I was talking with a friend about the extreme level of anxiety all around us. Here in Texas the numbers for active COVID-19 cases have been surging in other cities. Our city has tended to be about 2 weeks behind Dallas and Houston, so some of us are expecting a surge in Amarillo, perhaps even wondering if it is already here. At the same time, many of us are attempting to discern which places are practical for us to stay away from and which places are safe. Even when a place is safe, entering a new building can be very emotional.
A few weeks ago I shared this prayer for the Buffalo Gap Presbyterian Camp-in-a-box which met virtually through Zoom and Youtube. If you would benefit from praying this prayer, you can use the words or video below when you are preparing to head into a stressful situation, or when you find yourself pushed to your limit!
Contemplative Prayer
(Take Refuge in God)
Begin with listening to your breath, and becoming aware of the breath of God. Rest in God’s presence, God’s breath is all around you.
1. Breathe in the grace of God, breathe out your anxiety, Â
2. Breathe in the mercy of God, breathe out your fears,
3. Breathe in the peace of God, breathe out your anger.
Imagine God as a large bird protecting you, supporting you and comforting you. Listen to the psalm and let your brain imagine the power of God surrounding you.
Read Psalm 91 (1-3 times)
We end our time of contemplative prayer with three more big breaths.
1. Breathe in the presence of God, breathe out God’s presence to the world.
2. Breathe in the peace of God, breathe out God’s peace to the world.
3. Breathe in the love of God, breathe out God’s love to the world.
Amen.
After your prayer time, reflect on the following questions:
What brought you comfort during this experience?
What can you take with you from this experience?
Did you feel Jesus whisper a message to you? What was it?
תגובות