Tag: Slow

Slowly but surely


Daily / van liefde (from love) – collage by Irene Bom

 

Call to worship

inspired by Jeremiah 33:14-16

The time is surely coming
when our love for one another
and all of God’s children will increase.
We would live into that time
with hope and joy.

The day is surely coming
when God will strengthen our hearts
with humility and holiness.
We would anticipate that day
as we reach out to serve
all of those in need.

The days are surely coming
when we will walk the paths
of faithfulness and steadfast love.
We begin this journey,
knowing that all of God’s promises
will be fulfilled.

 
~ written by Thom Shuman, posted on re:worship

SUMMER SCHOOL: CREATIVE ASSIGNMENT

Create your own collage inspired by the phrase, “slowly but surely”.

From the blog
Make us a chalice
The fruit of lips
Thank you. For the sunrise
 

Slowly learning

Thirst

a prayer poem

Another morning and I wake with thirst
for the goodness I do not have. I walk
out to the pond and all the way God has
given us such beautiful lessons. Oh Lord,
I was never a quick scholar but sulked
and hunched over my books past the
hour and the bell; grant me, in your
mercy, a little more time. Love for the
earth and love for you are having such a
long conversation in my heart. Who
knows what will finally happen or
where I will be sent, yet already I have
given a great many things away, expect-
ing to be told to pack nothing, except the
prayers which, with this thirst, I am
slowly learning.

 
 
by Mary Oliver, from Devotions: The selected poems of Mary Oliver, p. 141
 

SUMMER SCHOOL: CREATIVE ASSIGNMENT

Write a prayer poem, inspired by Mary Oliver’s offering.

From the blog
In the school of prayer with Eddie Askew
The empty cup
Re-turn
 

Slow us down

Prayer of Confession

O God, we long to rest in you,
      to trust in your goodness,
      in your care for us,
      in your abundant life.
But we don’t know how to rest
      and we have forgotten how to trust:
We seek material goods that we don’t really need.
We befriend people not always out of love.
We ask questions of you like the Sadducees did of Jesus,
      questions that try only to prove our point,
      not to grow in understanding of your desires for us.
Slow us down, Holy One.
Attend to us, Holy One,
      and show us that you are our salvation and our resting place.

 
~ by Rev. Catherine Rolling,  posted on re:worship

From the blog
In quietness and trust is your strength
Broken spirit sacrifice
3 Ancient prayers
 

Trust in the slow work of God


 
Last week I was in Yorkshire for the annual Resound Worship Songwriter Retreat held at Wydale Hall. One afternoon I joined an excursion to Bempton Cliffs, hoping to see a real puffin up close. It didn’t happen for me (others had more luck). I saw lots of birds though, and stunning scenery. Along the cliff path I also stumble on this blooming thistle with a bumble bee bumbling about, sampling the nectar.

May you find time this summer to bumble about and sample things that are sweet and nourishing for your heart and mind and soul.
 

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said,

“Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We would like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet, it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability — and that it may take a very long time. Above all, trust in the slow work of God, our loving vine-dresser.”

 
from Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Enuma Okoro, p. 335
 

From the blog
When hot and bothered
All my days and forever
Bright and beautiful