A Short Prayer for the Practice of Software Development

In my kitchen, stuck to the wall behind my coffee machine, is a small piece of card with a prayer on it. It's called "A Liturgy for the Ritual of Morning Coffee", and I read it every day as I make my morning brew.

A photo of the prayer on my wall. It reads as follows: Meet me, O Christ, in this stillness of morning. Move me, O Spirit, to quiet my heart. Mend me, O Father, from yesterday's harms. From the discords of yesterday, resurrect my peace. From the discouragements of yesterday, resurrect my hope. From the weariness of yesterday, resurrect my strength. From the doubts of yesterday, resurrect my faith. From the wounds of yesterday, resurrect my love. Let me enter this new day, aware of my need, and awake to your grace, O Lord. Amen.
Please don't judge me for the mess on my machine

I really like that prayer, because it reminds me that even the most mundane activities can be an opportunity to connect with God. That the divisions I place between the sacred and the secular, between "God stuff" and "not God stuff" are arbitrary and unhelpful.

I like that it invokes the entire Trinity, that every part of God's nature is involved in the most ordinary of activities, if only I have the eyes to see it and the humility to ask for it.

A pastor friend of mine & I were talking about the distinction we're tempted to draw between "a Christian $WORKER" and "a $WORKER-who-is-a-Christian", and the traps we're tempted towards when we do.

  1. believing that "the only good teacher/lawyer/doctor is a *Christian teacher/lawyer/doctor" (forgetting God's common grace)
  2. believing that "being a Christian doesn't affect your work at all" (forgetting that God's grace is supposed to transform us)

And so, inspired by that prayer, here's a short prayer for the practice of software development:

A Prayer for the Practice of Software Development

Heavenly Father, who said "let there be light", and there was light, tune my mind to what is real.

Jesus, who is the Word of God made flesh, bring life and light to those who use my code.

Holy Spirit, who is the breath of God, sanctify my imagination so that I dream the way you dream.

Amen.