This daylily has the lovely name, Jerusalem. Here we see it in the early morning, though already it has been rained on lightly. By evening the life will have drained out of the flower, closing up for good and dropping off the scape (stem) in a day or two. The flower's message is: just for today and today is all there is. Doesn't Jesus tell us this:
"Don't worry at all then about tomorrow. Tomorrow can worry about itself; One day's trouble is enough for one day." Matthew 6:34
"Don't worry at all then about tomorrow. Tomorrow can worry about itself; One day's trouble is enough for one day." Matthew 6:34
So here is lovely prayer which focuses this theme and which we might pray when we awaken. The Anglican Book of Common Prayer offers a wealth of prayers for seemingly everything that concerns us and in language that we can readily understand!
O God:
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its
difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart,
in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings
or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean,
and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no
outward failure can dishearten me
or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul
that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls;
in the name of the strong Deliverer;
our only Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ. Amen.
A note: the sixth line asks that my heart would be kept sweet. Sweet is the opposite of sour. In other words: Oh God keep me from becoming a sour person.
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its
difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart,
in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings
or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean,
and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no
outward failure can dishearten me
or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul
that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls;
in the name of the strong Deliverer;
our only Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ. Amen.
A note: the sixth line asks that my heart would be kept sweet. Sweet is the opposite of sour. In other words: Oh God keep me from becoming a sour person.
