“A Liturgy for Between Days” by Heather Morris

A little over a year ago, the musician, Andrew Peterson, recommended a book of prayers for specific times (also known as ‘liturgies’) during his “Behold the Lamb of God” Christmas concert series. At the time, I dismissed the book as too formal, too traditional, too structured for my walk with Jesus. But when Andrew Peterson proceeded to read one of the prayers from the book to begin the concert, I was struck by the beauty of the words, and the wisdom of reading a prayer that has been written before. Just as songs, hymns, and psalms remind believers of truth in spite of our feelings and circumstances, these prayers can return us to the truth of who we are when Jesus has rescued us.

I have since purchased the book and cannot recommend it enough. “Every Moment Holy” by Douglas McKelvey. Visit everymomentholy.com for more information, and the book can be found at the rabbitroom.com.

The following is my attempt at emulating McKelvey’s masterful idea of writing prayers for those ordinary and extraordinary events of our lives. Events that we want to remember, and those that are so rote that we can do them without thinking. By talking to our Savior in the midst of every moment, His presence makes it holy.

To the Lord of the Already and the Not Yet, the One Who has conquered, completed, and finished,

Yet Who is also waiting for all of His children through time and across places to be gathered to Him,

Would You grant us eyes to see Your work?

A patient heart, confident in You while we wait?

How many times do we find ourselves between times – in the already and the not yet? Between jobs, between homes, between ages, between dreams, between fears.

Would You, Jesus, hold ever before me the truth that You are with me in the between days, because You already walked through them?

Your death on the cross began a period of waiting…waiting…waiting for Easter, for the Resurrection. You could have risen immediately, no one took Your life from You. You willingly laid it down, You could have taken it back up again right away. No grief and confusion for Your disciples, no multiple days of pain and loss for Your mother and Your friends. No questioning, no wondering about Your power or plan.

But in Your wisdom, following the plan and prophecies laid out by the Father through You (the Word) hundreds of years before, You waited.

And so we have between days.

And we have a Savior Who waited through them, and Who waits with us still.

Please help us through the already and the not yet.

~ Written by Heather Morris ~

Heather Morris is a research scientist/technologist for a local NASA contractor by day and an avid reader and creative writer by night. As an adoring wife to Chris for thirteen years and as mother to three children (ages 11, 9, and 4), she finds equal delight in reading The Chronicles of Narnia out loud to her children or curling up with an Agatha Christie novel at the end of the day. She is enamored with Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis, animals, biochemistry, the NPR “Radiolab” podcast, running, snow skiing, peppermint mochas, and all things British. Above all else, she is captivated by the one True Story of Jesus – the story that resonates through all history and reverberates in all creation. She would love to hear from you at @heathercmorris on Instagram or by following her blog at storieland1981.wordpress.com. 

Tags: Andrew Peterson, Heather Morris, Liturgy, prayers, waiting