Here in this place, we have begun our fourth week of Advent. Let this prayer provide warm nourishment for your spiritual hunger as you continue your Advent journey toward Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph. It is adapted from a prayer by the Reverend Sarah (Are) Speed, SanctifiedArt.org
God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow,
I breathe deeply and fill my lungs with your Spirit. For I sense that you are here, with me as I pray, listening and responding, celebrating and comforting, restoring and healing. With gratitude, I join my voice with Mary’s:
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. (Luke 1:46-49)
With rejoicing, I join my voice with Zechariah’s:
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.” (Luke 1:68-71)
Some days, Lord, a person just has to sing with gratitude for what exists. So, thank you for filling our days with beauty – like candlelight and freshly baked bread, evergreen trees and holiday lights, family dinners and neighborhood parties, creases in a good book, carolers joining the heavenly hosts, the sound of the dog running to greet me, the comfort of a bed beneath my weary bones.
Mary and Zechariah sing songs of protest that declare what the world could be, would be, should be. So, I too lift prophetic prayers of hope: Turn injustice on its head. Raise up the poor, the hungry, and the downtrodden. Comfort the sick and the aching. Tend the lonely and the lost.
And then, ignite a fire in my heart to do the same.
Amen, and amen!