Posts Tagged ‘prayer’

 

For the Gift of Song

Posted on: April 11th, 2010 by tobendlight

Creativity. What an amazing set of gifts! Song, dance, music, art. Writing. Humor. This is part of a series of prayers celebrating creativity, including dance, music and art. Each of these prayers has a common framework:

  • Thanks to G-d for the beauty of that gift: “G-d, we give thanks for the gift of… ”
  • Recognition of those who’ve been given that particular gift: “Hear this prayer for those who…”
  • A petition that the gift be used to bring holiness into the world: “Make their [_____] Your vessel…”
  • A petition that, in receiving this gift from G-d through the artist, we’ll be reminded to use our own lives to bring beauty and holiness into the world: “So that when we…”

To listen while you read, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows.

 

For the Gift of Song
G-d, we give thanks for the gift of song,
For the gift of melody and harmony,
For the gift of voices quilted together in chorus,
Lifting praises toward the holy realms.
Hear this prayer for those who chant in Your Name,
Who chant for healing,
Who chant to witness Your love,
Your power,
Your grace.
Make their voices Your vessel.
Let heaven pour joy through them
So that they overflow with Your light,
Drawing others to Your glory.
So that when we hear their song
Our hearts turn back to You in peace.
Together, we offer our prayer back to heaven
And rejoice.

© 2010 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: Be sure to check out the other prayers in this series: “For the Gift of Words,” “For the Gift of Dance,” “For the Gift of Art,” “For the Gift of Music,” “For the Gift of Laughter,” “For the Gift of Torah Scholarship” and “For the Joy of Learning.”

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On the Trail

Posted on: April 4th, 2010 by tobendlight

GC Solovy 2009On every trail, on every adventure, there’s a moment truth, a moment that tests my skills, my resolve and my dedication to the journey. This prayer includes a reminder that there are wonderful secrets waiting along the way, secrets that cannot be found anywhere else. I use this prayer for the 25th day of the counting of the Omer. This piece appears in This Precious Life: Encountering the Divine with Poetry and Prayer from CCAR Press.


On the Trail
G-d of beginnings,
G-d of mystery and adventure,
The path is steep,
The route is hidden,
The trail a narrow ridge line,
Exposed and treacherous,
Slicing between majestic canyons,
Rising to the awesome sky.
The load is heavy, the destination unknown,
But the journey has rhythm and dance,
Song and story,
Ancient music that rises around us,
To take us from sunset to sunset
As we move into the glorious unknown
Step by step,
Moment by moment,
Day by day by day.

G-d of the wayfarer,
G-d of the traveler and sojourner,
Divine light of wonder and truth,
Lead us.
Show us the way
Across vast open spaces
And through tight, narrow passages.
Guide us.
Show us the way
Through stormy days
And moonless nights.

Blessed are You, Source and Shelter,
Guide and Compass, Oasis of Strength,
You lead Your people from trail to trail,
From trial to trial,
From darkness to light,
With love.

© 2021 CCAR Press from This Precious Life: Encountering the Divine with Poetry and Prayer

Postscript: My other traveler’s prayers include: “On the Road,” “For Travel” and “Being Lost.”

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo by Alden Solovy

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