By Ben Smith of Tootgarook, Victoria, Australia

And now, O Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you. Deliver me from all my transgressions.

Damp air,
Coolness of the morning brings freshness and renewal. Sitting under these almighty centurions, I breathe. I listen.

Drip, drip, drip. Drips by the millions as the sky kisses the earth with blessed water, nourishing soil and soul. Bird song in the silence. The conductor places chirps in verse and chorus to fill the cathedral with a deep focus. In the silence, so much noise.

How often do we think silence is boring and empty, yet when we go there, we experience anything but absence of sound?

A new sound. I turn. Mother and foal, glancing in fear, look up to observe me, the observer. Both of us are captured with awe, one in concern and one in wonder. Heads nodding, they depart; my spirit says thank you for your presence, their hearts racing, mine filling.

Underfoot the brown carpet is matted with root and soil, connected with ancestral twine, bridging generational gaps to embrace past and present. How much is happening there to provide the world with nourishment and opportunity? Endless support, yet so often we tread thoughtlessly.

Columns of heart, clad with iron-like bark, their vulnerability on display with the softest of leaves up high, out of reach. Like us their hearts and veins are buried deep within the protective cocoon, relying on years of external mask to shield them from outside danger.

But somehow they let us in. Their presence moves me. Sitting beneath their careless grace fills me as I breathe in their peace. How can the world not be changed if we capture this feeling and share it with others?

Most striking about these trees is their purpose. To fill the world with a home, oxygen, material, heat, shade, beauty—all for no return. The ultimate gift of life. Are we not the same? If we were to turn ourselves to the service of the world, could others sit and breathe in our peace?

Prayer Phrase

“You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity” (2 Corinthians 9:11).

Spiritual Practice

Overflowing Generosity

Spend five minutes thinking deeply about how God has shared abundantly with you in very specific ways. Where do you see God’s abundant generosity in your life? Say a prayer of thanksgiving for these blessings. Now, reminded of these blessings, think about how you can bless others. In what ways can God’s abundant generosity overflow from you to others? What specific blessing will you share with another this day?

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.