Dear friends,
What is prayer?
A quick search online gives us some definitions.
A solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or another deity.
An act or ceremony of speaking to God or a God,
Especially to express thanks or to ask for help or the words used in this act.
An address such as a petition to God or a God in word or thought.
A devout petition to God or an object of worship.
A spiritual communion with God or an object of worship,
As in supplication,
Thanksgiving,
Adoration or confession.
In simple terms,
I imagine prayer as asking God for something to come,
Please God this will come to pass,
Or thanking God for benefits already received,
Thank God for that.
Believers will address prayers to God in times of need,
But there is a kind of prayer and I think we could call it a kinder prayer.
This is a prayer that does not ask for anything.
This is a prayer which arises when we open our eyes and say thank you.
That type of prayer is expressed in an old hymn.
The hymn is from an anonymous source.
Now there's no need for you to be troubled by the fact that the word Father is mentioned in this hymn.
It is of its time.
So feel free to substitute for the word Father whatever it is you believe is the basis of our existence here.
Father is too small a word for it,
Just as God is too small a word for whatever we might believe God to be.
So here's the hymn.
Father in heaven we thank thee,
For song of bird and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear and see.
Father in heaven we thank thee,
For blue of stream and blue of sky,
For pleasant shade of branches high,
For fragrant air and cooling breeze,
For beauty of the blooming trees.
Father in heaven we thank thee.
For this new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything thy goodness sends.
Father in heaven we thank thee.
This old hymn is a litany of gratitude for what is often overlooked.
The soft green grass,
The brightness of morning,
The changing blue of the earth's sky,
The restful sounds of a passing stream.
These are just some of the benefits we receive every day,
Without a fee having to be paid,
And sometimes we receive the benefits without even noticing.
The wonderful Mary Oliver leaves us with a timeless idea for life.
Attention is the beginning of devotion.
And that old hymn also teaches us to pay attention.
It reminds us to notice the hum of bees,
The cooling breeze,
How to give thanks as we sit under the branches that offer us their shade.
These are just some of the ordinary,
Beautiful,
Wonderful things that surround us every day.
They are part of the blessing of life and the magic of this existence.
If we can remind ourselves to travel through the world with eyes open to see and ears open to hear,
Our senses must fill us with a feeling of gratitude.
This practice of thankfulness is life-changing,
Because the feeling of gratitude itself opens our eyes and our ears to wonder and amazement,
Which are a further source of gratitude.
And so it goes on.
Our happiness increases by the day because of an attitude of gratitude.
We are reminded of all that we have.
We are less inclined to be disturbed by the little we do not have.
A walk through life with an attitude of thankfulness and appreciation is a walk through the Garden of Eden itself.
Let's pause now to allow the words of this hymn to find a resting place in our hearts.
I'll read the hymn again before we have a 60-second pause to give thanks.
For flowers that bloom about our feet,
For tender grass so fresh and sweet,
For song of bird and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear and see,
Father in heaven we thank thee.
For blue of stream and blue of sky,
For pleasant shade of branches high,
For fragrant air and cooling breeze,
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven we thank thee.
For this new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything thy goodness sends,
Father in heaven we thank thee.
Let all these words of gratitude sink into our consciousness.
For flowers,
For sky,
For friends,
For rest,
For this morning,
For this life,
For this moment,
Thank you and thank you again and again.
A 60-second pause.
Welcome back.
And there we have it.
Thank you very much for taking part,
Taking the time to listen to this meditation.
I hope it brings you to a place of gratitude each time you listen,
A place of gratitude every single day.
May you and all those you love be filled with thankfulness,
Bringing you all to a place of happiness and peace,
Guiding you gently through the ups and downs of life.
