Celtic Daily Prayer

Continuing with the Celtic Evening Prayer where  concentrates on God speaking to us.

Lord, You have always spoken

when time was ripe;

and though you be silent now,

today I believe.

For many disciples one of the issues is the seeming silence of God, or is it rather the noise all around that drowns out the still small voice. Or even is it as I recently read, “It's not that God is silent, it's that our distractions are sometimes too loud.” 

We read of such a situation in 1 Kings 19 that God taught Elijah a lesson. “Then he was told, “Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by.”

A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn’t to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn’t in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn’t in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.

Author Kathleen Norris used to play a game with elementary-school children in which she would make a deal with them. "First you get to make noise," she would bargain, "and then you’ll make silence."

The time of noise was always predictably chaotic -- shouting, pounding and stomping, like a football team exploding out of a locker room. But the period of silence that followed was unexpectedly passionate and creative. When the children were asked to write about it, reflects Norris, "their images often had a depth and maturity that was unlike anything else they wrote."

One boy discovered that "Silence is a tree spreading its branches to the sun."

One third-grader’s poem turned into a prayer: "Silence is spiders spinning their webs; it’s like a silkworm making its silk. Lord, help me to know when to be silent."

And a little girl offered a gem of spiritual wisdom that Norris finds herself returning to when her life becomes too noisy and distracting: "Silence reminds me to take my soul with me wherever I go" (Kathleen Norris, Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith [New York: Riverhead Books, 1998], 16-17).

When we follow the command of Jesus to be silent, we spread our branches to the sun and soak up the light of God’s love, forgiveness and peace. As Psalm 46 reads, “Stand silent! Know that I am God! I will be honoured by every nation in the world!”

Lord, help me to slow down and embrace stillness in my life. Teach me to recognise Your presence in the quiet moments and to trust in Your sovereignty. May I find peace and clarity as I rest in You. Amen.

Celtic Daily Prayer

The next part of the Celtic evening prayer has the words:-

Lord, You have always lightened

this darkness of mine;

and though the night is here,

today I believe.

Celtic Christians held great store by the relationship between light and darkness. 

The scholar Walter Brueggemann points out that lots of pivotal events in the Bible take place at night. “Unlike the daytime, the nighttime is vulnerable and exposed and dangerous. It is that time when we cannot manage, and people are drawn to God as a source of safety when there is no other source of safety, and as a source of presence when the world feels absent” 

Right in the beginning of  John’s gospel we find the primary text regarding the Christ-Light penetrating darkness. “In him appeared life and this life was the light of mankind. The light still shines in the darkness and the darkness has never put it out.” John 1:4-5

There is a story of a little girl in London who won a prize at a flower show. Her entry was grown in an old cracked teapot and had been placed in the attic window of a rundown tenement house. When someone asked how she managed to raise such a lovely flower in such an unlikely environment, she said she moved it around so it would always be in the sunlight.

May we pray with St Columba of Iona -- "

Be thou a bright flame before me, 

Be thou a guiding star above me,

Be thou a smooth path below me, 

and thou a kindly shepherd behind me Today 

- tonight - and for ever amen.

Celtic Daily Prayer

Lord, You have always marked
the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden,
today I believe.

Dag Hammarskjöld, in his book Markings writes, “It is not we who seek the Way, but the Way which seeks us. That is why you are faithful to it, even while you stand waiting, so long as you are prepared, and act the moment you are confronted by its demands.”

How do we navigate the guidance of God in our lives?

Consider, if you will, you’ve pulled up at the traffic lights in your car and the lights have just turned to red, here you need to stop. Red means when it comes to God’s guidance we always need to stop and consider the objective truth of God’s word speaking into our lives.

Secondly the lights will turn to amber, where we instinctively get ready for manoeuvre putting the car into gear, taking the foot off the clutch and the foot on the accelerator, this is instinctively done. To me this is a picture of the instinctive work of the Holy Spirit in our lives we need to be ready for the subjective witness of the Holy Spirit speaking into our lives.

