Windows of the Soul
West Window

This page contains a Bible reading, prayers and a meditation for the West Window, part of the Windows of the Soul series.

The prayers on this page are adapted from the Iona Abbey Worship Book. The meditation section draws on material from “Spirituality Workbook” by David Runcorn, published in 2006 by SPCK, London.

2 Corinthians 5.17-19:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.

And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

We gather in God’s name;
Claiming Christ’s promised presence.

We gather as brothers and sisters,
Not out of fear and dread,
But believing in the understanding and forgiveness of God,

Seeking to rid ourselves of what we no longer need to carry.

We ask for forgiveness for avoiding the road we ought to have travelled,

For refusing to share the kindly word we ought,
For the worship given to false gods,
And from those we have starved of love.

For the hidden hurts we have held too tightly,
And for the promises we have never kept,

For our carelessness in the use of our time and money,
And for the lame excuses we sought to hide behind.

Merciful God, by your grace,
Forgive us as you have promised.

Heavenly Father

For all you have in store for us,
And all you may demand of us,
God, in your love,
Prepare us.

To all the life of the world,
And the love of its people,
God, in your love,
Commit us.

Glory to the Creator who gave us this is life,
Glory to Jesus whose love remakes us,
Glory to the Spirit, companion on our journey,

Glory be to God.

Yet we recognise before you, Lord, that is not these gifts that make us acceptable to you, rather, it is the love you bear us as your children.

So, if changing circumstances require us to relinquish our gifts,
and bid farewell,
may we do so with good grace as befits our calling.

We give you thanks,
Both for your love,
and for the abilities you enabled us to enjoy for a season.

Heavenly Father,

We take this opportunity to give heartfelt thanks,
For all God-given gifts and abilities you have blessed us with.

Gifts that have given us great pleasure in your service. Perhaps gifts of service, speaking, career, song, dance, homemaking, creativity and building relationships.

Meditation on the West Window of the Soul

Face the West Window

Being the path of the setting sun, the direction West has long been associated symbolically with death and dying, all the connotations of loss, destruction. However, we also remember that the Israelites crossed the Jordan River westward into the Promised Land. For Christians, going west can also symbolise the reality of laying down one life and entry into a new one.

The lighthouse at Cape Fisterra, which literally means ‘The end of the world’. At the end of the Pilgrim route to Santiago in Spain, it symbolises the sense of completion, together with readiness for change that should characterise the end of a pilgrim journey.

Allow all the above thinking to symbolise the light of the Holy Spirit shining into your soul, asking yourself: What is changing in my life?

Lord, if I am going to enter into change, then I pray for wisdom, honesty and the prompting of your Holy Spirit as I reflect upon this.

There will now follow three questions. Allow time to reflect on each of them.