By Your Grace, I Breathe
Rachelle Kent of Bournemouth, England, United Kingdom
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. -1 Corinthians 12:12-14
Choking dust rises and the wind whips; sharp grains of sand sting my skin, my eyes. Unaccustomed to such grit and pain, my vision is vague.
The path ahead is hidden under clouds of confusing haze.
Stop. I know the way. Follow me.
On my own, I am lost-another vessel of bone and parched vellum, seeking clarity and purpose in places where none can be found.
Then, through the blinding murkiness…
Be still.
Feel.
Rise and follow me.
I barely see the heels of your feet as I struggle against the lashing wind. I’m unprepared. No clothes to cover my legs or face-nothing but my bare arms to shield my eyes. It hurts.
Follow me.
And almost like I have no choice, I grab the hem of your garment, holding onto just a thread. Stumbling, I lose sight of you again… Panic rises.
Stop. I know the way. I am the way.
It begins to pass.
The dust begins to settle. The wind begins to drop. Through the obscurity, shards of blue appear. So I rest. At your feet.
I fall to my knees and bow my head-your beauty and reverence, your peace and your light, pierce my innermost soul so that I cannot stand in your presence.
My thoughts, full of the dust of the everyday, push me out of the place I want to be, the place I need to be most… At your feet.
Yet, by your grace, I breathe.
Breathe.
Be still.
Let the storms rage around you.
Breathe.
Be still.
I am the way.
Breathe.
Be still.
Know that I am your God.
Prayer Phrase
I surrender into your love, O God.
Spiritual Practice
Surrender
What might it look like to surrender a little to God each day? A simple prayer of surrender can help us become aware of God’s consistent invitations to deeper relationship and awareness. Imagine when you encounter a challenging person or situation silently uttering this prayer, “I surrender into your love, O God.” The same prayer can be meaningful in moments of joy and gratitude as a way of returning to the awareness of oneness with God. It’s ok if we don’t surrender everything all at once all the time. The prayer of surrender is a constant practice of returning little by little to the deepest love that is the ground of our being and desires wholeness and oneness for us and all creation.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