Thirdly the traffic lights turn to green which means go. At times we need to go, to just get on with things because God will guide us through our circumstances, his divine providence will be worked out. So often many of us talk about not understanding God’s will for our lives, but more often than not we are already fulfilling Gods will for our lives at that particular given moment, unknown to us.... So if you’re seeking guidance Stop and read God’s word - its objective. Be ready for the promptings and witness of the Holy Spirit – and His subjective work in your life and in your present circumstance - remember God’s providential arm being revealed.

It is all very well to hear, read or even learn the words of Jesus; I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, it is another to follow his leading. 

Lord Jesus Christ,
you have said that you are the way, 

the truth, and the life.
Do not let us stray from you
who are the way,
nor to distrust you
who are the truth,
nor to rest in anything other than you,
who are the life.

Teach us by your Holy Spirit,
what to believe,
what to do,
and where to take our rest.

We ask it for your own name’s sake.Amen

Celtic Daily Prayer

Lord, You have always kept
me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am,
today I believe.

In our world today, the notion of safety seems almost a lost treasure, be it between nations, populations and government, neighbour and xneighbour, or family members.

Testing trials with the attendant anxiety seems to be hovering around each of us every day. The words of the hymn that has the line,”have we trials and temptations, is there trouble anywhere, we should never be discouraged, take it to the Lord in prayer,” seem a much needed petition for this day and age.

Life can be tough sometimes and we are often afflicted by the PLOM syndrome – poor little old me! We feel like God has abandoned us; our prayers go unanswered; we are left wandering around in no-mans-land, in the desert, and we think God has forgotten us. But God has not forgotten: God sees, God hears, God knows. God has not forgotten you. 

Our trials and troubles serve to refine your faith and trust in Him; they develop character, strength and perseverance. God says: “I, the LORD, made you, and I will not forget you” (Isaiah 44v21)… “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? [Maybe] Though she may forget, I will not forget you, says the Lord (Isaiah 49v15).” ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ (Hebrew 13v5). – God is working behind the scenes. Trust in his promises. He will provide for you. He will protect you. He will give you peace and rest in Him.

Lord, thank you that our comfort abounds through Christ. Nothing in the world can bring us the comfort and peace that you alone can offer. Thank you that you understand our trials, and you care. Through our own struggle and pain, help us to be your vessels to offer comfort and strength to others who are hurting. Amen

Celtic Daily Prayer

Lord, You have always given
peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart,
today I believe.

Another saying that comes to mind as we continue to look at this part of Celtic Evening Prayer is “Peace at any price!” However, Eve Curie Labouissec writes, “We discovered that peace at any price is no peace at all...that life at any price has no value whatever; that life is nothing without the privileges, the prides, the rights, the joys that make it worth living and also worth giving...and that there is something more hideous, more atrocious than war or than death; and that is to live in fear.” 

Jesus words regarding peace are quite specific,  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

Lucinda Norman writes of her experience Christmas shopping at the mall. People had been pushing, elbowing and cutting in front of her all day. During a 10 minute extra 10% off special, one woman grabbed a lace table cloth from her hands, looked her in the eye and said, “Mine!” She yanked it back and won. 

By 4 pm her mood was belligerent. She met some friends at a restaurant and flagged down a member of staff. She barked, “I need a hot tea now!” 

The waitress snapped back, “I’m not your server. Wait your turn.” 

Lucinda responded, “Lady, I’ve been waiting my turn all day. Bring me some tea!” But the waitress ignored her. 

A few moments later, a friendly young man came to their tables and said, “I’m Rob, your waiter.” After he took their order, Lucinda watched Rob as he helped the rude waitress with her tray. He greeted the other customers and staff with a smile on his face. In the midst of all of the hurried customers and chaos of the season, he had a polite and unhurried atmosphere of calm. 

