Lord you give life to life
from Day 1, your Spirit brooding over the deep,
your wind rushing, your breath filling.
As creatures of the earth we rejoice in life
using our breath, our being
to raise this hymn of praise:
Hallelujah to the sun’s hot passion
embracing the ground’s great shoulders.
Hallelujahs for the growth from seed to plant
greening the earth; its fruit—beauty and food!
Hallelujahs for generations of life
tumbling one after another.
Life creeping, swimming, flying, running,
below, above, upon, within.
All the world sings, calls, signals, speaks
praise to God whose glory grows in all that breathes!
This morning, with humble hearts,
knowing your love, we bring before you our needs:
for healing from our sicknesses and sorrows,
for reconciliation with those we have harmed,
for peace among our warring nations.
These are the dry valleys
where your Spirit will triumph.
Fill us, enliven us to be ambassadors of life abundant,
breathing out your song in harmony,
the choir of the created,
singing to our Creator,
whose Holy Spirit is unending, ageless, eternal.
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.