Hello,
My name is Seth David Clark,
And welcome to Praying with the Ancients.
We are reminded by the ancient Christian bishop,
Theologian,
And bible scholar John Chrysostom that prayer is a refuge for those who are shaken,
An anchor for those tossed by waves,
A walking stick for the infirmed,
A treasure house for the poor,
A stronghold for the rich,
A destroyer of sicknesses,
A preserver of health.
Prayer keeps our virtues intact and quickly removes all evil.
Let us enter this time of prayer slowing down our breath,
And in doing so slowing down our heart,
And in doing so slowing down our whole pace of being.
In God's time,
We needn't hurry.
In God's time,
We are right where we need to be when we are with God.
With our breath slowed,
We are reminded that the Spirit of God is closer to us than our very breath,
That breath deep inside your lungs.
God is closer to you than that.
And so we rejoice,
With the God of the universe somehow is present in all things and will someday be all in all.
With our hearts set on God,
We pray along with Irenaeus of Lyon,
I appeal to you,
Lord,
God of Abraham,
God of Isaac,
God of Jacob and Israel,
You the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Infinitely merciful as you are,
It is your will that we should learn to know you.
You made heaven and earth.
You rule supreme over all that is.
You are the true,
The only God.
There is no other God above you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
Grant that all who read what I have written here may know you because you alone are God.
Let them draw strength from you.
Keep them from all teaching that is heretical,
Irreligious or godless.
Whatever concepts,
Urges or invitations have struck you or drawn you in,
Lift those up to God as I pray this prayer again.
I appeal to you,
Lord,
God of Abraham,
God of Isaac,
God of Jacob and Israel,
You the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Infinitely merciful as you are,
It is your will that we should learn to know you.
You made heaven and earth.
You rule supreme over all that is.
You are the true,
The only God.
There is no other God above you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
Grant that all who read what I have written here may know you because you alone are God.
Let them draw strength from you.
Keep them from all teaching that is heretical,
Irreligious or godless.
Whatever appeal to God that you might have,
Lift it up to God now.
Whatever praise to God you might have,
Don't hold back in showing gratitude to your maker,
Sustainer and renewer.
Whatever fears or sorrows you may have,
Open up your heart to God through this prayer that God might work in you something new,
Something greater,
Something more whole and more full.
One more time.
I appeal to you,
Lord,
God of Abraham,
God of Isaac,
God of Jacob and Israel,
You,
The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Infinitely merciful as you are,
It is your will that we should learn to know you.
You made heaven and earth.
You rule supreme over all that is.
You are the true,
The only God.
There is no other God above you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
Grant that all who read what I have written here may know you because you alone are God.
Let them draw strength from you,
Keep them from all teaching that is heretical,
Irreligious or godless.
Whatever God and this prayer are working in you,
Continue to let that good work happen now in these few more moments of music and beyond this meditation throughout your day and into the future.
Be blessed.
Amen.
Amen.
