Jesus, wondrous water walker, help us to be like Peter– boldly asking in trust to join you on your sea walk, and then upon looking down at the raging murky water beneath his feet became terrified and screamed out in a swirl of doubt and faith, “Master, save me!”– and you, Jesus, did not hesitate to reach down and grab his hand; for you are with us in the wild, whirling, waves of our lives, and you are eager and mighty to save.
Matthew 14: 28-31 Peter suddenly bold said, “Master if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come ahead.” Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!” Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?”
Our master gardener, keeper of the flora and fauna, the plants and the people, help us to remember that we are meant to nurture and nourish one another in this great dance of giving and receiving, living and dying– for we are interdependent, intended for harmony, each contributing to your glory.
Psalm 104: 14-31 Oh yes, God brings grain from the land, wine to make people happy, their faces glowing with health, a people well-fed and hearty. God’s trees are well-watered–the Lebanon cedars he planted. Birds build their nests in those trees; look–the stork at home in the treetop. Mountain goats climb about the cliffs; badgers burrow among the rocks. The moon keeps track of the seasons, the sun is in charge of each day. When it’s dark and night takes over, all the forest creatures come out. The young lions roar for their prey, clamoring to God for their supper. When the sun comes up, they vanish, lazily stretched out in their dens. Meanwhile, men and women go out to work, busy at their jobs until evening. What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations. Oh, look–the deep, wide seas, brimming with fish past counting, sardines and sharks and salmon. Ships plow those waters, and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them. All the creatures look expectantly to you to give them their meals on time. You come, and they gather around: you open your hand and they eat from it. If you turned your back, they’d die in a minute–take back your spirit and they die, revert to original mud; send out your spirit and they spring to life–the whole countryside in bloom and blossom. The glory of God–let it last forever! Let God enjoy his creation!
Psalm 65: 9-13 Oh, visit the earth, ask her to join the dance! Deck her out in spring showers, fill the God-Rive with living water. Paint the wheat fields golden. Creation was made for this! Drench the plowed fields, soak the dirt clods with rainfall as harrow and rake bring her to blossom and fruit. Snow-crown the peaks with splendor, scatter rose petals down your paths, all through the wild meadows, rose petals. Set the hills to dancing, dress the canyon walls with live sheep, a drape of flax across the valleys. Let them shout, and shout, and shout! Oh, oh, let them sing!
All expansive God, one who sees all and whose hands and heart are always open– help me surrender all my defense mechanisms to you. Help me to recognize all the ways I am closed off to you, to the world. Begin to open my heart, and turn my whole being toward you, for that is what it means to live in faith– trusting every part of me to you, allowing myself to receive the grace you so long to give.
Psalm 139: 1-6 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too–your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful–I can’t take it all in!
Proverbs 3: 5-6 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything yo do, everywhere you go; he’s the one will keep you on track.
Isaiah 30: 18 But God’s not finished. He’s waiting around to be gracious to you. He’s gathering strength to show mercy to you. God takes the time to do everything right—everything. Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
Sovereign God, tender healer, who offers to carry our burdens, help me to rest in you– for how often I get worn out hustling day in and out trying to please and earn and control, thinking it all depends on me– when in truth it all depends on you, the one who holds all things together in vibrant harmony.
Matthew 11:28-30 Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
Colossians 1:17-20 We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so expansive, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.
Creator of all, you named me into being stitched me together in my mother’s womb and called me good. May I remember– deeper than in my bones– may I remember in the depths of my soul: I am good. I am valuable. I am loved. Because I forget over and over, and in the forgetting I follow any path and lose the very person you created me to be. So may I remember every day every hour every minute every moment because you, oh creator, loved me first. Because in you, oh creator, I am held. Because in you, oh creator, I am found.
Psalm 139: 13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.
1 John 4:19 We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.
God of breath, I don’t know what to pray, so I breathe in and out this air that connects me with all who breathe. Let the rhythm of breath and heartbeat and open palms– my just being here– be my prayer.
Psalm 33 6-9: The skies were made by God’s command; he breathed the word and the stars popped out. He scooped Sea into his jug, put Ocean in his keg. Earth-creatures, bow before God; world-dwellers–down on your knees! Here’s why: he spoke and there it was, in place the moment he said so.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
God of restoration and renewal I pray for your healing for all of us who are sick in body, mind, heart, or spirit. Walk with us on the path of illness because deep healing is found in you.
Matthew 9:35-38 Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”
Luke 2: 8-12 There were shepherds camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”
At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:
Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the shepherds talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the shepherds were impressed.
Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The shepherds returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!
Word of God, let us come to you when we have no words when the world in all its brokenness, nonsense, injustice and horror overwhelms us. Let us come to you so that your word can fill us up with prayer petition hope and right action.
John 1-5: The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one.
Everything was created through him; nothing–not one thing!– came into being without him. What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn’t put it out.
All perfect one, you do not call us toward perfection, but toward faith. Help us to cease striving for perfection and instead trust that your love is enough– because your love is enough.
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Our Master Gardener, 