Celtic Daily Prayer
I have been doing the Celtic morning prayer from Northumbria community lately and throughout the last few weeks I often have different parts of the prayer pop into my head. But, usually it’s the section that they call “Canticle” that seems to fill my thoughts most often lately.
Today this is my prayer…
Christ, as a light illumine and guide me.
Lord, make clear to me the way before me – make clear to me what I should say and do this day – make clear to me myself and others – open my eyes to see myself clearly as you see me and open my eyes to see others clearly as you see them. Christ, as a light, illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield overshadow me.
Lord, be my shield – protect me from harm, from evil, from that which would hurt you and those you created. Lord, overshadow me – surround me in such a real way that I am overshadowed by you – that I would fade and you would shine. Christ, as a shield, overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Lord, when you came to this earth you humbled yourself and became obedient to death, you became the servant of all and lowered yourself under all even though you are above all. Lord, today, I need you – Lord, be under me – holding me up, supporting me as only you in your humble power can. Christ under me.
Christ over me;
Lord, you are all powerful – I proclaim and admit that there is none above you – that you are over me, that you are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Reign over me this day. Christ over me.
Christ beside me; On my left and my right.
Lord, you are not only the Servant to all, and you are not only the Lord of Lords, you also desire to be the friend at my side. So, today I invite you to be beside me – on my left and my right. Walk with me, talk with me. Be my friend today, Lord Jesus. Christ beside me; On my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
Lord, today I ask that you would be within me – Lord, I trust that you have giving your Spirit and I ask that today your Spirit would work within me to will and to act according to your good purposes – to shape me from the inside into the person you want me to be. And Lord, this day I ask for you to be at work outside me as well – be at work in the environments I enter and the conversations I have and the events I am involved in. This day be within and without me.
Lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Lord, you are lowly and meek – you are humble and gracious. Yet, Lord, you are also all-powerful, mighty and sovereign. So, today as I ask you to be within and without me I ask you to be gentle and meek with me yet to also be powerful and fierce where needed. And teach me to follow your example and carry in myself the dichotomy of being lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
Lord, work in the lives of those people whom I speak to today. May your Spirit shape even my most clumsy words into something useful for your kingdom and helpful for those who hear me. Lord, I pray that the words I speak would be received with grace today instead of judgment – that you would work in the heart of the people I speak to and soften their hearts to be gracious to me even in my stumbling. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak.
In the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
Lord, be at work also in the words that people speak to me. Lord, may the people I come in contact with today speak truth to me and make my heart soft to receive that which you want to say to me through others today. Make my heart gracious and my eyes open to understand that which people say to me today. Lord, work in all my conversations today – may you be evident in them and present in them – may you work through them to shape me and to bring love and healing to others. Lord, be in the words of each who speaks to me today. In the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Amen.
Rejoicing in the journey - Beth Stedman
Photograph by Beth Stedman