Held Safe. Haikus for Advent

1. Hope 

Jeremiah 33:14–16

rooted in Holy

Land produces harmony

promise branches forth 

2. Peace 

Baruch 5:1–9 

carried on the breeze

fragrant whisper: tingles, sighs,

remembered, we breathe 

3. Joy 

Zephaniah 3:14–20 

horizon's morning glow

dew-tipped leaves and God's loud singing

birds, exultant, free! 

4. Love 

Micah 5:2–5a 

to time and story

born, fed, protected: mothered

God, Immanuel 

God's people

Lent 5. Year B. 

Jeremiah 31:31–34 

Confession 

'I am your God.

You are my people.' 

You promise

You give

You trust 

money is our god: 

success, fame, power,

humans, our selves,

are our gods, 

and we try belonging 

anywhere but with You. 

broken promise

rejected gift

betrayed trust 

silence 

we are sorry

we are sorry

we are sorry 

silence 

Assurance of Grace 

'I am your God. 

You are my people. 

I forgive

I restore

I heal 

welcome home.' 

the promised garden

prayers for ourselves and the world 

Jeremiah 31:7–14 

may our lives be that watered garden

God promised on the voice of Jeremiah,

flourishing, flowering, producing fruit and life and beauty

may we receive God's offer of comfort,

exchange gladness for sorrow, mourning for joy,

and live with hope and dreams for a new day 

may we show God our gratitude

for the bounty set forth before us,

with our care for this good earth we've been given

may we stand with confidence

and trust in God, who leads us out 

of our weeping with consolation

may our song of praise delight our God,

sung in our loving kindness, our justice,

our care the the little ones in our midst

may our lives be that watered garden

God promised on the voice of Jeremiah,

flourishing, flowering, producing fruit, life, and beauty

may it be so. amen.  

Vessels

Jeremiah 18:1–11
Go, then, responding to the invitation from God 

to be a partner in creating vessels to hold the gospel treasure, 

fragile vessels, vessels of beauty, with
the Creator to gently mould you,
Wisdom to keep you centred in the way of Christ
and the Spirit to breathe life through you

Amen

Turned or Trusting

Jeremiah 17:5–10 

Thus says the Holy,
Blessed is the Name.

Cursed you are, then,
trusting mortal strength;
cursed you are, when
turned, your hearts from me.

Turn from the Holy,
turn from blessedness;

turn and be desert shrubs,
parched, forgotten,
salt-bed barren,
salt-crust blind.

or ... 

Trust in the Holy, your
trust is the Name:

trust and be great trees
rooted, watered, green
forever fruitful, green
forever bountiful.

Thus says the Holy,
Blessed is the Name.

Show me or hide, but
I will see you, mind
your heart, for I will
find you, turned or trusting.


Update: prayers to follow

Prayer of confession
We turn from you, God, more often than we would like.
We step off your path, your Way of Love, and hurt others and ourselves.
We have become desert shrubs,
parched, forgotten,
salt-bed barren,
salt-crust blind

And now we turn back, start again, on this path, this Sacred Way of Love.
We turn back, asking again to be forgiven.

silence
Assurance of Forgiveness
Thus says our God of the Most Holy Name,
I see you, I greet you, I welcome you home.
Start again, beloved, forgiven, again and again. 

Amen

Lament: Divine Heartbreak

Jeremiah 2:4–13

Be appalled, o you heavens,

weep your lament,

for the people of God have turned away,

and the heart of God is breaking.

They forget their God,

their source of life,

and give praise to imposter gods.

They deny their worth,

the holiness bestowed

on the people of the Holy One.

They chase the wind,

the empty things,

ignore the riches of the Divine.

Their leaders drop their holy books,

deny the sacred and leave

the path of Wisdom.

Be appalled, o you heavens,

weep your lament,

for the people of God have turned away,

and the heart of God is breaking. 

Only

Jeremiah 1:4–10




I am only, I do not know
how or what or where;

I am only, I cannot go,
I am too afraid.

I am only, I have not
height or voice or strength;

I am only, I am little,
broken, old, young.

I am only, I will not
be welcomed, heard or heeded;

I am only, they are more,
so much more than me.

I am only, but I am listening,
I will trust you when you call;

for I am only who I am,
and with you I am not alone.