Yours In Rest

Lord of Shabbat,

Teach me your rest,

let me learn from you

who are gentle and humble in heart.

Call me

and let me recognize your voice once more,

to know that I’m your own,

I’m yours,

resting in your presence,

green pastures,

quiet waters,

right paths

that you lead me on,

knowing all is well with my soul

because my Good Shepherd knows,

my Prince of Peace has me.

I lay it all down this Shabbat,

my burdens, my cares I cast upon you,

and as darkness always brings the morning light,

I rest,

knowing your presence is my hope and restoration.

I trust you Lord.

Amen.

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Rest Secure

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Lord,

I thank you that I can come freely to you,

and lay my tangled self in your loving hands.

I praise you that you know me,

where to begin healing me,

gently touching my heart, shining your light,

speaking truth, and releasing darkness.

You work in ways non-linear,

beyond my comprehension and understanding,

hovering over my chaos and mess,

bringing your order, life, and beauty.

I rest, trusting in your perfect timing,

to bring up the depths of my heart to cleanse,

it was never my duty,

never my work,

to disentangle, scrub, and bring perfection.

You have done it all,

and I humble my heart again

to draw close to you,

and by faith, receive all that you have done for me,

dying for each and every one of my sins,

and giving me in exchange, your perfect, beautiful life.

I rest secure in your love.

I bless you Lord.

Amen.

Words Of Life

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O Lord,

I love your Word

as I imbibe,

it courses through my veins,

bringing life and healing to every cell —

nurturing, replenishing, and restoring to original design.

You bring healing to all my flesh,

life to all my bones,

and you teach me to renew my mind,

praising, loving, stewarding what you have created.

You are the source of life,

only you can transform and resurrect.

I love your Spirit,

I love your Word,

I love your presence,

I am blessed and loved in Messiah!

Amen.

He Brings Restoration

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Abba,

I thank you for your mercy that draws me back to you.

I remember Naomi who left the land you had promised to her and her people,

and who lived with idolaters,

then experiencing tragedy, loss, and grief,

returning to Bethlehem — broken, traumatized, and bitter.

She brought with her Ruth,

a foreigner grafted into the olive branch.

You held onto her,

the faith you established in her upheld her,

your provision of a kinsman-redeemer ultimately restored her,

on every level, in every way.

You blessed her, honored her,

you brought redemption and renewal of her family line,

including her in your eternal legacy,

giving us the Messiah of the world through her line.

I praise you that you are the same God

yesterday, today, and forever.

God of Naomi and Ruth,

you are my God,

and I rise up to leave behind idols, barrenness, and emptiness,

trusting you with failure and grief,

knowing you are my God who gave me my kinsman-redeemer,

and brings to my soul complete restoration.

I cling to your Son,

I cling to the olive branch,

and I hope in you who renews my strength.

I love you and worship you Abba.

Amen.

Beauty From Ashes

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Lord of my soul,

you are trustworthy and true,

gentle and glorious,

happy and compassionate,

powerful and merciful,

you cherish the broken pieces I offer you,

and turn ashes from dark memories and grief

into blossoms of life and beauty.

I love your Spirit,

creative, nurturing, and wise,

guiding my healing, my path, my steps

to redemption, restoration, and fullness of life.

Your spirit of prayer stirring the body of Messiah around me,

buoys me up in swells and move me forward.

I am not alone,

but surrounded by love,

a great cloud of witnesses

cheering me on,

encouraging my heart

to run the race until I come home

into your waiting arms.

Let me be faithful to the end O Lord,

trusting in your marvelous, wonderful salvation,

and all that you’ve done for me.

Amen.

Time To Live

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Precious Lord,

You who have taken me through years of asking,

long seasons of seeking,

times of grief, despair, and mourning,

learning surrender, letting go,

you are the same Lord

who walks with me through it all,

now a year of answering,

a time of joy, play, and dancing,

welcoming my tremulous steps of faith

into these seasons and territories unknown,

of redeeming and renewing,

creativity, life, and being,

realizing you are the Source of it all,

speaking to me

through every shade, every color

that life’s landscape is,

molding me, making me, and freeing me

to be wholly, fully yours,

one spirit, one heart, one mind

with Love.

Amen.