Prayers from the Island A New Scent

A New Scent

July 9, 2017July 9, 2017| SGIUMCSGIUMC| 0 Comment| 7:47 pm
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The oleanders are fully in bloom!  My yard is scented with a honey-like aroma that stuns me with its warm headiness.  I inhale deeply, unable to breathe in enough of the scent, as attracted as a bee to the sweet fragrance.  Lovely as the masses of white, pink, and fuchsia colors may be, it is the scent, which most attracts me.  When I lived in Michigan, spring meant lily of the valley, lilacs, and hyacinth.  I feared I’d have to sacrifice those fragrances, but now I see that I have been given a different but no less lovely scent to enjoy.  And so God works in my life.  I surrender sources of happiness, committing them to my memory bank, but receive others unexpectedly.  Oleander was an unknown plant; its sweet perfume something I could never have anticipated.  Thank you, Lord, for continuing to bless me in ways I could never anticipate, allowing me to hold unto the best of the past, and showering me with fresh gifts each new day. Amen.

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Breath of GodBreath of God

Prayer about the Holy Spirit

Dear Heavenly Father, as a child I was afraid of suffocating. My older sister would come up behind me, covering my nose and mouth with her hands, watching me squirm and squeal. I was a reluctant swimmer, cautious about putting my head under water, always fearful I’d drown. Even now, I get panicky when I have a head cold, lying awake, monitoring my breathing.

What about those suffering from COVID-19 and the symptoms they may experience?. Problems with breathing, loss of oxygen in their blood, and the need for supplementary oxygen. Some even undergo intubation so a ventilator can breathe for them. How terrifying it must be to lose the very breath of life!

Lord, You have given us a ventilator that infuses us with Your breath–the Holy Spirit. This is Your true presence, filling us with Your purpose and love. In Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was a rush of wind, inflating the souls of the disciples, giving them the gifts of language to speak Christ’s message. I crave that same spiritual fulfillment so I too can speak more effectively of Your love. Now, more than ever, I am gasping for Your presence—fearful, weak, alone.

I recognize , Lord, there are those suffering from a spiritual virus. They may choose to wear symbolic masks of doubt and rejection, closing themselves to Your life-affirming Spirit. Some experience spiritual hypo-ventilation, the failure to breathe in the breath of God. Reluctant to accept the gift of God’s inspiration, choosing to live lives apart from God, they never appreciate Your gifts of love and hope, Your promise of salvation.

During these crucial times, Lord, we need Your Holy Spirit more than ever. Just as virus patients may require supplementary assistance in breathing, we too need the support and the vitality Your breath provides. Because we can’t gather to reinforce one another’s faith, it is more important than ever we seek Your supply of the Holy Spirit. Studying the Bible, especially verses like the 23rd Psalm, provide comfort, linking us with the Holy Spirit. Connecting with one another by whatever means possible provides the spiritual ‘oxygen’ our souls require. And most of all, prayer is the ‘ventilator’ of spiritual connection. When we pray, deeply and honestly, we can find an infusion of Your spirit, giving us the strength and courage to carry on, no matter how overwhelmed we may feel.

This is the time to inhale deeply, to fill ourselves with Your blessed Spirit.

I remember the lines of one of my favorite hymns:

“Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew

that I may love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do.”

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Longer DaysLonger Days

The days are growing longer now, as the sun continues to stay overhead later into the evening and waken earlier each morning.  When I rise from bed, I can already see the blush of dawn and the sky is starting to lighten.  I could consult the newspaper and identify the exact difference each day’s length will be, but I prefer to discover the additional light myself, through my own experience.  The numbers may predict the hours of light, but it is God who causes the sun to shine, the moon to light the night, and the world to move at his ordering.  I thank you, Lord, for the daylight hours of work and play and for the night of peace and rest.  You have given us a world of order and stability whose regularity is a sign of your love, your creation, your power, and your glory. Amen.

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Sand EverywhereSand Everywhere

Sand!  There is sand everywhere in my house!  When I walk on the beach wearing shoes and socks, the sand finds its way to my bare feet, nestles between my toes, and sticks to my ankles.  If I’m barefooted, I try to wash off the sand before entering the house, but the stairs have their own sandy coating, so I replace one layer of sand with another.   My carpet sometimes looks pale beige, so evenly does a sand layer coat it.  I’m reminded of the Psalmist who found God everywhere he looked—in the deepest chasm or the highest clouds.  I can better appreciate that sense of omnipresence when I think of sand—blowing, filming adhering, and surrounding me–inescapable.  I thank you, Lord for your ability to penetrate my life at every level—wherever I look and touch, you are there. Amen.

 

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