A Prayer for Healing
“God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.”
--Psalm 46: 1
The 46th Psalm is one of those wonderful Jewish hymns that talks about the presence of God amid the struggles of daily life. The opening sentence is a powerful affirmation (see above) and the closing sentences are gentle reminders. The gentle reminders go like this:
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
and
“The God of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
This song can be helpful when the perceived pressures of the day appear to be more than we can bear. Take time with Psalm 46 today and with the following prayer for healing:
“God of All, you have so fashioned the world that it possesses the potential to repair its imperfections. And, O Eternal One, you have fashioned humankind by endowing us, as your partners, with the creative ability to help the repairing. You gave us the insight to transform the simple herb into a healing balm for the body. May we, as your servant people, realize our responsibility to transform the herb of human caring into a healing balm for the aching soul. Like us, many are in need. We know the inner yearning for fulfillment, for purpose and meaning in our lives. May we come to know that as we help others to feel fulfilled, so shall we. And then, may we recognize the strength, the will, the dedication, and the commitment to do that for which we were created, to serve you realizing that, as you said in your word, ‘The kingdom of God is within us.’”*
A prayer for today:
God of life, teach me stillness so that I can know strength. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.31.08
*United Church of Christ Book of Worship
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Daily Devotions - Wednesday, January 30
A Touching Prayer
“Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.”
--Proverbs 19: 20
Most of the stories gathered from my years of ministry come from the lips of wise people, mature people who had found value in listening to advice and accepting instructions. While there are plenty of stories from both young and old alike, it seems the statements of the wise and mature grow more valuable with every passing day. Here is a touching prayer by Robert Terry Weston:
Beautiful are the youth
Whose rich emotions flash and burn
Whose lithe bodies filled with energy and grace,
Sway in their happy dance of life;
And beautiful likewise are the mature
Who have learned compassion and patience, charity and wisdom,
Though they
Be rarer far than beautiful youth.
But most beautiful and most rare is a gracious old age
Which has drawn from life the skill to takes its varied strands:
The harsh advance of age, the pang of grief,
The passing of dear friends, the loss of strength,
And with fresh insight weave them in a rich and gracious pattern all its own.
This is the greatest skill of all,
To take the bitter with the sweet and make it beautiful,
To take the whole of life in all its moods,
It strengths and weaknesses
And of the whole make one great and celestial harmony.
A prayer for today:
Lord, guide my learning so that I can capture what you are trying to teach me. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.30.08
“Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.”
--Proverbs 19: 20
Most of the stories gathered from my years of ministry come from the lips of wise people, mature people who had found value in listening to advice and accepting instructions. While there are plenty of stories from both young and old alike, it seems the statements of the wise and mature grow more valuable with every passing day. Here is a touching prayer by Robert Terry Weston:
Beautiful are the youth
Whose rich emotions flash and burn
Whose lithe bodies filled with energy and grace,
Sway in their happy dance of life;
And beautiful likewise are the mature
Who have learned compassion and patience, charity and wisdom,
Though they
Be rarer far than beautiful youth.
But most beautiful and most rare is a gracious old age
Which has drawn from life the skill to takes its varied strands:
The harsh advance of age, the pang of grief,
The passing of dear friends, the loss of strength,
And with fresh insight weave them in a rich and gracious pattern all its own.
This is the greatest skill of all,
To take the bitter with the sweet and make it beautiful,
To take the whole of life in all its moods,
It strengths and weaknesses
And of the whole make one great and celestial harmony.
A prayer for today:
Lord, guide my learning so that I can capture what you are trying to teach me. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.30.08
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Daily Devotions - Tuesday, January 29
It Is Okay To Cry!!
“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice.”
--Psalm 130: 1
Today we will perform a variety of tasks and many of us will perform our tasks relatively certain there will be peace and calm around us. Today there are thousands of parents who are crying from the depths of their souls because their sons and daughters are on assignments to keep the world peaceful, possibly having to participate in a war that makes less and less sense to the majority. It seems that our souls should be crying forth to the Almighty in behalf of these military personnel and their extended families.
I recall a Sunday not all that long ago, while enjoying a cup of coffee following a church service, a friend was crying. She had a son in the Navy. As we entered into conversation she shared, “I haven’t heard from him since New Year’s Eve. I realized today how much I’ve missed hearing his voice.” She realized she wouldn't be hearing from her son for a while and she could only cry. My heart joins hers in “crying to the Lord.”
Today we will perform a variety of tasks and there will be relative peace and calm. Maybe we can all take some time to feel the deep longings thousands of parents and loved ones are having. May we each take time to “cry to the Lord.”
A prayer for today:
Lord, hear our voices today. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.29.08
“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice.”
--Psalm 130: 1
Today we will perform a variety of tasks and many of us will perform our tasks relatively certain there will be peace and calm around us. Today there are thousands of parents who are crying from the depths of their souls because their sons and daughters are on assignments to keep the world peaceful, possibly having to participate in a war that makes less and less sense to the majority. It seems that our souls should be crying forth to the Almighty in behalf of these military personnel and their extended families.
