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:
He hushed the storm to silence,
He hushed the storm to silence,
the waves of the sea were stilled.
They rejoiced that the sea grew calm,
that God brought them
to the harbor they longed for...
- Psalm 107 that God brought them
to the harbor they longed for...
(Before moving on to the reflection below,
spend some quiet time with the scripture verse above...)
Wars like storms shake the earth, Lord, and I wonder:
when will you hush them to peace?
Waves of oppression threaten and toss your people and I pray:
still the troubled waters with your glance
and free those bound by tyranny…
Do you wait for us, Lord, the safe and secure,
to hush the clamor of violence on every side?
to work for peace, to end the wars?
to rescue the drowning, to free and bring them home?
And in my own soul, Lord:
when my heart’s peace is roiled with troubles
when will you calm the storm within?
When will you smooth the waves that pull me under
and threaten to drown my faith in fear?
When waves of anxiety wash me ashore
will you be the harbor my soul is seeking?
Will your light guide me safely past the rocks
to find the haven of your embrace
and shelter from the stormy seas?
And when others bear to my soul's door
the peace you promise - will I open up to them?
When others with their words and wisdom calm
the troubled waters of my nights and days,
will I cease my fitful thrashing and come to rest
in the stillness of your grace?
When in ways mysterious, great and small,
you show your gentle hand and touch me
with your healing and your care
will I open to that moment's peace,
the communion of your presence,
reaching out to rescue me,
to be my refuge and hope?
You hush the storm to silence,
the waves of the sea you stilled.
We rejoice that the sea grows calm,
that you bring us, Lord,
to the harbor for which we long...
In the troubled waters of this day, Lord,
help me find in prayer the calm you bring,
the peace that's yours to give, the peace you offer me...
In the stillness of my prayer, Lord,
remind me of the mystery of your ways
and show me how, this day, you've been by my side,
guiding, helping and healing me
through those whose paths, by grace,
have crossed and woven with my own...
Hear my cry for help, Lord
and open my eyes and ears and heart
to all the ways you give answer to my pleas...
Let me miss not a moment
of all the ways you attend to my prayer
my troubles and my needs…
In the world and in my soul, Lord:
hush the storms to silence
and calm the crashing waves;
let all find joy in the mystery of your quiet presence
and in the gentle healing of your touch…
Bring us home to the harbor of your peace, Lord,
to the refuge you promise and provide...
You hush the storm to silence,
the waves of the sea you stilled.
We rejoice that the sea grows calm,
that you bring us, Lord,
to the harbor for which we long...
To ponder and pray over...
What are the storms in my life?
where are the waves that threaten me?
Do I look for, do I sometimes miss, the mystery of the ways
the Lord cares for me each day?
When the Lord, when others throw me a life preserver
do I reach for it? take it? cling to it?
Or, do I try to swim for safety on my own...?
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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