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| Image by Gareth Wray |
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A GREETING
I put my trust in you, O God;
I say, ‘You are my God.’
(Psalm 31:14)
A READING
Bless God, my soul!
My God, how great you are!
clothed in majesty and glory,
wrapped in a robe of light,
you stretch the heavens out like a tent.
(Psalm 104:1-2)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
Send back your breath—fresh life begins
and you renew the face of the earth.
(Psalm 104:30)
A POEM PRAYER
Gradually, a miracle flows into me, a stilling
and filling of my anxious, empty self.
Now calmed, now capable of reverence,
I pour my awareness into you,
Only to receive much more than I give:
The prayer I pray, the very life I live.
- from "Ever Available" by Rachel Srubas
found in Oblation: Meditations on St. Benedict's Rule
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
God of love, in the silence of our hearts
give us words of welcome, acceptance and renewal
so that when we speak, our words come from you.
- from "Prayer for Three Voices" by Yvonne Morland,
excerpted in 50 Great Prayers from the Iona Community,
selected by Neil Paynter
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On this final day of appreciating and praying with the work of Jane Goodall, we hear her in the video above imagining two scenarios for the year 2050. One is bleak and disastrous. The other offers hope. The difference in the two visions points to the path we have ahead. For Goodall, hope lies completely in the actions we take to make a better world, no matter how small.
In today's music, we hear Jacob Collier croon an appreciation of a mystery figure called "Little Blue." The title refers to a small blue furry creature that his mother made for Jacob when he was small. The little creature stayed with him and fostered his imagination. The live recording was made when Collier invited fifty random followers to join him, learning the song on the spot and then recording all in one day. His capacity to instruct simple harmonies allows him to find and make quick communities of singers.
Whether Jane Goodall, Jacob Collier, or anyone in your own community, possibly you -- a single individual can inspire collective action. The Spirit then moves through that person and those they inspire, in to the world. It is especially so if that individual has humility and understands what can happen in collaborative community.
With the coming of Jesus, God renews the face of the earth through our own sense of renewal. God fills our anxious selves with awareness of God's presence with us. Then we express our praise of God and we offer our gifts to others in gratitude. With each deep breath, can we imagine those three things happening? Breathe in: Jesus comes, renews us, quiets our hearts and minds. Breathe out: we express our gratitude and praise and we reach out to others.
When we return on Monday, we will begin the last ten days of Advent that take us to Christmas Eve. It will be exactly one month since we started the journey. What is still in your heart that you wish to lift to God as you enter the busiest part of the season? How is God stirring in your prayers to help you embody hope in the world?
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| Image by Jennifer C |
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Scripture passages are taken from The Inclusive Bible.
The next devotional day will be Monday, December 15th.
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LC† Vigil in Hope is a devotional series of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help support the ongoing work.
Thank you and peace be with you!
