Lord God, Ever Creator of all things, who breathes Life into our bones and Spirit into our very being, we still to your presence now.

 

O Searcher of Hearts, we admit that all too often we cannot, or will not, read what you have written on our hearts.  We ask your constant help in discerning what your call is for each one of us, through the lens of love.  Hold us and keep us freed from our egos.  Guide us, like readers of Braille, to see feelingly into our hearts.

O God of all Wisdom and Peace, we hold out to you our bleeding planet. May your peace, passing all understanding, begin in each heart here present and spread out and out and out, through Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel and Palestine, Africa, Chechnya – all those places where your people still murder each other.

We pray, too, for Your help with the wounded ecology of this planet.  Please help us free ourselves from ignorance and fear, so to move heart-led into harmony with all Creation.

O Suffering God, we hold out to you the suffering of those in the Downtown Eastside, on Indian Reserves throughout Canada, in Africa and Asia – all those places where people lack what they need.  May each of us come to see clearly what our calling is in helping?

Lord Jesus, the Healer, we hold out to you the grief of John Tan and Gek-Choo in the tragic death of their grandson, William.  We ask your presence in the grief of all those who mourn this loss.

We hold out to you, O Christ, all those who struggle with chronic or debilitating injury, disease and pain; those with Depression or Addictions; those in deep life change.  Save us Lord from despair and lead us back to life.  We name to you now, in silence, those for whom our prayers are written in our hearts…….

 

And, Lord, we thank You!  For this loving and giving community; for family and friends; for the abundant gifts of creation: the soft smell of cherry blossoms in the evening; the mist hanging in forest and mountain; the glint of sunshine on water, the explosion of all those different spring greens and blossoms.

Guided by You, we write into our hearts our joy over all this - and more.

Lord God we are most grateful.

 

And now will you join me, into the week ahead, in the words our Saviour taught us.

Our Loving God
In whom is heaven
Hallowed be thy name……