I promised a friend I'd pray for him
as he faces some choices with life-long possibilities.
I told him I'd pray he'll be able to lift his head
- up out of his day-to-day, work-world stuff
- up out of the many things pulling him one way or another;
- up out of any given season's conflicts and confusion
and all this to look ahead to what his heart truly desires
and to understand what he might need to do, even forgo,
to achieve what will bring him real peace.
In praying for my friend, Psalm 121 came to mind.
It seems to me that stepping aside from the day-to-day,
lifting one's head up out of the business-as-usual
and looking beyond the moment's needs and desires
just might be something all of us could pray for ourselves...
Find a quiet time and place to pray...
take a few deep breaths... be still...
and know that God is near...
A word to reflect on:
I lift up my eyes to the mountains.
From where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth... Psalm 121
Lots goin' on, Lord - and some days there's just too much...
I've got choices and decisions to make,
responsibilities to meet,
and more desires than I can count...
I've got a job to do, bills to pay and people to care for;
I've got plans to make and a future to shape;
I've got a heart to give and a life to live...
So much goin' down, Lord,
and sometimes I'm so caught up in all of it
I don't know what to do or where to turn -
and I'm not sure where it's all heading...
(And more and more I'm thinking, Lord,
it's pretty important that I know where I'm going
and where this path I'm on is taking me!)
So, slow me down, Lord,
and let me take a few deep breaths...
Let me find some quiet time, a quiet place,
to sit and talk with you...
Let me lift up my eyes to the mountains,
lift my head up out of all my worries, mistakes and concerns -
even out of the fun times, the good times that can distract me
and keep me from looking at the big picture...
I need to lift up my eyes to the mountains, Lord,
because I know I need more help than I can give myself...
And let me lift up my eyes from the sandy beach
and out towards that horizon
where the tides of my nights and day
meets the endless beauty of your heavens...
I need to look out over the ocean, Lord,
hoping my heart will see what my eyes often miss:
the life ahead for me,
the life I'm called to plan, to shape and to live...
Give me some quiet time, Lord,
to come to know the path of my heart's desire,
not just for today or tomorrow - but for the long haul...
Help me understand what I really want
from this life that's mine to live and share...
And show me what I have to offer, Lord,
and what you might ask in return
for all you've given me...
Lots goin' on, Lord... so much goin' down:
choices and decisions, responsibilities and desires,
plans to make, a future to shape, a heart to give, a life to live...
So, when I lift up my eyes to the hills
and scan the horizon from my sandy shore,
come and help me, Lord...
You who made the heavens and the earth,
the mountains and the oceans,
come help me make of my life
the best of what you've given me
and the best of what I can offer in return...
Here are some tips for praying 10 minutes a day. If you find these daily prayer reminders helpful, please let me know - and share them with others. You'll find an archive of these daily posts here.
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These daily prayers are a consolation - an opportunity to be mindful and grateful. At the same time they are provocative: why am I NOT paying attention to the life around and within me, why am I NOT the first to forgive, the first to be generous, the one who lets go of small - and large-grievences? Indeed, I need to lift up my eyes to the hills for many reasons.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Father Austin.
I am so grateful for today's sentiment, as I too have possibly life-changing decisions ahead of me in the coming weeks. Thank you, Concord, Pastor!!
ReplyDelete