Divine Gardener, through whom beauty appears,
Open us in this silence to allow your life-giving power to enter us through each breath. Teach us to hold lightly any sense of your Presence. Increase our trust through the empty and dark days. Strengthen our awareness of the delicate and fleeting blooms of kindness that help us endure reminding us that we are not alone. Help us return to this emptiness often so that we can emerge full. Amen.
Holy One, who encircles us with light,
Bring us to a simple awareness of your Presence in this silence. Awaken us to both the stirring landscape and the deep quiet within. Lead us to the center of your purpose. Move us through the holy experience of finding everything, where we thought there was nothing. Thank you for shining mercy upon us all. Amen.
Living Water, who flows over and through our lives,
Serenity spreads through our bodies as we soak in your silent Presence. Each breath releases a wave of renewal. Draw us to the source of your merciful love. Give us wisdom to live in the balance of emptiness and sufficiency. Send us out, today, so that the invisible is made visible. Amen.
Renewing Power, who brings all things into being,
Gather us toward you in this silent pause and ready our souls for this day. Cleanse us by your loving Presence. Strengthen us to enter into the unknown. Remind us that there is nothing in this world better than being claimed by Love. Use us in this growing season. Scatter our spoken words like seeds for generating compassion toward one another. Make us mindful that our deeds reveal our hope and commitment. Amen.
Source of Brightness, who illuminates the earth in every season,
In the hushed silence of this snowfall, we attend to your Presence. Like the creatures of the wood, you turn us inward in preparation for the work ahead. Help us to move slowly through this day, taking our time to notice the details we thought were insignificant. Foster patience in facing our difficulties, deepening our experience in the sufficiency of your grace. As we yearn for peace amongst peoples, fill us with yours. Amen.
Breath of Life, who is restoring all of creation,
In the midst of these endless winter days, free us of fear, help us to face our guilt and grant us your mercy so that our bodies and souls are readied to join in the transformation of the earth. Open us with each breath we take, further washing away any cynicism or mistrust. Stretch our bodies in ways that hold our communal life together. Remind us that faith is not simply a spiritual exercise but a physical experience. Prepare us for a future where your Presence is fully revealed in all of creation. Amen.
Author of Our Story, who invites us into deep mystery,
As this night falls and a stillness fills the air, we remember how often we are interrupted by storms, fearful and frustrated. Guide us gently into this space of slowing, this time of darkness. As we connect more closely to your Presence, diminish the distance we keep from others. Build in our hearts, fires where others can come to gather for warmth. Give us opportunities to bring hope to neighbors, working alongside one another to clear away paths that are impassable. Persist in us until all paths to wholeness are open. Amen.
Builder of Bridges, who carries us across the span of each day,
Enliven us anew with our silent breathing. Use this moment to connect us with the power of your loving Presence. Give us wisdom to wait on the threshold of choices we make today. With what we cannot see, hold us in the pattern of your truth. Bring us alongside others who share our hopes. And when the day is over, realize in us that faith alone brings us across each divide. Amen.
Unifying Creator, who knits soma and spirit into one strand,
Wrapped in the warmth of your Presence, we begin to take notice of the way you weave the threads of our days into colorful patterns. Even the frayed and foolish hours are not wasted but eventually lend resilience and increase our capacity to forgive. Widen our hope and lengthen our imagination. Weave the work of this day into a blanket of blessing for others. Amen.
Divine Light, whose constancy fills our days,
Saturate us with your peace. Help us to linger in your Presence during the course of this day. As we recognize the calamities around us and conflicts within us, steady our souls with reason. Shine the possibility of your benefit as we move through each difficulty. Bring us to experience the bright energy of your love, making way and encouraging our faith. Amen.
Janet Salbert 