Disturb Us, Lord

We read this writing by Sir Francis Drake last night at dinner, and it seems the perfect way to start off the new year:

"Disturb us, Lord, when

we are too well pleased with ourselves,

when our dreams have come true

because we have dreamed too little,

when we arrived safely

because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when

with the abundance of things we possess

we have lost our thirst

for the waters of life;

having fallen in love with life,

we have ceased to dream of eternity.

And in our efforts to build a new earth,

we have allowed our vision

of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,

to venture on wider seas

where storms will show your mastery;

where losing sight of land,

we shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back

the horizons of our hopes;

and to push into the future

in strength, courage, hope, and love."

attributed - Sir Francis Drake -1577

Blessings on your new year!