O Maker and Creator,
With your gifted hands you have shaped
The space, the creation that surrounds us:
Stars above, skies around, and soil beneath.
From the earth below you have formed earthlings,
And into that still clay you have breathed life,
Sustained life, empowered life to bring life.
O mighty one, the mighty things you have done -
Just weeks ago, that which you have done
So many times: you gave us a life.
Once again you brought life into our midst –
Beautiful, amazing, resilient life –
Another life to join those other beautiful children
Who bless us with their presence.
Now we are on the very eve –
Soon, and very soon, you will bless us again.
We beseech you for a safe arrival for this little one –
Healthy and whole bring this child into our midst.
As you bring life, protect life –
Keep those we love safe as they experience
The miracle of this moment.
You expand the boundaries of our community;
We pray that you grow our hearts as well.
Open our hearts for another life, another child.
One man is the father, one woman bears the child,
Yet each child has a community of faith-fathers,
Each precious life, a congregation of spirit-mothers.
As you end birth pains for mother and child,
we ask you to end other pains long suffered –
We ask that surgeon’s skill and your mighty hand
Bring healing to our brother,
Who has held fast in the hour of hurt.
Sustain life, enable healing, strengthen body, and
Erase pain with health, purpose, and joy.
O Maker and Creator, heal our troubled hearts.
May your steadfast love beckon us from loss,
Drawing us into your gentle, loving presence,
Changing the ragged holes in our hearts from
Bottomless pits of pain and pity and might-have-been
To deep, cool wells of love and compassion –
Knowing care for our fellow-sufferers.
O Maker and Creator,
Use human hands you have gifted and shaped
To do your work amid the creation that surrounds us:
From the stars above to the soil beneath,
Bless your earth by the hands of your earthlings –
Until that day when you rescue our spirit, the breath of life,
And sustain our life into eternity, empowered forever.
From your mighty hand we ask these gifts,
Amen.
Blessings,
Ron
