29th of June 2020

Today's reflection has been chosen by our University Chaplain, Harriet Harris.

The apple of God’s eye

Some of us have been frantically busy through this time, on the front line at work or at home, and would relish more time to ourselves.

And some of us have been longing for more human contact, to take us outside of our own ruminating minds, sand to meet our deep need for connection.

We may be weary, struggling with the uncertainty, and periodically panicked, or we may be trying to eke out the sense of time that has been strangely given to us in ‘lockdown’.

Whichever it is, and whenever it is, the end of the day comes to us all,

and we are invited to meditate in our hearts and be still (Psalm 4.4).

When the day is complete, and we turn to the release and cover of sleep

we can give ourselves – with all our fears, exhaustion, ‘failures’ to be peaceful, hopes and desires - wholly to God’s devoted protection of us:

‘Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Keep me as the apple of your eye Hide me under the shadow of your wings’

These words come from ‘Compline’, Night Prayer. If you would like to access Compline, the service can be found for each night here: https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/daily-prayer/night-prayer-compline