Presence

I pause for a moment, aware that God is here.
I think of how everything around me,
the air I breathe, my whole body,
is tingling with the presence of God.

Freedom

Thank you for the gift of freedom, Lord.
Grant that I may always choose to follow You.
Keep me ever mindful of Your ways,
of Your love and concern for all people.

Consciousness

Lord, You are present in all things
and when I take time to simply sit and be with You,
my mind rests
and I feel Your peace.

The Word of God

¹One Sabbath while Jesus was going through some grain fields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. ²But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ³Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ⁴How he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?” ⁵Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Inspiration

We often have to deal with the laws of Church and state. In the passage we’re praying with today, the disciples found themselves in a bit of a pickle. Should they respond to the immediate difficulty with materials they found readily at hand, or should they stick rigidly to the law?   Their decision was to do what seemed best for all concerned, and we ask for the wisdom to retain perspective in tricky situations.

Conversation

The gift of speech is a wonderful gift.
May I use this gift with kindness.
May I be slow to utter harsh words,
hurtful words, and words spoken in anger.

Conclusion

Filled with the loving presence of God,
I ask Him to bless me and guide my steps
as I go to do His work in my daily life.

Amen