I was writing a prayer of thanksgiving and confession for public worship on Sunday and as part of my spiritual discipline I used as inspiration the portion of the Psalms from my daily devotions... Psalm 71:1-8.
The image that goes with this post is of a gannet flying above the stormy sea at Muriwai on New Zealand's wild west coast. There are two places in the world where Gannets nest on the mainland, both of them in New Zealand, one at Cape Kidnappers in the Hawkes Bay and the other thankfully at Muriwai just a short trip from Auckland City. The Gannets come and nest on the rocky cliffs above the raging waves of the Tasman Sea. They like the psalmist have found a rock and a refuge on which to live. A sure place from birth right through life as they come back to roost and raise another generation of young.
AS usual, I've been a bit flowery with my language... it is a fault... feel free to use this prayer, or any part of it, if you find it helpful... or none if you don't.
Mighty God,
Amidst the raging
storms of life
Where wind
swept waves crash one after another
And rain fuelled
torrents threaten to sweep away
we have
found a safe place and a solid foundation
A refuge, a solid
rock and a strong fortress
In you we
have hope in you we have confidence
Loving God,
When our
voices could not be heard above the winds howl
And our
words seemed lost in the depth of dark night
It was you
who heard that cry for help
It was you by
your righteousness who reached down and drew near
It was you
who sent your son into this world, to seek and save
To die for
all we had done wrong, to forgive and restore
It was you who
spoke that truth and new life into us
Faithful
God,
It is you
who formed us in our mother womb
It is you who
we can depend on from life’s first cry to final breath
Who is our
guide and friend in childhood years
Who gives us
assurance in the uncertainty of youth
Who walks with
us through the demands of adult life
And strengthens
us in aging years
Our God,
Our life
stories are a sign of your great love
They point
people to your saving grace in Jesus Christ
They tell of
a shelter and home amidst the wild winds
They
proclaim your abiding presence in life’s ebbs and flows
The strength
to stand that comes from your spirit’s presence
Our mouths
are full of your praise and we speak of your splendour
God who is
with us now,
Help us in
our times of trouble and strife
Forgive us
for the wrong we have done and the good we have left undone
Be again our
solid ground today, enable us to stand
Fill us
afresh with your Holy Spirit presence
That we may
indeed be a signpost to you in word and deed
Living out your grace and justice to your
glory, Father Son and Holy Spirit.
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