Monday Meditation

-

Eternal fountain of light and truth,
enlighten our minds,
enliven our souls,
and invigorate our bodies.
Transform us
into the likeness of Jesus,filled with the living Christ,
in order to serve you
and all the life
of which you are
the prime element.
 
We look to Jesus
to understand
a more honest
and effective
way to live
as reflections
of your glorious being.
 
Help us continuously strive,God of endless energy,
to sense your presence.
You make us feel more beautiful--
not in some superficial,
Monday night television sort of way;
but more filled--
more FULL-filled
with a beauty
that transcends description
and becomes the center of our being.
 
In those moments with you
we clearly see
we are not in competition
with each other.
Filled with your splendor,
we are elated; elevated,
excited to share you
with everyone on the planet,
so they too can
feel joy;
so they might
once again have hope;
so they might see
there is light in the darkness.
 
We confess, Lord,
that we have trouble seeing the light.
We are berated for being too this
or not-enough that.
We are conditioned
to see the scars and blemishes
of a human race
whose faith and confidence
have been eradicated
by the slow churn of indifferenceand the dangerous blather of intolerance
 
We have blinded ourselves
to the beauty
that exists all around,
and within, us, every one of us.
So we turn to you,
our All-Creative One,
who has promised--
and shown us in Jesus--
that we are the creation of your love--
unconditional, all forgiving, eternal.
 
We ask to rekindle our love with you
so we can give more love to others.
We ask to be forgiven,
and for the ability to forgive ourselves
in order to more readily
and authentically
forgive others.
 
We ask for help caring
for all the people in our lives
and around the world,
who need your comforting
hand on their shoulder.
 
Ignite us with the light of love,
O Holy One,
so we can show others
that love leads the way
to a completely transformed world,
and the people who inhabit it.
 
Remind us, Eternal Essence of Grace,
that there is beauty all around us,
if only we would open our souls
and accept the beauty in ourselves.
 
If we are to be the instruments
through which you
defeat the darkness,
we must begin to
accept our inner Christ
and blaze a trail through
the inky night of fearslowly oozing over our souls.
 
Help us see you through
the midst of suffering,
and help us show your presence
by being your presence,
to everyone seeking,
and seeking to become,
an agent of love.
 
We pray these things
in the name of love's ultimate agent,
Jesus Christ. Amen.

Popular posts from this blog

Quantum Entanglement

-
Image
I’m fascinated by the intersection of quantum mechanics (the study of subatomic systems) and faith. I’ve written about string theory before, and the implication that everything that exists—every steak on the grill we smell and every soul-penetrating song we hear—is a vibration of God. The physical world is an emanation of the God frequency. God is the sound that started the universe. God is our infinite song of sustenance. Quantum mechanics helps me integrate faith and science. Science is biblical for me. I believe that by revealing the mysteries of the universe, science also reveals something of the nature of God. Understanding science as more than just the laws of nature helps people of faith maintain a healthy, contemporary, and relevant image of God and God’s activity in the world. In the quantum world, I have discovered interesting ways to imagine not only the nature of God, but also God’s infrastructure, if you will—how God is active in our world without being manipulative....
Read more

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wonderful this way comes

-
Image
Psalm 126 (CEB) When the Lord changed Zion’s  circumstances for the better,  it was like we had been dreaming.  Our mouths were suddenly filled with laughter;  our tongues were filled with joyful shouts.  It was even said, at that time, among the nations,  “The Lord has done great things for them!”  Yes, the Lord has done great things for us, and we are overjoyed.  Lord, change our circumstances for the better,  like dry streams in the desert waste!  Let those who plant with tears reap the harvest with joyful shouts.  Let those who go out, crying and carrying their seed,  come home with joyful shouts, carrying bales of grain! Isaiah 43.18-19 (CEB) Don’t remember the prior things; don’t ponder ancient history.  Look! I’m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it?  I’m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness.  This is our last week in the desert, and for some reason, I’ve been think...
Read more

The Lovesong of Humanity

-
Image
Throughout my life, I have been blessed with jobs that required a lot of travel. Soon after I graduated from the University of Utah, I was a b-list touring musician regularly working with “classics” groups like the Drifters/Coasters/Platters (always on the same bill), the Classics IV, the Marvelettes, and even Herman’s Hermits, once, in Hong Kong, entirely coincidentally (as things tend to happen in Hong Kong, for better or worse). Now, you have to understand that at this time—somewhere in the 90s, I guess—there were no longer any original members in groups like the Coasters/Drifters/Platters. Sometimes, there was a loosely associated cousin or something singing tenor, but usually, the tribute acts were comprised of talented musicians who could faithfully recreate not just the songs, but the dance moves and the whole vibe of the acts they were memorializing. Watching them effortlessly interact with the audience was a master class in performance. To maximize revenues, the agenc...
Read more