God Is Real and You Matter

– Ponderings:

The girls (AKA dogs) are having a morning. When I opened my eyes they took that as an invitation to make sure I was awake so they could get attention. Then they went outside to a decent-sized backyard and had to do their thing on the same blade of grass. Finally, they came inside and had to sit on the same chair. That led to a round of snarling, followed by exhaustion and snoring. Isn’t it nice to know the world revolves around you!

As for me, I’ve been reading (re-reading actually, since I’ve read this book many times) prayers written by Ted Loder. Here’s the one I focused on this morning:

Holy One,
there is something I wanted to tell you,
but there have been errands to run,
bills to pay, arrangements to make,
meetings to attend, friends to entertain,
washing to do…
and I forget what it is I wanted to say to you,
and mostly I forget what I’m about or why.
O God,
don’t forget me, please,
for the sake of Jesus Christ…
Eternal one,
there is something I wanted to tell you,
but my mind races with worrying and watching,
with weighing and planning, with rutted slights
and pothole grievances, with leaky dreams and
leaky plumbing and leaky relationships that I keep
trying to plug up and my attention is preoccupied
with loneliness, with doubt, and with things I covet
and I forget what it is I want to say to you
and how to say it honestly or how to do
much of anything.
O God,
don’t forget me, please, for the sake of Jesus Christ…
Almighty one there is something I wanted to ask you
but I stumble along the edge of a nameless rage,
haunted by a hundred floating fears, of war,
of losing my job, of failing, of getting sick and old
having loved ones die of dying and I forget what it
is the real question is I wanted to ask and I forget to
listen because you seem unreal and far away
and I forget what it is I have forgotten.
O God,
don’t forget me, please, for the sake of Jesus Christ…
O Father in Heaven,
perhaps you’ve already heard what I wanted to tell you,
What I wanted to ask is, forgive me, heal me,
increase my courage, please.
Renew in me a little of love and faith, and a sense
of confidence, and a vision of what it might mean
to live as though you were real, and I mattered,
and everyone was sister and brother. What I want
to ask is for peace enough, to want and work for more,
for joy enough to share and for awareness that is keen
enough to sense your presence here, now, there, then, always.
Amen.

I know it’s a little long, but I invite you to reflect on the words that speak most clearly to you today. Most of all, remember that God is real and you matter. Have a blessed day.