DAILY EXAMEN
GATHER
Alone or with others, intentionally settle in to a quiet place. Perhaps light a candle and take a few deep breaths to begin.
ENTER GOD’S PRESENCE
God of hope, open the eyes of our hearts so we can see the hope you have for us. Help us to see the richness of your gifts in the ordinary moments of each day. Amen
REFLECT ON MY DAY
Remember what has happened today. How did I feel when I woke up this morning? Did I stay at home today? Did I go anywhere? What happened this afternoon? How do I feel right now?
Ask God to show you the moments today that you are thankful for:
- When did I smile today? What did that feel like inside? What do I wish would happen again? Who was I happy to be near today?
Ask God to show you the moments that were hard for you today:
- When did I want to hide today? Did I choose not to listen to someone, or to ignore them? Did I use an unkind voice today? What did I feel like inside when I spoke in an angry or unkind way?
OFFER MY DAY TO GOD
Silently or aloud, tell God “thank you” for being close to you in every part of your day - both the hard and the good parts. Imagine Jesus walking closely alongside you through every moment of your day, and ask him to help you sense his presence with you tomorrow.
Closing prayer from Romans 8:
Who can say anything against God’s children? Who can condemn us? No one. Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God, and is praying for us. Jesus, help us to remember that your prayers and love for us are as close as our own breath. Amen.
DAILY PRACTICE
Physical Labor
“Everything matters if anything matters at all.” - Pierce Pettis
The incarnation of Christ is wonderfully relevant news. God has taken on human flesh. It means that our bodies, our world, the cosmos, everything matters.
In her book, An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith, Barbara Brown Taylor writes: “If all of life is holy, then anything that sustains life has holy dimensions too… No task is too menial to serve as a path.”
This week, pay attention to God’s presence in the mundane. As you wash clothes, prepare a meal, clean up after a child, or take out the recycling, can you bring a prayerful intentionality to your task? What do you notice as you open yourself to God’s presence in your labor?