NIGHT PRAYER: Wednesday 9/30

Perhaps it's the time of year and the change of seasons... I've encountered so many people in the past week whose hearts are restless and troubled...  If your heart's restless tonight, I pray you'll find some peace in these words...

My heart is restless, Lord, 

    until it rests in you...  

        - Saint Augustine

 

My heart is anxious, Lord,

    'til it rests in your deep peace...

 

My heart is wounded, Lord,

     'til it rests in your healing arms...

 

My heart is grieving, Lord,

    'til it rests, again, in you, my joy...

 

My heart is worried, Lord,

     'til it rests and puts its trust in you...

 

My heart's impatient, Lord,

    'til it rests within your Spirit's calm...

My heart is tired, Lord,

    'til it rests, refreshed, restored in you...  

 

My heart is doubtful, Lord,

    'til it rests within your wisdom's truth...

 

My heart is waiting, Lord,

      'til it rests in you who wait for me...

 

My heart is restless, Lord,

    until it rests in you...

 

And my heart is peaceful, Lord,

    when it rests in you, in your embrace,

        in your forgiving, open arms...

 

Protect me in my restlessness,

    keep vigil while I sleep,

that awake, I'll keep the watch with you

    and rest and sleep in your deep peace...

 

Amen.

 

Restless by  Audrey Assad

 

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You dwell in songs that we are singing, 

Rising to the heavens, 

   rising to your heart, your heart. 

Our praises filling up the spaces  

In between our frailty 

   and everything you are  

You are the keeper of my heart  

 

And I'm restless, I'm restless

Til I rest in you, 'til I rest in you  

I am restless, I'm restless  

'Til I rest in you, 'til I rest in you  

Oh God, I wanna rest in you  

 

Oh, speak now for my soul is listening  

Say that you have saved me, 

whisper in the dark, the dark.  

'Cause I know you're more than my salvation  

Without you I am hopeless, 

   tell me who you are,

You are the keeper of my heart  

You are the keeper of my heart  

 

And I'm restless, I'm restless  

'Til I rest in you, 'til I rest in you  

I am restless, I'm restless  

'Til I rest in you, 'til I rest in you, 

Oh I wanna rest in you  

 

Still my heart, hold me close  

Let me hear, a still small voice 

Let it grow, let it rise Into a shout, into a cry  

Still my heart, hold me close 

And let me hear a still small voice 

And let it grow, let it rise  

Into a shout, into a cry  

 

And I am restless, I'm restless 

'Til I rest in you, let me rest in you 

And I am restless, so restless

Til I rest in you, 'til I rest in you, O God  

Let me rest in you

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Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 9/30

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 9/29

We do not live for ourselves, 

    we do not die for ourselves.  

If we live, we live for the Lord, 

    and if we die, we die for the Lord.  

So living or dying, we belong to the Lord.

Romans 14:8-9 

 

Is that true, Lord? 

 

Do I belong to you? 

 

Am I yours - dead or alive?

 

Perhaps a better question, Lord, would be:

    to whom do I belong?

    to what do I belong? 

 

To whom do I owe my allegiance?

    To whom am I loyal?

To whom do I surrender 

        this person I call me?

Who truly knows me

    and therefore truly owns me?

Who's the boss of me? 

    Who has me?

Who holds and keeps me?

Whose spirit lives within me? 

Whose hand maps my journey?  

In whose embrace

    do I live and breathe - and die?

Whose love heals me, makes me whole

    and holds me together?

 

Do I belong to you, Lord?

    Or to someone else?

    To something else?

Or do I think, do I pretend

    that in fact, I own myself? 

 

I need to think about this, Lord!

I see how my answer here says so much

    about me and how I understand myself,

    about me and how I live with others,

    about me and how I spend my time,

    about me and how I love

        and whom I love,

    about me 

        and how I live and breathe and die...

 

I've got a fairly good idea,

    of what the answer to this question is,

        or should be, or could be, or can be...

 

Do I belong to you, Lord?

Oh yes, indeed, without a doubt - I do...

 

So then, help me, Lord:

    help me live as though I'm yours...

    help me live as though 

        you hold and keep me...

    help me live as though 

        there's no one else and nothing else

with any greater hold on me 

    - than you -

on my heart, my mind, my soul, my life...

 

Open, heal and free me, Lord,

    until I fall into your arms

as one who now belongs to you

    and always and always will... 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep rest in your peace...

 

Amen. 

 

I Belong To You by Hillsong 

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 9/29

 

My most important task in this life, Lord

   is to know you and to love you

and apart from that

  -  nothing else is important -

except insofar as someone or something 

   might help me grow

        in my knowledge and love of you...

As quick as I am to say I love you

   (and it's likely I say this

      too often, too quickly)

I'm not so quick to say I know you

    - but how can I love you 

          if I don't know you?

And could I ever know you

    - and not come to love you? 

I want to know you better, Lord!

I want to know you

     - better than I know myself -

better than anyone or anything 

    that keeps me from knowing 

        - and loving you...

Then teach me to know you, Lord:

   to know you 

        and all of your loving ways,

   to know you 

        and find the depth of your truth,

   to know you, Lord, above all else

        that I might come to love you...

 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep rest in your peace...

Amen. 

 

Knowing You by GUC

    performed by Thinathea 

 

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Lord I wanna know you
Better than I know myself
Teach me Lord, to know your ways
To know your truth...

