Lord, God of all scholarship and study
We know we have a deep privilege here, and the opportunity to pursue our disciplines is a gigantic gift. We thank you for the gift you have given us, so that we can be here and learn and grow and discover wonderful things. But even so Lord, you know us. You know our creatureliness. You know our limitations and how weary and overwhelmed we can become by the busyness and endless tasks of the semester. We are low on sleep, Lord. We are trying to balance so many things and have such full plates.
Would you draw near to us, God. Would you calm our hearts and minds and bodies, especially in those moments where we are flooded with stress. Would you give us discernment to know what to do and what to set aside. Would you guide us in spending our time well, remembering the desperate need we have of time with you and with our neighbors and for time to rest and to rest deeply.
Jesus, we give ourselves to you. Our hearts, minds, bodies, schedules, assignments, exams, relationships and everything else—knowing you alone can sustain us and you alone have the words of life. Draw near to us in our chaos, and remind us that our fullest and deepest rest is found in you. And so: amen.