Prayer For Winter
Let us huddle together this morning,
our community a place of warmth in our lives
as we share the flame of hope and connection.
Let us allow the frost of isolation and bitterness to melt away
as we open ourselves to a sense of peace and spirit.
We extend our thoughts to all those who are cold this morning,
lacking shelter or love to keep them warm.
Let us wrap our prayers around them and each other like scarves,
and wish each other safe journeys through the storm.
May we be insulated from fear as the earth is insulated by the snow,
And, like bulbs, may we continue to grow and open inside, despite the cold,
Ready for the spring, to stretch and grow towards justice.
Amen
God of creation, thank you for the beauty of winter- for snow, icy window panes, evergreen trees, warm coats, sledding, and hot cocoa. Let us enjoy Your creation in all its glory, this winter and always.
Dear Lord, the summer is over and gone,
and the harvest is once more past.
All the wealth and warmth of the summer sun
is marvelously packaged now,
in seed and fruit and vegetable,
and stored away in bins and cribs and basements.
Thank You, dear, generous God,
for all Your goodness
and for all Your gifts.
All summer long You are working for us,
storing heat and health and
nourishment in the fields and woods.
Now, when the air is cold,
and there is no fruitfulness in the earth,
we can live on what the summer
and the harvest have stored up for us.
Thank You for Your unnumbered kindnesses to us, dear God.
Help us to make good use of the riches of the earth.
Help us to be generous,
even as You are,
and always avoid selfishness and greed.
Help us, too,
to store up spiritual wealth in the summer of this life,
while we can yet work.
Otherwise life's autumn will come,
death will call us,
a spiritual winter will set in
and we shall be found poor
and unsheltered not for one season only,
but for the winters of eternity.
Lord, we trust in You, that,
cooperating with Your many graces,
we may make good use now of our rich opportunities.
And may we then reap a rich spiritual harvest
which we will enjoy with You and Your saints
in the eternal spring and summer of heaven.
Amen.
Father,
Praise You for the seasonal change that so many of us witness first hand each year. Even though we can predict an inevitable shift in weather, each time a new wave of beauty ushers onto the scene we are reminded of the amazing way You have created the earth. The beauty in each season reminds us of Your creativity and finite care for life, especially ours.
Winter brings it's own set of characteristic landscape, with blankets of snow and powdery tree branches. Though the winter storms batter us and chill us to the bone, the sun shines onto the sparkling snow thereafter, reminding us that You make beauty out of all things.
Your creation is marvelous. It has the power to pull us out of the doldrums. Thank You for Your faithfulness to remind us through Psalm 74 today how powerful our remembrance of Your character is. Even in the darkest depressive state, buried under a snowfall that has turned shoveled sidewalks into tunnels, we know that worship can spin our hearts on a dime.
New change is exciting at first, as is every new season that ushers in. It's easy to let the excitement of the first snowfall and the Christmas Season fuel our childlike wonder for the change of Fall to Winter. A White Christmas and the sound of kids sledding brings refreshing change to our souls. But once the twinkling lights of Christmas have faded, and the first snowfall has drifted away into dead grass and gray skies, we struggle to remember the glory of this particular season.
Forgive us for allowing the cold, gray skies and short dark winter days to steal the joy of our hearts. Help use extra downtime to restore our energy and slow our schedules. Soften our hearts to look beyond the inconvenience of the season. For we know that without the tiring lag of the current season, the next one wouldn't be so welcome and exciting of a change.
Thank You for brining us to another Winter, and another New Year. Resolutions can seem like impossible tasks to take on when it's cold outside and the lack of daylight makes the days seem shorter.You are the Architect of the seasons. The Architect of our hearts. You have gone before us, and know what lies ahead. You are a good Father, and Your love for us is perfect. We can trust You to pull us through the winter.
