Peter’s final charge to his faith family is to be found like Jesus, pure of heart and at peace. Peace, in the midst of daily existing that often feels more fluid than solid seems like a pipe dream of sorts—at least at times. But Peter concludes his second letter with a cascading picture of God’s action in the world from its founding and into its awaiting future. This final image to settle our minds and hearts upon is nothing less than heaven and earth meeting once more and yet anew. A visual which Peter encourages us to grasp as we remember what God has done, and see what he is doing even today.
Our prayer this week is an adaptation of Malcolm Guite’s poem “Dilgigam te, Domine” which is based on Psalm 18. It is a prayer in-line with Peter, for and from the still place which Jesus leads us.
Father, let us behold you, and be satisfied,
Our strength, our rock, our buckler, and our shield!
You came to rescue us, we have seen you ride
The wind's swift wings at our cry,
reducing us and your children generation after generation after generation.
We have seen the water yield
To you, as you reached down to lift us out
Out of the whelming panic, where we reeled
And flailed in fear of daily death.
You heard our shout,
Our anguished cry for help, and carried us
And held us safe and put our fears to rout.
Now, Father, give us back our liberty,
through the memory of your Son.
Strengthen our weak hands and set our feet
To dancing lightly as a deer, O let us be (!)
as free
As any in the forest, and as fleet.
Come quickly, Jesus!
And with your call, draw us in your love
To that still place where earth and heaven meet.
In Jesus, amen.