With signs of the autumn season all around us and the coolness of winter air more and more evident when we go outside, we open our hearts today to the God who set seasonal rhythms in place and who understands all that changes in us and around us as we move through each day.
We begin our prayers today with these familiar words from the Bible:
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
O God of Creation, you have blessed us with the changing of the seasons. As the days shorten more and more and nightfall comes earlier and earlier, may the setting of the sun remind us to take time to rest.
May the brilliant colors of the leaves remind us of the wonder of your creation. May the steam of our breath in the cool air remind us that it is you who give us the breath of life.
May the leaves falling and lying on the ground, and the starkness of the bare limbs from where they fell of remind us of your great promise that death is temporary and life is eternal.
God of the seasons, we praise you for your goodness forever and ever. Amen
And then the lovely reminder that our part in any season is to do what’s right in the moment and as we offer it to God, know that in the right time, God will bring blessing on it all.
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9
Loving God, Make us like you. Let our lives reflect your beauty, season after season, even as the calendar moves from day to day, week to week, month to month, and seasons to season.
As we pray so often in the words of the Serenity Prayer:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Let’s enjoy today and make the most of it’s unique opportunities. Have a great day.
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