Primary Prayer

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Hey, let's do something a little different with this midweek reflection.

Instead of me writing a lot of words you get bored with, how about we pray together. You, me, and the occasional wanderer on the internet. Whether you are by yourself or use this meditation with your family or co-workers, this pause in the day to pray joins us with all the faithful of every place and time. How wonderfully comforting is that?
It won't take long, I promise. Then again, take as long as you need. Prayer is essential to our life as God's people. Especially since prayer is that moment in the day, and in our lives, where we allow God to be God in us. Or as Father Thomas Keating (the guy who wrote the book we are reading for Sunday's [09/17] book group) said, "Prayer is primarily a relationship."
So, beloved friends, this is an invitation (or a pastor's note if you need one for your boss or spouse or teacher) to put down your phone, set aside the report, or walk away from your sweet child who is finally napping, and pray. I'll help you. We will pray together.

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Opening Prayer
O God, come to our assistance. O God, make haste to help us. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and forever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Psalm
Psalm 96
1 O sing to the Holy One a new song;
sing to God, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Holy One, bless God’s name;
tell of God’s salvation from day to day.
3 Declare God’s glory among the nations,
the Holy One’s marvelous works among all the peoples.

Scripture Lesson
Exodus 3
God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Then the Holy One said, "I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them…

Contemplate
What made the ground holy?
Are you hiding your face from God?
Where do you find comfort in this story about God’s promise?

Silence
Relax for a few moments and let go of the morning. Close your eyes and take several deep breaths until you feel your body relaxing.

Blessing of Self
I affirm and celebrate myself for…

Silence

Poetry as Benediction—Fire in the Earth by David Whyte
And we know, when Moses was told,
in the way he was told,
“Take off your shoes!” He grew pale from the simple
reminder of fire in the dusty earth.
He never recovered
his complicated way of loving again
and was free to love in the same way
he felt the fire licking at his heels loved him.
As if the lion earth could roar
and take him in one movement.


 

Concluding Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us the desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors, and give us eyes to see the risen Christ in all those we meet. We pray this through Christ, who taught us to pray saying, Our Father…

Dismissal
God said, “I have come down to deliver you…”
May God the Father/Mother bless you.
May God the Son walk with you.
May God the Spirit lead your lives with love.
Amen.

***

See, that didn’t take too long!

Have a great weekend.

PS—Below is the entire poem from above. I hope you enjoy.

FIRE IN THE EARTH
And we know, when Moses was told,
in the way he was told,
“Take off your shoes!” He grew pale from the simple
reminder of fire in the dusty earth.
He never recovered
his complicated way of loving again
and was free to love in the same way
he felt the fire licking at his heels loved him.
As if the lion earth could roar
and take him in one movement.
Every step he took
from there was carefully placed.
Everything he said mattered as if he knew
the constant witness of the ground
and remembered his own face in the dust
the moment before revelation.
Since then thousands have felt
the same immobile tongue with which he tried to speak.
Like the moment you too saw, for the first time,
your own house turned to ashes.
Everything consumed so the road could open again.
Your entire presence in your eyes
and the world turning slowly
into a single branch of flame.
– DAVID WHYTE –

[Adam Quine. Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Lincoln]