A Prayer for Humility

O LORD, You’ve seen the eyesore guide me— mistaken glory strutting like an idol. You’ve heard the swelling praises pride me into fantasies beyond my title. You’ve seen the fallen angels ride me like soldiers guiding horses out to fight. You’ve heard the shrieks the monster cried me— deriding, whining, striking for my rights. You’ve […]

A Prayer for Sleep

Tonight O God, may He Who made the stars to shine through darkness down on man, allow the silent, vast of night to take me deep (like death) into the realm of silent providence. May secret blessings: spiritual and by my body craved rest, sustain, refresh my soul. And grant again that with Your morning, […]

A Prayer after Reading Psalm 23

Good Shepherd of my doubting heart, remind me of Your grace in guiding me in righteousness unto this grassy place. There is no lightning in Your heart to turn and strike me dead, but streams of Living waters to refresh my soul instead. Your glory is the care You take for errant, helpless sheep. And […]

Sunday Morning

Here at crimson dawn he prays, the sounds of morning, futures near. Beside, a honeysuckle’s curled like serpentine around a pole as far away a restless chaos rides the breeze. – Low, a patterned spokenness: rising pleas and murmured, earnest prayer. A form in quiet conversation lone. Just away, a vineyard tower, Tended by the […]

A Prayer for Grace

Oh, Lord, please strip the darkness from the night; and dull the blade of bitter-sworded wrongs and pulverize the teeth of terror’s bite and mend the wounded heart with Heaven’s songs. Scrub off despair from where the hope burnt out and lift away a thousand pounds of loss and clear the grey from riddled days […]

The Song of the Garden

It was in a garden where the firstfruits of our race found that joy and life was there that Providence had placed. But there inside a garden wall of shrubs and trees and berries all our cancer sin began to bloom The death of light the world of doom. – It was in a garden […]

Thanksgiving: Prayer

How easily my spirit faints— my words too weak to hold the weight of what I ought to say. And yet before God’s throne, where angels make His glories known and His glory lights the way, the incense wafts from bowls of gold— the prayers of the saints. Father, thank You for prayer. –

Thanksgiving Communion

When Jesus gave the bread and cup He offered thanks, and grateful, led the triumph to the cross. – – – – –

Thanksgiving: A Beautiful Night

Father, thank You for this night— the moon ascending on a starlit chair above illumined edges of the clouds—all white— the frozen earth below, ashimmer in its gaze, the silhouetted trees uplifting empty hands in praise, a lonely leaf wandering on the wisps of wind, and I, admiring, wondering, smiling, there within the artwork of […]

Gentle Father

Gentle Father, hold Your child. The stones of life have bruised the heart and left a tear-streaked, trembling face, inconsolable to any other— Your child cries for You. Bend down and brush the tears away, and take Your own into your arms. Lay the wearied on Your shoulder, to comfort with Your daddy-whispers […]