Monday, October 23, 2023

We enter your sacred prayer space full of questions and concerns. You invite us into your mystery. You light a candle for us–a reminder of your presence. We see the light dancing with darkness; your spirit is in the darkness as it is in the light. We burn our incense and tobacco in ceremonies of worship. Join us in our ceremony, O LORD. We create room for you to draw close to us.

We will encourage and lift others in all we say and do. We will rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances, knowing that what seems impossible to us is already conquered by you.

You scratch out all records of our shortcomings and mistakes. You wash us in your holy streams. You remove every blemish, every hard memory. Such mercies are more than we can comprehend. Give us your grace to focus on your mercies and not on our fears. With joy we praise you!

We place our trust in you. Hear our prayers, and use them as blessings for others. When you release us from our earthly vessels, carry us to the resting place of our ancestors, so we will be remembered as the stars and clouds. When others look up, let them remember your goodness and know that you are our God.

Thank you, you long to be in a relationship with us. We hear the invitation to love you and share your lovingkindness and mercy with our children, family, and those who come into our lives.

Loving Yahweh, you are our dwelling place. Thank you, this dwelling place is a divine gift, where we can hide and find refuge in you, where we can find ourselves in you. “In holiness you stand secure through culture’s shifting sands…From everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Brian Doerksen, “Everlasting”).