Daily Prayer in Lent - Tuesday, Week Five

Word for the Season

Even now, says the LORD,

return to me with your whole heart...
Joel 2:12

Word for the Day

O Lord, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you.
Hide not your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
in the day when I call,
answer me speedily.
(see today's readings for Psalm 102)

Reflection

There are times when it seems
that God is deaf to our prayer,
his face turned away from us,
unresponsive to our needs...

Of course God always hears us,
never lets us out of his sight
and holds our needs close to his heart...

But God acts in his own time,
on a clock whose face we cannot clearly read...

Still, we cry out to the Lord,
trusting that our prayer is never in vain...

Prayer
I return to you today, Lord,
fearful that you no longer listen to my prayer,
that you have turned your face away from mine,
that my troubles no longer merit your attention...

But still I cry out, still I pray
for you to turn and hear my plea,
bend down and wipe my tears away,
and show me the beauty of your face...

If I but see your face
I will know you see mine
and trust again that you care for me
and for the troubles I lay before you...

While I wait for my time to be your time,
I trust that you are there
and that even now you hear me,
even now you are moving within and around me
to bring me the peace I long for,
the peace you have promised...

I trust you, Lord,
and pray you will trust me
to return to you this Lent, day by day,
with my whole heart...
Amen. 2009LentPostCollection

Image: Gwen Meharg

-ConcordPastor