Daily Devotion - Monday, March 14

Hurting Hearts

“Out of the depths I call to you.
O God, hear my voice!
I wait for the Holy One.”
--A song from a hurting heart

The songwriter was not afraid to express the feelings that were written on the heart. The same should be said for us. As a new week of work begins, many of us are pretty silent this morning. Working in the health care field, many of us know that life is very delicate, but we find ways to insulate/protect ourselves from the fragile. Sometimes we find we can’t do that, however! We find that we, too, are brought to our knees, that we, too, are crying tears that won’t quit coming from our eyes, that we, too, are aching deep in our souls.

Staying in touch with our feelings and acknowledging them to one another and to Holy Presence is the best that we can do. Sing your heart song today. Know that your hurting soul is heard.

God of compassion,
Watch over the ways of all of us
And weave out of terrible happenings,
A blanket of love that will sustain us as we experience
An end of winter days that can bring life's cold realities to our lives.
Amen.

--Ben Keckler
03.14.11

Daily Devotion - Friday, March 11

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. We close this week of devotions with one verse from the Chinook Song Book.

“O Lord,
May we today be touched by grace, fascinated and
Moved by this, your creation,
Energized by the power of new growth at work in your world.

“May we move beyond viewing this life not only through a frame, but
Touch it and be touched by it,
Know it and be known by it,
Love it and be loved by it.”

May spring come to us, be in us, and recreate life in us. Amen.”

Enjoy your weekend!

--Ben Keckler
03.11.11

Daily Devotion - Thursday, March 10

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 this wonderful prayer, written by Anne Baring, demonstrates the vibrancy of God’s springtime.

“Beehive source
Trellised womb
Mother of all beginnings

“Hold me
Gather me
Feed me
With the honey-nectar
From the hive.

“Nourished
I will sing
The Bee-song
The long-forgotten threnody
Of praise to thee.”

--Ben Keckler
03.10.11

Daily Devotion - Wednesday, March 9

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 I encourage you to spend some time with this prayer ascribed to Mohammed.

“O God, give me, I pray Thee,
light on my right hand
and light on my left hand
and light above me
and light beneath me.
O Lord, increase light within me
and give me light
and illuminate me.”

--Ben Keckler
03.09.11

Daily Devotion - Tuesday, March 8

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 I encourage you to spend some time with this observation from French philosopher and theologian, Pierre Theilhard de Chardin.

“We are one, after all, you and I;
together we suffer,
together we exist
and forever will recreate each other.”

--Ben Keckler
03.08.11