I pray the Prayer for Protection at the first sound of an emergency vehicle. Many of you pray this prayer often. Unity
poet laureate, Rev. James Dillet Freeman first wrote these words for soldiers to carry as they served their country in
the armed forces,
The Light of God surrounds you. The Love of God enfolds you.
The Power of God protects you. The Presence of God watches over you.
Wherever you are God is. Amen.
I pray the Lord’s Prayer with each offering of spiritual communion and sometimes in between each offering of this
sacred ritual. My preference is the Aramaic text of the Lamsa Bible which reads like this:
Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us bread for our needs from day to day. And forgive us our offences, as we have forgiven our offenders. And do not let us enter into temptation, but deliver us from evil (wrong, wickedness, error). For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
I pray the Prayer of Faith because of its lyrical style and imagine Myrtle Filmore’s voice with every word. The prayer was authored by Hannah More Kohaus and it says:
God is my help in every need; God does my every hunger feed; God walks beside me, guides my way through every moment of this day.
I now am wise, I now am true, patient and kind, and loving, too; all things I am, can do, and be, through Christ the Truth, that is in me.
God is my health, I can't be sick; God is my strength, unfailing, quick; God is my all, I know no fear, Since God and Love
and Truth are here.
I, like many others, pray these prayers and more. Each and every day begins with prayers of gratitude followed by prayers of blessings over the names in my prayer book. I pray throughout the day for special circumstances and requests from a myriad of people. I pray for our world and all who serve as leaders. When I have the privilege of praying with an individual, the presence of Divine Spirit is so palpable that I float. I end each day with forgiveness where needed, and another prayer of gratitude for every moment of the day.
Just as prayer is the cornerstone of Unity, it is foundational in many of our lives as well. Charles Fillmore states:
Prayer is communion between God and [humans]. Prayer is the most highly accelerated mind action. It steps up mental action until our consciousness synchronizes with the Christ Mind.
To arrive at this place of communion, we go to the inner-most part of our being. In this Secret Place of the Most High, we bask in the union of our mind with Divine Mind. Thursday, September 9, 2021 is Unity World Day of Prayer. Unity on Greenville will host a Prayer Vigil from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm followed by a Prayer Service with the Spiritual Care Team at 6:30 pm. Visit the sanctuary during the Prayer Vigil for a personal time of prayer. Join us at 6:30 in the sanctuary or virtually on our website at www.dallasunity.org, our YouTube channel or Unity on Greenville’s Facebook page.
Blessings,
Rev. Karen