When he refilled her tea, Lucinda noticed a silver ring on his hand made of connected letters spelling Jesus. And then she writes, “From that moment, my attitude changed. This young man’s example had reminded me of the peace that Christ came to bring.” And for the rest of the day, Lucinda enjoyed shopping, opened doors for other and let others in front of her in the checkout line, all in an atmosphere of peace.

Maybe start and end the day praying….

Lord, You have always given

peace for the coming day;

and though of anxious heart,

today I believe.

Your peace is sufficient for me. Amen

Celtic Daily Prayer

The second feature of Celtic Evening Prayer

Lord, You have always given
strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak,
today I believe.

Have you ever heard or even used the phrase, “give me strength!” This is defined as “something that you say when you find someone else's stupid behaviour or inability to do something annoying.”

But what if that stupidity is done to me?

Throughout the bible we have images of people asking God for strength. From Gideon coming confronted with overwhelming odds, Moses with his speech impediment, to David facing Goliath. And then we find Paul writing to the Corinthians saying “Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians12:8-9

Many of the world’s greatest souls became their best selves not in spite of but because of their distress. The great hymn writer Cowper wrote hopeful hymns and the great artist Van Gogh brushed epic paintings while contemplating suicide. Charles Spurgeon preached some of his best sermons while depressed. Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and Martin Luther King Jr. battled melancholy. The great composer Beethoven went deaf. C.S. Lewis buried his wife after a short, cancer-ridden marriage. Elie Wiesel and Corrie Ten Boom survived the holocaust. Joni Eareckson Tada lost her ability to walk in a tragic accident. John Perkins endured jail, beatings, and death threats from white supremacists.

Yet each seeming weakness in reality are God’s kingdom points of strength.

Paul says because of his fragility, he will be even more aware and vocal about his weakness in order that God might come in and support him. God’s power perfects our weaknesses, allowing us to do so much more than we could ever do on our own.

That’s why Paul goes on in verse 10, to say, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in my weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Lord, in my moments of weakness, give me your grace. When I am tired and weary, give me your strength. When my thoughts swirl with questions and fears, quiet them with your voice. When I am feeling battered by the storm around me, hold me close to your heart. Amen

Celtic daily prayer

We now move from Celtic Morning to Evening Prayer that starts with giving voice to our  Expressions of faith with the words:-

Lord, You have always given

bread for the coming day;

and though I am poor,

today I believe.

Bread, the simple dietary element of humankind across the world and through the ages. From Mana in the wilderness to the feeding of the multitude who came to hear Jesus and on to the institution of the Lord’s Supper, recognised as the central remembering action of millions across the world.

The Maltese have a particular respect for the place of bread in their culture; in fact they consider bread as sacred. They say “If you find a piece of bread on the floor, you pick it up and place it on a window ledge or wall, You show respect.”

During 1942 they struggled greatly being the most severely bombed territory in the whole of Europe, to the extent they did not have enough flour to make bread. They knew what it was to be truly poor, yet they maintained their faith in the one to whom the prayed, give us this day our daily bread.

Martin Luther wrote in 1529: "What does daily bread mean? Everything that nourishes our body and meets its needs, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, yard, fields, cattle, money, possessions, a devout spouse, devout children, devout employees, devout and faithful rulers, good government, peace, health, discipline, honour, good friends, faithful neighbours and other things like these."

But what about believing the one who declared,“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35

The bread of life exists within the community of Jesus Christ. We, his people, are his bread. We are to be this bread for each other. The mystery of the Eucharist is of God being close to God's people, and of God's people being the body of Christ. We are baptised into Christ. Think in prayer this day of those close to us who need the nourishment and the comfort of the love of God and his care. Can we give it to them?

God of hope,

when your hungry people longed for the slave food of Egypt,

you opened the doors of heaven and rained down manna.

Feed us with the bread of life at your table,

that we may taste the freedom of eternal life

and lead lives worthy of our calling,

through Christ our head. Amen.