Friday Prayer

 

Wherever you are this morning, whatever is stirring within you, whatever thoughts or to-do lists or demands and decrees the “Caesar” of your mind keeps making on you, I invite you to set that aside and breathe. 

 

Breathe in God’s presence that found room in the straw of a manger and dustiness of a barn.

 

Breathe in God’s hope that danced on the face of Jesus and is found in the eyes of every baby.

 

Breathe in God’s peace that knows us fully from the top of our head to pinkie toe.

 

Breathe in God’s love that holds us unconditionally, even when the present isn’t perfect and the sticky buns on Christmas morning are burnt.

 

Breathe in God’s joy that God’s expectations for our preparations are to open our lives as much as we possibly can.

 

Breathe in Emmanuel, a truth that God is with you right now and promises to stay with you.

 

Breathe in the music of this season that invites us to come, all ye faithful (even if the wi-fi signal of your faith is weak to non-existent).  To come and adore God in the flesh and we find our own mortal flesh silent and still.  To come and begin to sing with the angels from the realms of glory and awaken a song we want to go tell it on the mountain.  To come even as we wonder what child is this, how in the world does God being born in a barn make any sense amid what we consider normal?  To come with the shepherd and wise ones and stand in the straw as God lays away in a manger.  Come as you are trusting that it isn’t about gifts or packages or perfectly made egg casseroles, this is about our human, less than perfect life, that God enters with grace and love to make a home within us so that we might live this truth every day this year.  Wherever you are, God is.  Whatever is stirring with you, God receives.  Whatever the demands or decrees that are spinning in your life, breathe and be with God.  Breathe and be with God.  For the prayer, O Come, o come Emmanuel is answered this day and we will celebrate together on Christmas Eve Sunday.  God’s hope, peace, joy, and love to you until we gather to sing out for all Sarasota to hear.  Amen.