Meditation/prayer based on Hebrews 12:1-2

God of eternal grace

You who holds us daily in the palm of your hand, whose voice comes to us through the wind of the Holy Spirit, who surrounds us daily with those we love, and who cherish us;

 We come to you quieted by the stillness of the morning air, our racing thoughts stilled by your presence, our actions inspired by the saints who live among us and who have gone on before.  For we seek a purpose for the living of these days, a vision that sustains us in the dark of night, the chaos of a world we don’t fully understand.

Be with us, we pray, as we work out the daily decisions of our lives.  Help us to remember the stories of Your Son’s life among us, how he showed us the Way to a life eternal.  As we take the time to hear again the stories of Jesus, may they in their simplicity and strength direct us once again towards you.   We hear again these stories of the good shepherd, the owner of the vineyard, the woman and the lost coin, the Good Samaritan; may their examples rekindle in our hearts a desire to live a life open to your constant love.  Help us to follow the example of Your Son, to run with perseverance the life of faith that is there for each of us to live.  As we learn to follow You more fully in the choices of our daily living, may we also open our hearts to the needs of your children who live among us.

 We ask that you help us with each step of our way, to keep our faith secure in an uncertain time.  For we know that without your guidance we would quickly fall into despair, and ignore the pleas for help from those around us.  We know that there are those who need food, and others who must find shelter as winter approaches.  We have heard of the terrifying storms of the last few weeks, and know that there are those affected by them.  We hear of those who are in prison or our local jails, those who are at home confined by an illness.  There are those troubled by addiction, or problems with mood or memory.  All of these your children call for your help, and we pray that we might be part of your response in love to their call for help.

We respond today to the claim of the cross on our lives, the call to love one another, to be a part of one another no matter what our human condition.  Help us to be inspired by Your cloud of witnesses, those saints who surround us this morning in our time of prayer.  Be with us as we throw off the obstacles of our lives that keep us from turning towards you.  For we would be your servants, and in Your eternal presence sit at Your right hand.

For we ask this in the Name of Your Son, Jesus, in whose name we dedicate our lives.

Amen.