Every Moment Holy
Prayer shared by Rebekah Lyons in her book Rhythm of Renewal.
Meet me, O Christ, in this stillness of morning.
Move me, O Spirit, to quiet my heart.
Mend me, O Father, from yesterday’s harm.
From the discords of yesterday, resurrect my peace.
From the discouragement of yesterday, resurrect my hope.
From the weariness of yesterday, resurrect my strength.
From the doubts of yesterday, resurrect my faith.
From the wounds of yesterday, resurrect my love.
Let me enter this new day aware of my need and awake to your grace, O Lord. Amen
Somedays words are challenging to come by, and prayers are no more than aches within our hearts. Somedays the discouragement, the weariness of yesterday weighs heavy to the point our physical bodies groan. Wounds that had begun to heal with scabs formed hard are broken wide open and bleed again.
Earlier this year, I read through Rebekah Lyon’s book Rhythms of Renewal, and in it, she shared her morning rhythms and this prayer. It spoke to my heart, so I keep it written on a piece of paper used as a bookmark in my journal. Often in this pandemic life, I find myself lost for words. Oh, I can quickly come up with words for others, prayer requests for the needs so obvious before me. But when it comes to tending my own heart, I have no idea where to start. Where to even begin to lay out all that my heart and mind carry these days.
Having a prayer written out that guides us through reflecting, processing, and praying can be a simple but much-needed gift. To have words in songs or prayers, speak what our heart longs to express but doesn’t know how to release. Let us not be afraid to allow words spoken or sung by others to say what our heart desire, but our mind fails to articulate.
When it comes to tending my own heart,
I have no idea where to start.
Where to even begin to lay out all that my heart
and mind carries these days.
Today we might simply need to repeat the prayer and release the weight without digging too deep. Other days may ask us to reflect, to ask ourselves questions.
Where is there discord in my life that robs me of peace?
What is the discouragement that weighs heavy and steals my hope?
What is causing me to be weary and soaking all the strength from my body?
Where is it that my faith wavers, and my doubts are strong?
Where are the wounds covered with scabs, never healing?
When we take time to reflect, to answer the questions, to name the hard things, it can bring us to a better healing place. As we begin a new day, a new week, a new season let us remember it is ok not to have our own words. It is ok to allow the prayers of others to speak what we cannot say for ourselves.
May this prayer Every Moment Holy give you words when you can not find your own.
