Simple Prayers
Jul 30th, 2007 by gibsondirect
Daily life keeps me humble. Just the other day, I was writing ad copy for an academic series and made one of those goofs that made me wince and laugh at the same time. The phrase should have read, “…theologians interpreting Scripture.” Instead, somehow, some way, it read, “theologians interrupting Scripture.” Ouch! The editor was gracious and said he loved the Freudian slip. Ha, ha.
In a world filled with stress, it’s nice to find a calm place in the storm. I’ve been reading Calvin Miller’s new book, The Path of Celtic Prayer. Published by InterVarsity Press http://www.ivpress.com/, it has provided me with a simple place to land after a crazy day.
Now, I must admit, I have never thought much about Celtic prayers. Let me take that back and rephrase that last statement—I’ve never really heard of Celtic prayers. But, I like what Calvin has given us…
From his chapter, Trinity Prayer:
In the morning:
I awake in the name of the Father who made me.
I arise in the name of the Son who died to save me.
I rise to greet the dawn in the name of the Spirit who fills me with life.
At Night:
I lay me down in the love of my Father.
I surrender my body to rest in the love of my Savior.
I trust my life in sleep to the Spirit who fills me with life.[1]
This is what I need right now. Thank you, Calvin.
[1] Calvin Miller: The Path of Celtic Prayer: InterVarsity Press; 2007, p. 35.
There is a good combination of power and peace in these two sets of prayers. God’s power to greet the day, and God’s peace to recover from the day.
I am probably the worst about settling down at night and allowing my mind to slow down and rest. I end up putting in a DVD of the West Wing, playing an electronic Sudoku game, and then falling asleep as President Bartlett shows us how easy it is to be president as long as someone is scripting the world for you.
My point is, I think that sometimes I am afraid to be alone with my thoughts so I keep the noise going. I don’t lay down in the love of my father, surrender my boy ot the rest in the love of my Savior, or trust my life in sleep to the Spirit who fills me with life. This is a good reminder, and perhaps something I should try.