Morning Prayer

Chant
This day is new, it comes from God.
It is a gift from heaven’s hand.
Let troubles held from yesterday
Melt in the grace that comes today.

Text: Renée Miller
Music: "Jesu dulcis memoria, plainsong, Mode 2"
Hymnal 1982

Preparation for Prayer
As you greet the new day, quiet your soul and be aware of the presence of the Holy One in you and all around you as you listen to the ringing of the bell.

Opening Sentence
“When dawn begins to emerge over the darkened horizon, it is a reminder that all of life is a birth from silence.”
 —Renée Miller, Fertile Soil in a Barren Land

“This is the day that God has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
—Psalm 118:24

A Psalm
“Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, and your glory over all the earth. My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and make melody. Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp; I myself will waken the dawn. I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.”
—Psalm 57: 6-1

A Reading from the Bible
“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:6-7

Reflection followed by Silence
As the sun slowly rises, the thick, heavy drape of darkness is lifted and the light emerges, as if for the first time, nascent and fresh, no harshness to the transition, no favoring of one over the other, no sense of competition. It’s a silent and balanced movement.

As you consider that balanced movement, visualize the same drape of darkness being lifted from your soul and feel yourself being bathed in light. Just as nature provides a steady and dependable rhythm to the day, you can know that a similar rhythm is being lived out in your soul. Ask yourself, “Am I willing to ‘wake up’ to the presence of God in my soul, as if for the first time?”

Prayer
Take some moments now to offer the concerns of your heart to heaven. Remember those who are in pain, those who are afraid, those who are alone, those whom you love, those who are dying, and those who are already in heaven, and pray for the needs of your own life.

(Silence)

Prayer for Expressing Gratitude
“Gracious God, in the busy-ness of my day, I sometimes forget to stop to thank you for all that is good in my life. My blessings are many and my heart is filled with gratefulness for the gift of living, for the ability to love and be loved, for the opportunity to see the everyday wonders of creation, for sleep and water, for a mind that thinks and a body that feels. I thank you, too, for those things in my life that are less than I would hope them to be. Things that seem challenging, unfair, or difficult. When my heart feels stretched and empty, and pools of tears form in my weary eyes, still I rejoice that you are as near to me as my next breath and that in the midst of turbulence, I am growing and learning. In the silence of my soul, I thank you most of all for your unconditional and eternal love. Amen.”

Blessing
The dawn has come and another day of life awaits your presence. Heaven looks on your soul with a protecting glance. May you feel the tender touch of God’s blessing this day and may your soul be warmed with love.

Closing Thought with Chant
Whatever happens this day, know that you are loved by God—boundlessly, unconditionally, and eternally.

“When you were formed by heaven above
You were formed in perfect love.
Open your eyes, to realize
God’s presence in your soul.”

Text: Renée Miller
Music: Thomas Pavlechko
Wellspring, Selah Publishing

Copyright ©2007 Renée Miller