By John Bonney of Springfield, Oregon USA

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.

We are glory-holding vessels—uniquely and elegantly made. We are complex creatures even though on the surface we may present as similarly bent and even placid. The roiling surf is not on the top of the waves but underneath, nearer the seabed. There in those depths do we find such a grand and colorful array of difference. Yet we deal on the surface because it is easier. It is beyond most of us to know what is stirring in the depths of each individual and holy being. It is holy, because everything created by the Holy is holy in itself.

If I rely on my eyes, I am lost. I am a weak and damaged vessel that cannot find my way through the fog. What is more important is that I listen—listen closely, listen fully. The night sky is alive with spinning stars, and if I listen, I may hear the Holy. Individuals array the daytime and glow as much as the stars. But often I do not notice. I do not see it because of my near-sighted eyes. I do not smell it, touch it, or taste it, but it is there. It is the eternal and ever-pursuing Presence. Would I but stop and listen!

Is it possible then, for me to carry that for which I listen beneath the shallow foam and into the fray? May the clear and refined night air calm the wave. May that which creates out of love and grace and blessing be noticeably present. May we go deep in the surf to the Presence.

Prayer Phrase

“We love because God first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Spiritual Practice

Sea of Light

Quiet and center yourself. Ask for God’s healing and guidance as you enter this time of prayerful presence. Close your eyes, breathing deeply and calmly. Imagine you are floating in a beautiful sea of light that rises and falls with each cycle of your breath. The golden light of this sea buoys you up, so you float effortlessly. Waves of light carry and wash over you, bringing wholeness and peace. Rest in the sea of God’s love; then offer a prayer of gratitude.

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.