12-20-2018

Good Morning All,

Psalm 125:2: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore.”

     Being pretty much a “flatlander” my whole life, I really don’t experience mountains very often.  The closest I come is when we travel to the Black Hills and Rapid City.  Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains, kind of like Rapid is, and it is protected from enemy attacks because it is hard for the enemy to attack without a broad field to attack from.  This is what it means when the Psalmist writes about “the Lord surrounds his people.”

     The ancient Celts combined this teaching about God surrounding or encircling His people with some of their earlier beliefs and came up with a Christian tradition called the Caim Prayer.  You would draw a circle around you, either literally or figuratively, and then you would start by extending your right hand, either literally or figuratively, to what would be “noon” on the face of this circle and then slowly turn clockwise and then pray the Caim Prayer until you reach back to noon.  This way you are encircled by the Prayer and thus the power and comfort of God.

    At first this prayer was one that was prayed in times of trouble and fear and was prayed by the person wanting protection or comfort.  The prayers started out simple and would go something like this:

            “Circle me Lord, Keep comfort close and discouragement afar.  Keep

              peace within and turmoil out.  Amen”

 Later, as the tradition developed, it became a custom to encircle those who you were praying for to be drawn in a circle and then fellow believers would pray for them.  This would be common at weddings, time of births, upon someone dying or being ill.  Sometimes the people would hold hands as they gathered around in this circle or the people may even move in a circle around those who they pray for. 

     The prayers were designed to be prayed when you don’t know how or what to pray.  How often do we find ourselves in that situation?  I have had people tell me that; I don’t know what to pray.  Fortunately, we have the Holy Spirit and Jesus our High Priest praying for us at all times, so our prayers are “covered” so to speak.  But this gives us something to say and helps us to visualize and thus experience God’s Spirit of comfort and protection surrounding us.

     There can be a very comforting feeling as we think of God encircling our loved ones for whom we are praying.  It is also a powerful reminder of the completeness of God’s love and mercy in our lives.

Circle me Lord, keep comfort close and discouragement afar.  Keep peace within and turmoil out.  Guard my thoughts and feelings so that I always look to you for my safety, hope and direction.  Circle those who are suffering and hurting at this time.  Give them your Spirit of peace.  In your precious name we pray, amen.

 God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret