A series of short reflections – One
“Let there be Light.”
Introduction to the Series.
There are lots of resources available on the internet for personal reflection, especially during this time of absence from our church buildings.
So why write our own?
We regularly hold a Quiet Service once a month in “normal” times. So I think that if this style of worship was important in those times it is perhaps even more so now. I find producing material far more helpful, personally, than using someone else’s. So there is an element of satisfying my own needs in producing this material.
I also thought it would be helpful to have five short sections which can either be used one for each day during a week for daily quiet or alternatively they can be used all together to form a complete act of quiet worship.
Please use them as you find helpful replacing my prayers with your own as you feel the Holy Spirit move with you.
Light is a symbol used extensively in the Bible to represent God, faith and holiness.
Each day is illustrated with a different source of light. Each of these requires a power source to generate its light and each requires an action by us to make the light shine.
Each of these sources can be used to illuminate different aspects of our lives and our interaction with God within them.
As we follow God we are called to be his light in so many situations and like the lights we will use, we need to be activated in order to allow our light to shine. We need to be filled with the power of God for our light shine brightly and effectively.
To assist our reflection I have suggested a bible passage for each section but as I said earlier please feel free to use anything else that comes to mind or simply spend time in prayer.
I pray blessing on us all as we share this time with God.
Introduction to Day One
The video below is 7:45 long and follows the written material below it. There is a section of quiet between 2:36 and 3:20. If you need longer please pause the video and start it again when you are ready. Otherwise just let it run.
You can just listen to the sound of the video or watch the various words, images and videos, which have been added to support the prayers and thoughts, as you listen.
Let us start with a prayer together.
Lord of light we come to spend time in your presence. We set aside the worries and concerns of our lives and clear our minds so that we may leave space for your words to touch us. We offer you this time of worship and prayer and ask for your blessing upon it. May your light shine in our hearts and lives. Let it spill out from us to light the world and the people around us. We offer you this time in Jesus name. Amen
Day One – “Creation”
We use the image of a Glow stick
We start at the beginning, which, as some have said, is a very good place to start. God is the source of all light in the world, from the very outset of creation.
As we “crack” a glow stick the chemicals mix and react together bringing forth their light through the wonders of chemistry. As we think of the mixing of the chemicals, we use the image to represent that beginning both of the world and especially of our experience of Gods participation in each of our lives.
Read Genesis Chapter 1 verses 1 – 3
The Beginning
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (NIV)
Let’s spend some time in quiet as we reflect on that great act of creation.
A time of silent prayer
God of light as we think of the mingling of the chemicals in a glow stick how gradually as the reaction takes place the mixture starts to shine. We remember that you said “let there be light” and there was light. We ask that you will stir us up so that we too mixing our skills and talents and sharing them with those around us we will shine with your love for the world you created. Amen.
Prayer
In the beginning, Lord
I was alone
Like the earth
before your Spirit moved over the waters.
I was formless and empty
and darkness filled the depths of my heart.
Then, it was as if you declared
‘Let there be Light’
and out of the darkness
I began to see hope
like a shimmering ray of love
breaking through the parting clouds at the conclusion
of the night.
In the beginning, Lord I was alone
but when I saw you in the light I was no longer afraid.
You held out your hand
and though I had a choice
I had no choice
because to refuse
was to embrace again the darkness.
In the beginning, Lord I was alone
Now I feel again a part
of your creation
loved, wanted, needed, family.
In the light of your presence
I hold out my heart that others
might glimpse through it your reflection
and be drawn from the darkness that I once embraced
into the light of your sunrise
the brightness of your face
Copyright © John C Birch, Prayers written by the author may be copied freely for worship. If reproduced anywhere else please include acknowledgement to the author/website http://www.faithandworship.com/creation_prayers.htm
Blessing
May the blessing of God rest upon us.
The light of God fill our very souls.
The light of God which shines in our eyes, our hearts, our lives.
May the blessing of God, whisper in the very depths of our souls.
Let there be light and as it was in the beginning there will be light.
Amen
Copyrights
The videos and images are sourced from Pixabay and licensed for commercial use.
The music is icensed as non-commercial attribution and is from the Album Creation by Borrtex sourced from the Free Music Archive.
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Creation
The first track is “Light” and the second “Human”.
Words are by Chris with the exception of the prayer attributed to John C Birch in the text.
