Prayer for Friday

 

Amid leftovers and Black Friday deals;

Amid emotions that sit on the shelves of our souls;

Amid the dwindling days of 2022, I invite you to hold the fullness of this day.

 

Often holidays come with expectations ~ spoken and unspoken ~ for ourselves and others.

 

Hold that this morning.

 

Often this time of year can feel so frantic, frenzied ~ which is jarring especially as some many activities now burst from the COVID cocoon, and we are not sure we are ready.

 

Hold that this morning.

 

I invite you to be intentional in the coming days.  On Sunday, we will enter the season of Advent ~ a time to prepare prayerfully for the One we greet with anthems sweet ~ as we join in the choir of angels and shepherds to Christ (God in the flesh) laid in a manger ~ a feed trough.

 

Wait…go back and re-read that sentence please…letting the contradictions and mystery divinely disrupt you today.

 

What would it look like for you this year to clear away chaos or clutter in your mind/heart/ soul for the birth of Jesus?

 

This might mean being present in the moment ~ even when the moment is less-than-perfect.

This might mean blaring Christmas Carols ~ you have permission.

This might mean doing what makes your heart sing and feel fully alive ~ what is that?    

 

Hold that last sentence.  Christ comes in the flesh, in human form, because human life matters to God.  Your life matters to God.  What brings you alive?  For me, it is listening to music, laughing with family, baking cookies with my daughter, worship, playing with Legos and connecting with others.  Given that, how do I design the art of living in the last month of 2022?  How can I be a conduit of liberating love that gushes forth the way water did from a rock like we heard on Sunday? 

 

Whether your tradition today is to go out shopping or not spend a dime.  Whether you have a special leftover turkey sandwich you make or want to order a pizza.  Whether you feel full or long for more, I pray for the Presence of God to enfold and hold you, guide and ground you, and be with you as we prepare for the truth of Emmanuel ~ God with us and for us ~ in the coming days.  Amen.