Thursday, June 26

By John Bonney of Springfield, Oregon, USA

You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

—Psalm 22:23 NRSV

Hear me, eternal Presence, in hours of distress and discomfort. Hear my cries and sighs—expressions of my longing for connection. My words and thoughts go outward to creation, yet they descend to become the whining of an aging man. My querulous voice becomes a grating chant, a scratching of the limb on the windowpane in the winds of evening.

Ah, if I look, I shall find myself on the lap of the Eternal, receiving the proffered balm. I shall count myself blessed among peoples. I have a sense of Presence, wonder of eternal creation, bliss of that love and grace.

The glory is the glory that honors that which creates. The praise is for the Ground of all being. Eternity has come among us…No, Eternity is always among us. How is it that my ears are so calloused, my eyes so blind, my senses so dulled that I do not ever and always sense that Presence?

Yet how glorious those moments are when I do sense creation and glory in its holiness. How dimly I see, but how much I hope for the moment when I will see more clearly.

Now I know of the love that has borne me, if even my understanding is in part, and very small part. Yet still, I know I am loved. How precious is a reminder that I am cherished and cradled in the bosom of eternity. I am no longer alone, no longer cast off in my own eyes. I am wanted and loved.

There is light beyond light, music beyond the sweetest of sounds. There is the eternal and consummate Lover of my soul. In this I find my rest. To this I owe sacred allegiance. Amen.

Prayer for Peace Creator God, we stand in awe of you and your creation. We long to connect with you through prayer and psalm. In our darkest night and our brightest joy, we would know your presence. May you bless us as we share the peace of Christ.

Spiritual Practice: Psalm Writing The psalms are prayers of honesty and trust. The psalmist trusts God’s presence in times of fear and failure, joy and plenty, growth and change. Write a short psalm-prayer expressing to God the truth about your physical, emotional, and spiritual state. What are your deepest feelings, longings, and needs? What prayer of praise, intercession, or petition flows from you as you consider your life and the life of God’s world?

Peace Covenant Today, God, I will praise your presence in fear’s darkness and faith’s light.