Little Prayers
As we move toward the beauty of spring, we focus on little prayers that can help our souls dance with praise to God. Today, a proverb from our Native American brothers and sisters:
“May your life be like a wildflower,
growing freely in the beauty
and in the joy of each new day.”
--Ben Keckler
03.07.11
Monday, March 7, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Daily Devotion - Friday, March 4
Tuesday on Friday
“Teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.”
--An old hymn of Israel
One book that can be a helpful devotional book is Tuesdays with Morrie. I’ve referred to this book several times in the past and want to again today. Morrie, as you may recall, is a retired college professor who is dying from ALS. His former student, hearing of Morrie’s illness, decides to take some of his Tuesdays flying from Detroit to Boston just to learn more from Morrie. For today, Morrie’s thoughts about our emotions:
“If you hold back on the emotions—if you don’t allow yourself to go all the way through them—you can never get to being detached, you’re too busy being afraid. You’re afraid of the pain, you’re afraid of the grief. You’re afraid of the vulnerability that loving entails. By throwing yourself into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your head even, you experience them fully and completely. You know what pain is, what love is, what grief is.”
He then shares this powerful observation:
“I know you think this is just about dying
but it’s like I keep telling you:
When you learn how to die,
you learn how to live.”
This seems to be the message of today’s verse from the Psalms. May your day and your weekend be filled with wonderful (difficult) encounters with the emotions of your soul.
A prayer for today: O God, give me courage to face the emotions of my soul.
--Ben Keckler
03.04.11
“Teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.”
--An old hymn of Israel
One book that can be a helpful devotional book is Tuesdays with Morrie. I’ve referred to this book several times in the past and want to again today. Morrie, as you may recall, is a retired college professor who is dying from ALS. His former student, hearing of Morrie’s illness, decides to take some of his Tuesdays flying from Detroit to Boston just to learn more from Morrie. For today, Morrie’s thoughts about our emotions:
“If you hold back on the emotions—if you don’t allow yourself to go all the way through them—you can never get to being detached, you’re too busy being afraid. You’re afraid of the pain, you’re afraid of the grief. You’re afraid of the vulnerability that loving entails. By throwing yourself into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your head even, you experience them fully and completely. You know what pain is, what love is, what grief is.”
He then shares this powerful observation:
“I know you think this is just about dying
but it’s like I keep telling you:
When you learn how to die,
you learn how to live.”
This seems to be the message of today’s verse from the Psalms. May your day and your weekend be filled with wonderful (difficult) encounters with the emotions of your soul.
A prayer for today: O God, give me courage to face the emotions of my soul.
--Ben Keckler
03.04.11
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Daily Devotion - Thursday, March 3
A Day with St. Francis of Assisi
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.”
--From an old hymn, Song 139
A few years ago writer David Hazard did some research on Francis of Assisi and was inspired to write a book of 40 meditations, A Day in Your Presence. From time to time in these next weeks we will reflect on some of the writings St. Francis left to inspire people. Obviously, St. Francis wrote from a Christian perspective. Some minor editing may be done from time to time for our multi-faith staff here at the hospital.
“I am awed at the glory of it, amazed at the great and holy gift that is ours—to have a Creator who cares. Deep within me the very wonder of it burns with a holy fire. When I am faced with my own sin, it warms me with consolation. When I face a world of cruelty and vices, it brightens my soul with its beauty and with flames of holy wonder. To have a God who has willingly and lovingly promised to be ours forever!” --St. Francis, from his second letter to the faithful
As we continue our journeys through this week, take time and realize the gift that is within you AND within those you encounter.
--Ben Keckler
03.03.11
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.”
--From an old hymn, Song 139
A few years ago writer David Hazard did some research on Francis of Assisi and was inspired to write a book of 40 meditations, A Day in Your Presence. From time to time in these next weeks we will reflect on some of the writings St. Francis left to inspire people. Obviously, St. Francis wrote from a Christian perspective. Some minor editing may be done from time to time for our multi-faith staff here at the hospital.
“I am awed at the glory of it, amazed at the great and holy gift that is ours—to have a Creator who cares. Deep within me the very wonder of it burns with a holy fire. When I am faced with my own sin, it warms me with consolation. When I face a world of cruelty and vices, it brightens my soul with its beauty and with flames of holy wonder. To have a God who has willingly and lovingly promised to be ours forever!” --St. Francis, from his second letter to the faithful
As we continue our journeys through this week, take time and realize the gift that is within you AND within those you encounter.