Bless us with hearts more like Jesus, patient and perseverant. Watch over our cloud of despair that threatens to set in with the gray skies. Bring bright memories of sunshine and warmth to the top of our minds when we need to be reminded that just as sure as the winter came, it will go. Help us to enjoy every day You bless us with on this earth, seeking Your purpose first, and always, through every kind of weather.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
DEAR Lord, the summer is over and gone, and the harvest is once more past. All the wealth and warmth of the summer sun is marvelously packaged now, in seed and fruit and vegetable, and stored away in bins and cribs and basements.
Thank You, dear, generous God, for all Your goodness and for all Your gifts. All summer long You are working for us, storing heat and health and nourishment in the fields and woods. Now, when the air is cold, and there is no fruitfulness in the earth, we can live on what the summer and the harvest have stored up for us.
Thank You for Your unnumbered kindnesses to us, dear God. Help us to make good use of the riches of the earth. Help us to be generous, even as You are, and al ways avoid selfishness and greed.
Help us, too, to store up spiritual wealth in the summer of this life, while we can yet work. Otherwise life's autumn will come, death will call us, a spiritual winter will set in and we shall be found poor and unsheltered not for one season only, but for the winters of eternity.
Lord, we trust in You, that, cooperating with Your many graces, we may make good use now of our rich opportunities. And may we then reap a rich spiritual harvest which we will enjoy with You and Your saints in the eternal spring and summer of heaven. Amen.
DEAR God, all over the world now, the children of Holy Mother Church are singing: Send down dew from above, you heavens, and let the skies pour down upon us the rain we long for, Him, the Just One. May He, the Savior, spring from the closed womb of the earth!
We know, Lord, and we have seen, what drought does to the land. We know, too, and have seen, the ravages of frost and cold. We have walked in barren fields and up dry hills, through dead, silent woods and lifeless valleys, and along thirsty beds of once flowing streams.
We have seen, clearly enacted for us upon the land, what our life would be without You. We can understand, now, how we should long for Your coming. Come, dear Lord and Savior, and do not delay! Rise up in Your power and come!
Let the rain of Your grace water the parched soil of our souls. Let the warmth of Your love thaw the coldness of our indifference. Let the life of Your Body and Blood vitalize our deadened energies, and stir us up to fruitful labor in Your vineyard.
O eternal Father, rouse our hearts out of the sleep of sin, so that we may clear the path of Your Son into our souls. Each year in Advent, You gladden us with the thought of our redemption. Grant us, we pray You, that, as we receive Your Son as our Redeemer now, we may, in the future, gladly and confidently meet Him as our Judge. Amen.
There is a winter in all of our lives,
a chill and darkness that makes us yearn
for days that have gone
or put our hope in days yet to be.
Father God, you created seasons for a purpose.
Spring is full of expectation
buds breaking
frosts abating and an awakening
of creation before the first days of summer.
Now the sun gives warmth
and comfort to our lives
reviving aching joints
bringing colour, new life
and crops to fruiting.
Autumn gives nature space
to lean back, relax and enjoy the fruits of its labour
mellow colours in sky and landscape
as the earth prepares to rest.
Then winter, cold and bare as nature takes stock
rests, unwinds, sleeps until the time is right.
An endless cycle
and yet a perfect model.
We need a winter in our lives
a time of rest, a time to stand still
a time to reacquaint ourselves
with the faith in which we live.
It is only then that we can draw strength
from the one in whom we are rooted
take time to grow and rise through the darkness
into the warm glow of your springtime
to blossom and flourish
bring colour and vitality into this world
your garden.
Thank you Father
for the seasons of our lives
Creator God
at the start
of this New Year
when thoughts turn again
to beginnings
starting afresh
new leaves
and turning skeletons
free from cupboards
be with us
as we gaze into the distance
of fresh mission grounds
of hopes and dreams
opportunities for service
challenges
and uncertainties
Take our fears
and turn them into strengths
Take our lack of faith
and empower us
through the Spirit
who breathes life into this world
whose presence is reflected
in the icy chill
of winter's breath
as well as the comforting warmth
of a summer breeze.
Walk with us into this New Year
of opportunity