Running With Mark 9
Day Nine – January 6, 2020
Read: Psalm 103:1-5 New Revised Standard Version
Psalms are meant to be prayed. Here is Nan Merrill’s version of Psalm 103 from her book Psalms for Praying – An Invitation to Wholeness. Read it through several times. Notice what words, images or phrases speak to you. Merrill uses lots of different images and names for God: The Beloved, Love, Mercy, the Way, Awaken, Promises, Voice, Voice of Love, Creation and more. Is one of these images new to you? Does one speak to you? You may wish to journal about those words.
Bless the Beloved, O my soul,
and all that is within me;
I bless your Holy Name!
Bless the Beloved, O my soul,
and remember the goodness
of Love.
You forgive our stubbornness,
You heal our disease,
You save us from the snares
of fear,
You crown us with steadfast
Love and Mercy,
You satisfy our every need and
renews our spirit like
the eagle’s.
Through You comes peace and
justice for all who are oppressed.
You make known the pathway of
truth,
and guide us on the Way.
You are merciful and gracious,
quelling our anger with your
patient Love.
You love us more than we can ask
or imagine;
in truth, we belong to you.
For You understand us,
requiting us not according to our
ignorance and error.
As far as the heavens are high above
the earth,
so great is your loving response
toward those who are humble;
So far does your enduring strength
uphold those who face the
darkness within.
As parents are concerned for their
children,
so You come to those
who reach out in faith.
For our ways are known, our weaknesses
seen with compassion.
As for humanity, our days are like
the grass;
we flourish like a flower of
the field; When the wind passes over,
it is gone,
and that place knows it no more.
Yet the steadfast Love of the Beloved
is from everlasting to everlasting
to those who Awaken,
and justice to all generations,
To those who remember your Promises,
and follow your Voice.
The Beloved’s home is in our hearts,
as we discover in the Silence.
Bless the Beloved, O you angels,
you faith-filled ones who hear
the Word,
following the Voice of Love!
Bless the Beloved, all you people,
those who abandon themselves
into Love’s hands!
Praise the Beloved, praise all of Creation!
Praise the Beloved, O my soul!
Music:
Prayer Focus:
Lord help me to listen, hear and follow the Voice of Love! Amen.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Karen Bruins