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:
Indeed you love truth in the heart,
then in the secret of my heart
teach me wisdom...
- Psalm 51
I like to think, I want to believe
that I know the truth in my heart, Lord.
But the truth be told:
sometimes my heart doesn't know the truth
and sometimes it knows the truth but lies:
I fail to tell the truth to my neighbor;
I try to hide the truth from you, Lord;
I refuse to tell myself the truth...
Indeed you love truth in the heart,
then in the secret of my heart
teach me wisdom...
Sometimes, Lord, because the truth's so hard to accept,
I begin to believe the lies my heart tells.
And here's a curious thing:
it's easier to accept the truth of my weaknesses and failures
than to accept your mercy and love,
your peace and your pardon,
your forgiveness and your love for me...
When my heart fails to find the truth of my own goodness,
I struggle to believe that you could ever love, forgive and care for me.
When my heart is blind to your image printed on my soul
I will not see within me what you find there to love...
When it's hard to believe I'm the work of your hand
then my heart fails to trust how you delight in my being...
Indeed you love truth in the heart,
then in the secret of my heart
teach me wisdom...
Fill my heart with your truth, Lord:
with the truth of who you are for me - my brother and redeemer;
with the truth of who I am before you - a child of your heart;
with the truth of how you love me - freely, fully and with forgiveness...
Sweep from the corners of my heart the fears and doubts
that keep me from knowing you and your love for me,
that keep me from knowing my true self...
Cleanse my heart of the lies I've told myself and others,
lies I've tried to tell you, Lord,
lies that keep me from trusting and believing in you...
Teach me wisdom in the depths of my heart, Lord:
the wisdom found in your Word;
the wisdom I find in my prayer;
the wisdom you offer as food at your table;
the wisdom that keeps me from anger and doubt
and saves me from foolishness and despair...
Indeed you love truth in the heart,
then in the secret of my heart
teach me wisdom...
In the secret of my heart,
teach me wisdom to free my heart
from memories that haunt my thoughts and dreams...
In the secret of my heart,
teach me wisdom to calm the fears
that make tomorrow seem impossible...
In the secret of my heart,
teach me wisdom to soothe the pain
that aches so deep within I cannot find it...
In the secret of my heart,
teach me wisdom to open my heart in trust
to you, to those around me and to the future that is mine...
In the secret of my heart,
teach me wisdom that fills my life with grace
and trains my eye on what is good and pure and true...
In the secret of my heart,
teach me wisdom that strengthens me for this day's tasks
and opens me to find whatever gifts tomorrow brings...
In the secret of my heart,
teach me wisdom to know the truth of your presence,
the truth of your Word and the truth about me:
that I am the work of your hand, Lord,
that in me you take joy and find delight...
Indeed you love truth in the heart,
then in the secret of my heart
teach me wisdom...
In the quiet of my prayer, today, Lord,
open my heart and with your Spirit's breath
freshen my soul, cleanse me of my half-truths
and bathe me in your wisdom...
In the quiet of my prayer, right now, Lord,
in the secret places of my heart known only to you:
teach me wisdom...
In the stillness of my prayer today, Lord,
fill my heart with the truth you love,
with the truth of your love for me...
To ponder and pray over...
What lies in my heart keep me from knowing who I truly am?
What lies in my heart keep me from knowing,
from accepting God's mercy and love for me?
Where and how, in the secret of my heart,
do I need to learn the wisdom of God?
What will I ask of the Lord today?
From this prayer time, what word or phrase will I keep with me
to carry through the rest of my day?(After you spend some time with these questions,
pray the reflection above one more time...)
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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