Psalms by a Bishop

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I Hope God Has Me
Lord, this is a difficult time for us all.
Let us confess we have put too much trust in our earthly patterns of life.
We spend too little time investing in our spiritual existence.
Teach us anew, Lord, to see you first and all else shall be fine.
Release me from worry, especially the things I cannot change.
Teach me, O God, to trust in your provision.
Remind us that you have us, not us having you.
Therefore, help us to fix our eyes upon Jesus.
Let this be a time to grow deeply into you.
Help us find the spiritual gift in the simplicity of a slower pace.
You are our assurance and our hope.
In Christ,
Amen.

Seek the Lord
The Scripture says, seek the Lord for God does not hide.
Yet with all my newfound time alone, you seem distant.
For most of my life, I’ve seen You move often through others and now I cannot see others.
Yet, you are as close as my breath, as felt as my beating heart.
I act as though I need to seek and find You,
when all along God, through Jesus, you have already sought me.
May Jesus guide me to the very heart and mind of You.
In my new time alone, may I find a connectedness in your presence
that passes all understanding.
In Christ,
Amen.

Gifts in a Crisis
Lord, thank you for being my dwelling place.
Help us not feel alone in our isolation from each other,
rather help us find you in our new quiet times.
You are our dwelling place.
Lead us all through the unknown path in your light,
the light that guides all things.
We seek your providence in this time. Thank you.
In Christ,
Amen.

Prepare for a Different Season
Yesterday, I spaded a plot of ground and began preparation for a new garden.
Today, my muscles hurt from the work of yesterday.

There is a season for everything.

This morning, I watched the sunrise over the horizon and listened to the sounds of the outdoors.
God, help us to see your presence in this new season of social distancing.

There is a season for everything.

May this new, strange season cause us to really see your hand in our lives.

There is a season for everything.
In Christ,
Amen.

God, help me put on a new armor.
God, exchange our armor of confusion for an armor of peace.
God, exchange our armor of limited self-understandings for an armor of trust in your wisdom.
God, exchange our armor of conducting the business of the Church for an armor of encountering your presence.
God, exchange our armor of self-reliance for an armor of openness to new possibilities in your time and spirit.
O God, help us encounter Jesus in these unfamiliar times and unfamiliar ways.
Have mercy on us as we struggle to grasp these new realities and your new possibilities.
Give us the strength and spirit to thrive in these days.
In Christ,
Amen.