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Daily Devotion - May 29

I will send a brief message each day (except Mondays)
while we are pausing gathering in person.
- Kara

Deep breaths, beloved ones.

Here's a psalm for you today, from the paraphrase, Psalms for Praying, by Nan C. Merrill. 

Psalm 90

Eternal and Immortal One,

You have been our refuge in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth,

before You had formed the earth and the world, 

from everlasting to everlasting,

You are the Alpha and the Omega.

When our days on Earth are ended,

You welcome us home to your Heart,

to the City of Light,

where times is eternal

and days are not numbered.

You gather those who love you

as friends returning from a long journey,

giving rest to their souls.

You anoint them with the balm of understanding,

healing wounds of the past.

For our days on Earth are a mystery,

a searching for You,

a yearning for the great Mystery

to make itself known.

The years pass and soon the 

Harvest is at hand,

a time to reap the fruit of

one's life.

Who has lived with integrity?

Who will reflect the Light?

Who can bear the radiant beams of Love?

Who has reverenced the Counselor,

and opened their hearts to the Spirit of Truth?

Teach us, O Beloved, to honor each day

that we may have a heart of wisdom.

Awaken us, O Holy One! 

Too long we have been asleep!

Help us to wait in Silence

listening for your gentle Voice;

Strengthen us with courage

to face the fears within.

I, that we might be converted in our hearts

and walk together in peace and harmony!

Let your Love be known to the nations,

your Glory to our children's children.

Let the grace and gentleness of the

Holy Spirit be upon us,

guiding our feet upon paths

of Love Consciousness

Increase the Light within us - 

O Beloved, hear our prayer!

Amen.

Right now, there are many emotions. So many emotions that we don't stop to tease out what they are.  The feelings point to needs that are met or unmet - deep values, qualities for life's flourishing as it was made by God for all human beings.  But we don't stop to look at what those needs are either.  

Let's stop and hear our hearts. 

In listening to one another, among us the feelings include: grief, heavy-hearted, worried, afraid, ashamed, hopeless, overwhelmed, guilty, open-hearted, torn, angry, perplexed, disturbed, outraged, devastated, anxious, numb, mistrustful, distracted, despondent, numb, angry, stunned, overwhelmed, sad, anguish, uneasy, dread, baffled, burnt-out, enraged, sad, compassionate, tender, exhausted, apprehensive.  

We are feeling these things because shared human needs are not being met, and we are deeply longing for: closeness, stability, to know and be known, connection, community, harmony, integrity, security, consideration, safety, to understand and be understood, justice, value, equity, belonging, mutuality, rest, cooperation, equality, respect, closeness, competence, contribution and mourning.

What are you feeling right now? (This list can help).

What are you needing?  In other words, what are you longing to see fulfilled?  (This list can help).

It's hard to bear grief. It's painful to sit in sadness.  It's hard to feel lots of things all at the same time.  We want to find a way out of the feelings, and right now there isn't a way out.  In hanging up the phone with someone today, I found myself starting to say, "Hang in there," but that felt weak, like avoidance somehow.  So I changed it to, "Go be sad."  

Mourning is holy work.  

Feel the feelings. Name the needs. Breathe.  Return to the truth that we all belong to God, and we all belong to each other.

Lament. Repent. Pray. Repeat.

Let's try to stay right where we are. Right where God can meet us. 

Tonight we hold our city in prayer and love, trusting from death will come new life. 

______________________________

CONNECTING RITUAL:

Perhaps tonight before bed, whatever time that is in each of our homes, we and so join our souls with each other and the people of the whole earth:

This is an important one. The news feeds are relentless, the interpretations and analysis are plentiful, the emotions are high and the shock is real.
Most of us have not been still or silent. Most of us are reeling and flailing.

So if that is you, please do this tonight.
And if it's not. please do this tonight for us, holding the rest of us in peace and love.

Sit somewhere comfortable.
Light a candle if it helps you be present and remember God is present.
Set a timer for 5 minutes.

Take two deep breaths, all the way to the bottom of your lungs, and let the air out slowly.
Sit in silence.
God is here.
Listen around you.
Listen within.
God is with you.

Amen.