I recall a Sunday not all that long ago, while enjoying a cup of coffee following a church service, a friend was crying. She had a son in the Navy. As we entered into conversation she shared, “I haven’t heard from him since New Year’s Eve. I realized today how much I’ve missed hearing his voice.” She realized she wouldn't be hearing from her son for a while and she could only cry. My heart joins hers in “crying to the Lord.”
Today we will perform a variety of tasks and there will be relative peace and calm. Maybe we can all take some time to feel the deep longings thousands of parents and loved ones are having. May we each take time to “cry to the Lord.”
A prayer for today:
Lord, hear our voices today. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.29.08
Monday, January 28, 2008
Daily Devotions - Monday, January 28
Taking Care of our Soul
“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.”
--Psalm 25: 1
Every so often when reading reviews about books, you are called to attention and long to read more. Sam Keen offered this magnetic two-sentence review of the book, "Care of the Soul" (Thomas Moore):
“This book may help you give up the futile quest for salvation
and get down to the possible task of taking care of your soul.
A modest, and therefore marvelous, book about the life of the spirit.”
Thomas Moore is concerned about “soul” feeding. Centuries ago the Psalm writer felt the need to do “soul work.” It is still the cry of millions today. Daily soul work helps us discover the sacred in our routines. Sometimes we become concerned about the long-term (salvation), forgetting to see the gifts that surround us. Taking time in each moment to sense the divine enables us to care for the soul.
Nurturing the “core of our being” (Paul Tillich’s way of describing our souls), can provide many insights about how the Holy One comes so very close to us. Have a good week attending to your “soul work”.
A prayer for today:
God of my life and of all creation, teach me to take care of my soul. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.28.08
“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.”
--Psalm 25: 1
Every so often when reading reviews about books, you are called to attention and long to read more. Sam Keen offered this magnetic two-sentence review of the book, "Care of the Soul" (Thomas Moore):
“This book may help you give up the futile quest for salvation
and get down to the possible task of taking care of your soul.
A modest, and therefore marvelous, book about the life of the spirit.”
Thomas Moore is concerned about “soul” feeding. Centuries ago the Psalm writer felt the need to do “soul work.” It is still the cry of millions today. Daily soul work helps us discover the sacred in our routines. Sometimes we become concerned about the long-term (salvation), forgetting to see the gifts that surround us. Taking time in each moment to sense the divine enables us to care for the soul.
Nurturing the “core of our being” (Paul Tillich’s way of describing our souls), can provide many insights about how the Holy One comes so very close to us. Have a good week attending to your “soul work”.
A prayer for today:
God of my life and of all creation, teach me to take care of my soul. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.28.08
Friday, January 25, 2008
Daily Devotions - Friday, January 25
A PRE-GAME REFLECTION
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.”
--Psalm 51: 12
Football season is winding down. Soon one team will be filled with joy and the other team will be remembering that they got to play in “the big game.” Millions and millions will be enjoying their winter version of a football tailgate party. By the time Monday morning after the Super Bowl arrives, most of the joy from the previous day will disappear as the work week begins. Joy is something we crave in our culture; its life span seems so short. Dollars in the hundreds of millions will be spent for a few hours of momentary joy. Please understand that football is my favorite sport. I will be watching, enjoying the entertainment of the evening throughout the game and maybe even during halftime!
Frederick Buechner tells a story from his life about the day he signed a contract for the first of many novels and was filled with joy. As he left the office of the publisher, he met a college friend who was working for the publisher, his job was delivering messages. Buechner’s observation about that experience is touching. “All I can say now is that something small but unforgettable happened inside me as a result of that chance meeting. There was some small flickering out of the truth that, in the long run, there can be no real joy for anybody until there is joy finally for us all.”
Enjoy these ending days of the football season friends! And, at a deeper level, keep working for and praying that there will be peace and joy for everyone in the global village.
A prayer for today:
Restore the joy, O God. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.25.08
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.”
--Psalm 51: 12
Football season is winding down. Soon one team will be filled with joy and the other team will be remembering that they got to play in “the big game.” Millions and millions will be enjoying their winter version of a football tailgate party. By the time Monday morning after the Super Bowl arrives, most of the joy from the previous day will disappear as the work week begins. Joy is something we crave in our culture; its life span seems so short. Dollars in the hundreds of millions will be spent for a few hours of momentary joy. Please understand that football is my favorite sport. I will be watching, enjoying the entertainment of the evening throughout the game and maybe even during halftime!
Frederick Buechner tells a story from his life about the day he signed a contract for the first of many novels and was filled with joy. As he left the office of the publisher, he met a college friend who was working for the publisher, his job was delivering messages. Buechner’s observation about that experience is touching. “All I can say now is that something small but unforgettable happened inside me as a result of that chance meeting. There was some small flickering out of the truth that, in the long run, there can be no real joy for anybody until there is joy finally for us all.”
Enjoy these ending days of the football season friends! And, at a deeper level, keep working for and praying that there will be peace and joy for everyone in the global village.
A prayer for today:
Restore the joy, O God. Amen.
Ben Keckler
01.25.08
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