Wednesday, July 30

By Jannis Urena of Puyallup, Washington, USA

Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

—Philippians 4:9 NRSV

Several ponds are in our neighborhood. Toward the end of summer we see the geese fly south in classic V-formation. Some stop in these miniature lakes to nest and raise chicks.

Last week I was amused to see a bright-yellow sports car ahead of me come to a full stop in the road. Oncoming traffic stopped, as well. We all waited as a mother goose authoritatively guided her fluffy babies from one side of the road to the other.

All the horsepower and sleek creativity of Detroit—brought to a standstill by the power of our small feathered friends.

Somehow we tend to forget that God often invites us to stop and “smell the roses” or watch the goslings. How wondrous is the diversity of God’s creation—our very human souls draw us to observe Creation with awe. Even amid the traffic.

Prayer for Peace Creator God, thank you for being present through all the seasons of our lives—the heartaches and the joys, the deeps and the shallows, the ebb and flow, times of conflict and peace. Help us share those peaceful times and be at home with you.

Spiritual Practice: Caring for God’s Sacred Creation Choose a way to notice, give thanks, and care for God’s sacred creation. Prayerfully consider one of the following practices or create your own. Walk in nature with a spirit of gratitude while looking and listening for God in all things. Write or pray a psalm of praise for the Earth’s beauty or offer a prayer of healing and blessing for its wounds.

Learn about and engage in an act of Earth-keeping such as recycling, simple living, or fasting from over-consumption of resources. Notice the diversity of the planet’s creatures and be gentle to plants, animals, trees, and people! Fall in love with the vast, intricate wonder of God’s creation and give thanks.

Peace Covenant Today, God, I will see your creation’s beauty.