Tag Archives: God’s love

God of wind and wave

23 Saturday Jun 2012

Posted by in Prayers, Worship Liturgy

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Here is an Opening Prayer for use in worship tomorrow on the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, based on the Gospel reading from Mark 4:35-41.

God of wind and wave,
the seas of life can be rough some days,
tossing us here and there,
threatening our wellbeing,
troubling our minds and testing our hearts.

You are the One whom even the wind and sea obey!
You are the One whose words, “Peace! Be still!”
settle with calm resolve in our hearts today.
You turn our fear into faith, our trembling into trust.

We come in adoration, praise, and thanksgiving,
for your strong and tender presence,
your steadfast and durable love.
Amen.

Words (c) 2012 Mark Lloyd Richardson (Mark 4:35-41)
Photo (c) 2012 Dallis Day Richardson (Pacific Grove, California)
Permission to use the prayer in worship with attribution.

An Invitation Cleverly Disguised as a Blessing

16 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by in Prayers

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Tomorrow is Saint Patrick’s Day, and of course, the Irish are known for their blessings!

I am not Irish, but I have heard that on this day of celebration, we can all claim to be Irish for a day! In that spirit, I share the following blessing. After writing it, I realized the words were an invitation or challenge to more fully appreciate the blessedness of all life.

 

An Invitation Cleverly Disguised as a Blessing

May you find room in God’s irreplaceable creation
to fully explore life’s paths of being and becoming!

May you grasp the immensity of God’s love for you –
a love opening wide the door for you to live your best life!

May you dare to be real, and understand the greatest gift
one person can give another is one’s authentic self!

May you be blessed with steadfast friends
who love you in spite of your imperfections!

May you comprehend the holy adventure that life is –
an adventure demanding your utmost devotion!

May you recognize in this glorious gift of being alive
a measure of your responsibility to live deeply into grace!

Photo above by Dallis Richardson, taken at Ragged Point, north of San Simeon, California.
Words (c) 2012, Mark Lloyd Richardson. All rights reserved.