Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in fields of green grass
    and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.
He gives me new strength.
He guides me in the right paths,
    as he has promised.
Even if I go through the deepest darkness,
    I will not be afraid, Lord,
    for you are with me.
Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me.

You prepare a banquet for me,
    where all my enemies can see me;
you welcome me as an honored guest
    and fill my cup to the brim.
I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life;
    and your house will be my home as long as I live.

Prayer of Adoration and Thanksgiving
How wonderful is your world, Creator God.
So intricate and delicate. So vast and rugged.
Breathtakingly beautiful and unexpected,
yet with complex patterns and cycles.
The seasons sing out your praise through their unfolding colours and new life.
Life and death are entwined in a never-ending wave of renewal.
We thank you for your wonderful creation,
For the sun and moon, the complexity of constellations and planets,
and the deep inner workings of the Earth.
You are our Creator! Shepherd us as we travel in your glorious world.

Prayer of Confession
Shepherd and guide,
Draw us to the springs of the water of life
For we wander and lose our way.
Refresh our souls with the Living Water.

We have wandered from you, distracted by thoughts.
We forget to offer concerns to you, and share in the openness of prayer.
Constant friend, we lay them down before you now.
Silent Prayer

We are weighed down
by the heaviness of sadness, grief, and strained relationships.
Help us bear these burdens.
Refresh our souls with the Living Water.

In the abundance of life around us, we still mourn what we do not have.
Guide us to your way of understanding and satisfaction.
For sadly, we are not so easily satisfied.
Refresh our souls with the Living Water.

Worthlessness is like a desert, and self-doubt seems an insurmountable rock.
In the hard spaces, please shepherd us with love, as we cannot find our way alone.
Refresh our souls with the Living Water.

Words of Assurance
God’s kindly hand will reach you everywhere,
leading you to the home of belonging.
Rest easy in God’s peace.
Drink deeply from the living waters of care that forever flows.
Feed your soul and be nourished by the feast of life with God

© Rev Anne Hewitt 04/05/2022
This reflection & prayer may be shared as long as the original writer is credited.