit glimpses of your love and providential grace. Come Holy Spirit, come. AMEN 

Dear God, In the middle of our lives, your light shines like rays from heaven. We pause from our errand, We are still in the midst of our task, We look up and feel the warmth of your love Flowing over us, a waterfall of light. There is no other place to go or to be. We stand on Holy Ground. AMEN

Dear God, In the midst of crisis when the seas foam and crash and the mountains roar and rumble and small invisible viruses spread and form, we look to you for consistency and continuity.  We notice the blooming spring flowers and the birds in flight. We observe the systematic rhythms of nature and we take heart. We stop and are still, and we feel your presence. And if we should feel ourselves sinking into the chaos, you reach out your hand and lift us into the boat of your love. Thank you God. AMEN

Dear God, Sometimes my mind swirls and tumbles in colors and forms beyond recognition. I attempt to put on glasses of insight but I still see through a misty fog. Only you can clarify my mind and bring resolution to my life. Only you can offer the sight and knowing of transformed vision and of a new heart and mind, My spirit longs for you and my soul whispers your name in joy and love. Hear my prayer, O God, AMEN

Dear God, Sometimes we want to retreat to a bubble where we will be safe from harm. A bubble where your light still shines and we are embraced by your wings. A bubble where the world will pass by and ignore us. But, the world, our loved ones, our friends, our responsibilities as members of your Kingdom, call us forth. So may we, we  pray, live both inside the eternal and ever present bubble of your loving protection and grace, and may we also do what needs to be done in the world of our life. Embrace us, enfold us, empower us, O God. AMEN

Dear God, Our praise for you reaches to the heavens and we build temples to proclaim our love and thanks. But you ask us to humble ourselves and to be like your Jesus. You ask us to not be content  glorifying in a church of splendor  but to wash each others feet,  to offer water and food to the needy  and to support one another in all times of trouble. You have told us that this is true worship. Help us, O God,  to worship you as we serve one another. Take away our fears and purify our hearts.  Give us hands and feet like Jesus. AMEN

Dear God, Hidden within the core of our being is the unseen potential for new life. We are a web of cells and fibers, connected by the blood of your love  and enclosed in the spirit of your grace.  In your eternal beauty we are transformed,  have new life and live again in fresh unimagined ways.  May we be patient and gentle,  even as you lovingly hold us throughout all time.  AMEN

Dear God, We find ourselves in the mist of the unknown.  The landscape looks familiar yet, somehow,  we can't see the horizon  and even the valley and hills of our life are filled with clouds of uncertainty. But,you are the ground of our being. We walk on the lawns of faith and move with certainty through the shadows and valleys of darkness. We will not fear and we will be people of your beauty and love. Our life is in your hands of grace. AMEN