--Ben Keckler
03.03.11
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Daily Devotion - Wednesday, March 2
Worthy of Consideration?
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God,
When shall I come and behold the face of God?”
--An old song (Psalm 42:2)
Over the years we meet people who have a profound impact on our lives. Recently we had a series of devotions centering on Henri Nouwen’s book, Here and Now. One day Henri was walking to work and was struck by the mirror of a passing motorist. His injuries took him to the door of death. He did recover and wrote a wonderful reflection on life and death. The book is titled Beyond the Mirror.
The rhythms of the past week have brought me near to a number of folks who are reflecting on the end of life, grief, loss, and recovery from serious illnesses or diseases. For whatever reason, Henri came to mind. The following excerpt, from the chapter on recovery:
“The way my friends reacted to my recovery caused me to reflect on the way life and death are perceived in our society. Unanimously, they congratulated me on my restoration to health and expressed their gratitude that I was doing so well again. Although I was deeply grateful for the attention and affection, the encounter with God in my hours near death made me wonder whether being ‘better again’ was indeed the best thing for me.”
Maybe these reflective words from a fellow journeyer can help in understanding what it feels the songwriter was wrestling with centuries ago. Have a good day and enjoy every minute of life.
--Ben Keckler
03.02.11
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God,
When shall I come and behold the face of God?”
--An old song (Psalm 42:2)
Over the years we meet people who have a profound impact on our lives. Recently we had a series of devotions centering on Henri Nouwen’s book, Here and Now. One day Henri was walking to work and was struck by the mirror of a passing motorist. His injuries took him to the door of death. He did recover and wrote a wonderful reflection on life and death. The book is titled Beyond the Mirror.
The rhythms of the past week have brought me near to a number of folks who are reflecting on the end of life, grief, loss, and recovery from serious illnesses or diseases. For whatever reason, Henri came to mind. The following excerpt, from the chapter on recovery:
“The way my friends reacted to my recovery caused me to reflect on the way life and death are perceived in our society. Unanimously, they congratulated me on my restoration to health and expressed their gratitude that I was doing so well again. Although I was deeply grateful for the attention and affection, the encounter with God in my hours near death made me wonder whether being ‘better again’ was indeed the best thing for me.”
Maybe these reflective words from a fellow journeyer can help in understanding what it feels the songwriter was wrestling with centuries ago. Have a good day and enjoy every minute of life.
--Ben Keckler
03.02.11
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Daily Devotion - Tuesday, March 1
A Prayer of Thanks
“O give thanks to the Lord,
for God is good and God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
--The beginning of a hymn of praise,
Psalm 136
Today’s key verse centers on the theme of giving thanks for the blessings we receive on the journey through life. Over the centuries many wonderful prayers of thanksgiving have expressed the theme of this verse. For today, a contemporary expression echoes the theme.
Loving God, we offer you thanks and praise
For all the surprising graces which come to us,
For those that sustain our lives and those that change them:
For food—familiar diets and startling new aromas and tastes;
For homes—places of steady surroundings and settings for redemptive love;
For friendships—old friends who are willingly open in their affection and their correction and new friends who remind us that your spirited presence still dwells within us and others;
For tasks to perform—routine actions which we do well and which bring order to our days and tasks at which we have failed, restoring a needed humility in us;
For your steadfast love—reminding us of our heritage
and enabling us to move into our tomorrows with confidence and courage.
We offer you thanks and praise, great and mighty God.
Amen.
--Ben Keckler
03.01.11
“O give thanks to the Lord,
for God is good and God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
--The beginning of a hymn of praise,
Psalm 136
Today’s key verse centers on the theme of giving thanks for the blessings we receive on the journey through life. Over the centuries many wonderful prayers of thanksgiving have expressed the theme of this verse. For today, a contemporary expression echoes the theme.
Loving God, we offer you thanks and praise
For all the surprising graces which come to us,
For those that sustain our lives and those that change them:
For food—familiar diets and startling new aromas and tastes;
For homes—places of steady surroundings and settings for redemptive love;
For friendships—old friends who are willingly open in their affection and their correction and new friends who remind us that your spirited presence still dwells within us and others;
For tasks to perform—routine actions which we do well and which bring order to our days and tasks at which we have failed, restoring a needed humility in us;
For your steadfast love—reminding us of our heritage
and enabling us to move into our tomorrows with confidence and courage.
We offer you thanks and praise, great and mighty God.
Amen.
--Ben Keckler
03.01.11
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