Lord I wanna know you
Better than I know me
Teach me Lord, to know your ways
To know your truth...

Lord I wanna know you
Better than I know my weakness

Teach me Lord, to know your ways
To know your truth...

Lord I wanna know you
Better than I know myself
Teach me Lord, to know your ways
To know your truth...

Lord I wanna know you
Better than I know my weakness

Teach me Lord, to know your ways
To know your truth...

Rid me of the pride of this world
So that I can see you clearly
Teach me Lord,
To know your ways

Strip me of the pride of this world
So that I can see you clearly
Teach me Lord,
To know your ways

Strip me, strip me of this pride
So that I can see you clearly
Teach me Lord
To know your ways...

Keep on calling
Calling, I will answer
Keep on drawing
Drawing, I will come... (3 x)


Lord I truly wanna know you
Better than I know me
Teach me Lord, to know your ways
To know your truthLord I wanna know you
Better than I know my weakness
Teach me Lord, to know your ways
To know your Truth

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Pause for Prayer: TUESDAY 9/29

Today is the feast of the Archangels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.  I'm pleased to share the illustration above which comes from a Ukranian prayer book...

I could use a few angels, Lord!

Archangels, angels, seraphim and cherubim,

    angels to guard and guide me, Lord!

I need an angel Lord:

   a spiritual servant, a messenger from you,

        bringing news of your word and your presence...

I need an angel, Lord:

    to watch and keep vigil both night and day,

    to guide me safely along the right path,

    to guard and protect me wherever I go...

 

Send me your angel, Lord:

   an angel of courage for when I'm afraid,

   an angel of wisdom for when I'm confused,

   an angel of strength for when I'm weak...

   an angel of healing for when I'm not well...

   an angel of comfort for times when I'm troubled...

   a consoling angel for when I'm grieving...

   an angel-friend for when I'm alone... 

 

Send me a flight of angels, Lord,
   with gifts of right judgment to guide my discernment,     

    with arms of strength to lift me in prayer

    with wisdom and light to lead me to truth...

Send me an angel 

    with a spirit of reverence to humble my pride,
    with kindness disposing my heart to service,
    with prudence shaping my words and my deeds...

Send me an angel, Lord,

    with peace to heal my anger and pride,
    with courage to bring an end to my wars,

    with compassion to mend my broken heart... 

  
Send an army of angels, Lord, 

    to keep me honest, just and fair,
    to keep me faithful whenever I'm tempted,
    to keep me pure when I'd settle for less...

 

Open my heart to your angel Lord:

    the angel you send to visit each day,

    the angel you station along my path,

    the angel whose comfort is grace and gift...
 

And open my heart to your local angels:

    my family and friends, colleagues, neighbors

            - and strangers, too -
    who lift my spirits and fill me with peace,

        who serve me as angels, sent with your love...

I welcome each angel you send me, Lord,
    who sustains my hopes, my dreams and my plans,
    who prompts me to praise your most holy name

    and who nudges me closer to you and your mercy...

 

Amen.

 

All Night, All Day, 

    African-American spiritual  

         arranged by Ken Berg

 

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All night, all day,

angels watchin’ over me, my Lord.

All night, all day,

angels watchin’ over me.    (repeat)

 

When I lay me down to sleep,

angels watchin’ over me, my Lord.

I pray the Lord my soul to keep,

angels watchin’ over me.

 

I pray his blessing on the land that I love

angels watchin’ over me, my Lord

the earth and the sea and the sky up above

angels watchin’ over me. 

 

Every morning when I rise

angels watchin’ over me, my Lord,

I thank my Lord for His gift of life

angels watchin’ over me. 

 

I thank him for my lovin’ family and friends,

angels watchin’ over me, my Lord

I thank him daily for his love without end

angels watchin’ over me.

 

All night, angels watchin’

All day, angels watchin’

All times hear me sing

about the holy angels always watchin’ over me.

 

I’m singin’ about the angels watchin’ over me

still singin’ about the angels watchin’ over me,

my Lord!

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NIGHT PRAYER: Monday 9/28

O Lord, how I wish there were 

a fast-forward button 

on my hopes, my dreams,

    my expectations - on my life! 

  

I know, Lord, that you know:

    what's coming down the road,

    how my future will unfold,

    what changes lie ahead and how

    you'll answer all my prayers.

So if you know, Lord

    - and I know you're never wrong -

then why the wait? 

    what's the delay?

    what keeps you from speeding things up

    or giving me come clues, even a vague hint...

 

And an email or a text would be fine

    - you have contact info!

...   ...   ...   

 

Good!  

I got all that out of my system, Lord,

    and that helps.

And yes, I know...

    you have your reasons and your ways,

    you have your wisdom and your plans,

    you have your own way of doing things;

I know that life unfolds on your schedule, not on mine:

    all in your good time, Lord,  

    all things in your good time...

So tonight, rather than pray for a sneak preview

I'll pray for patience, Lord, 

the patience I need 

    to walk with you

        - at your pace,

    to wait with you

        - with trust and hope

    to watch for how you lead me

        - in your wisdom, with your grace...

 

Patience, Lord.. I pray for patience:

    help me hope and trust in you,

    in your love and in your plan         

    and in all the ways your grace unfolds

     - all in your good time...

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

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In His Time by Diane Ball

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