Wednesday, February 12, 2020

A Prayer When I Can't Sleep

Lord,
Here we are again... 3am.
The house is quiet.
My family is asleep.
I'm awake......

I'm awake with you.
I'm glad you are here.
I'm glad you hear
me in the night.

Thoughts run through my mind...
To do lists,
People,
Worries,
Problems,
Wonders,
News...

I try not to look at my phone,
but sometimes a quiet song helps. (https://echoesblue.com/releases/meditations-vol-3/)
Sometimes a podcast.
Sometimes a prayer app. (https://pray-as-you-go.org/)

Sometimes a verse helps: (Psalm 46:10)
Be still and know that I am God...
Be still and know that I am...
Be still and know...
Be still...
Be...

Lord,
Thanks for being here.
Thanks for listening.
I ask for your rest.
Amen.

____________
I especially find this prayer for Insomnia helpful:

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Rest as Resistance

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Lord,
Thank you for the invitation to rest.
Thank you for the promise of rest.
Thank you for creating space for rest, the 7th day, Sabbath.

Everyday contains a little Sabbath, 
a rest, a resistance to the enslavement of pharaoh,
the enslavement to produce brick upon brick
for my worth to be determined by how much I produce.

Rest, a nap, a night's sleep, a daily moment of Sabbath,
is a reminder that my worth is defined by you, O God,
who made me a masterpiece (from the Greek poema, in Ephesians 2:10).

So Lord, for the next few minutes,
I accept your invitation to
"Come away... and rest a while.” (see Mark 6:31)
I welcome your rest for my mind, body, and soul.
Amen.


_________________
The above prayer was inspired by:

The Nap Ministry Manifesto (see: https://thenapministry.wordpress.com/)

The doors of the Nap Temple are open.
Won’t you come?

This is an invitation for weary souls to rest.
This is a resistance.
This is a protest.
This is counter narrative to the lie that we all aren’t doing enough.
We are enough.

The doors of the Nap Temple are open.
Won’t you come?

This is counter narrative to the lie that our worth is tied to the grind of capitalism.
You are enough simply by being alive.
Thank you for living.
Thank you for resisting.
Thank you for creating.
Thank you for loving

The doors of the Nap Temple are open.
Won’t you come?