“In the beginning,O God,
your Spirit swept over the chaotic deep like a wild wind
and creation was born.
In the turbulence of my own life
and the unsettled waters of the world today
let there be new birthings of your Spirit.
In the currents of my own heart
and the upheavals of the world today
let there be new birthings of your mighty Spirit.”
~J. Philip Newell

This was the prayer I read this morning as I began my day. Having just glanced at the morning newspaper and watched the television broadcast of world events, it seemed fitting. Sometimes the world seems more in chaos than other times. Today is one of those days when the upheavals of the world seem extreme. I realize that it is all a matter of perspective but it feels to me that things are more out of balance than usual. You may or may not agree.

The situation in Japan continues to confound my mind and break my heart. For those of us of a certain age, the nuclear fears seeded in our childhood seem about to come to horrific fruition. Our country may soon be at war with three other countries. Countries whose mothers weep for their children as I often weep for my own. Countries whose fathers chests puff up with pride over the goodness of their children as my husband’s does for our own two beautiful sons.

In our own communities and throughout our country people continue to struggle to make ends meet and find meaningful work. Families live with uncertainty that renders adults immobile and children feeling frightened and vulnerable. Our leaders can’t seem to listen long enough to one another to remember their common hopes and dreams for a country they love equally and the people they propose to represent. Unkind words turn into outright meanness leading to stalemates that harm us all.

And yet at the beginning of our larger faith story, across traditions, there is a common telling of order coming out of a deep chaos. The Spirit that swept over the dark brewing waters at the beginning of time still sweeps, I believe, over the unformed possibilities of our time. We have seen this truth again and again in individual lives, in the life of the world and in the ever springing rebirth of Creation around us.

So my prayer this day is for new birthings of the Spirit. Birthings beyond my own small yet hopeful imagination. Birthings of new relationships that will mend war torn places. Birthings of new ideas to solve overwhelming problems. Birthings of a new goodness that reaches out through the hands and hearts of all humanity. Birthings of a humility that leads to deep listening and humble forgiveness. Birthings of a mighty, mighty Spirit.

Blessed be.