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PRAY NOW: TODAY'S PRAYER
Towards intimacy
And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
Genesis 2:25 NRSV
Prayer
In the story of creation,
Adam and Eve 'knew' each other –
but how well?
For the coupling of flesh alone
can leave the heart unmoved,
and the mind merely diverted
by a moment's pleasure.
Intimacy presumes understanding,
sharing and trusting:
touching places
way beyond the mere physical.
Thank God I can bare my soul
to You, Holy Spirit.
You are my anam cara –
my soul-friend:
I am always in Your company.
Blessed indeed are we
who find a soul-mate –
in partner, or parent, or child,
or simply in a trusted friend.
Lonely indeed are those
who do not find their anam cara
in another.
Yet You urge us on:
risk, love, trust –
life is a journey towards intimacy!
Creator God,
You know me intimately.
I kneel, naked before You
and You clothe me in grace.
Thank You for those to whom I am closest.
Help me to take myself as soul friend too.
Readings
Genesis 29:4–20 One kiss and Jacob knows he belongs with Rachel
R uth 4:13–17 Intimate family bonding: Boaz, Ruth and Naomi
1 Samuel 18:1–4 The soul of Jonathan is bound to the soul of David
Matthew 11:25–30 Jesus' intimate relationship with God the Father
John 17:1–11 Jesus enables our intimate relationship with God
Prayer activity
Close relationships are part of God's will for humanity imaged in the relationship
of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Sometimes the smallest gesture can be intimate – a
hand on the shoulder, a kiss on the top of the head, even a knowing smile. Silence,
too, can be intimate when we simply rest in the presence of another. In your own
life, what are or have been your most intimate moments with God?
Prayer for the Church
Those who help us to understand the ways of God, our Bibles and to be consistent in
the way we present credible Christianity. Theologians, apologists and Christian writers
especially 'Why Believe', Worship and Doctrine Taskgroup.
Blessing
May the divine spark within You,
the company of Jesus
and the love of God
hold you in intimate fellowship
until the time comes
for your final communion.
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