A Concord Pastor Comments: Praying 10 minutes today: TUESDAY 11/20

It is already and it's going to be "one of those weeks!"
In light of that my schedule's long and my time is short,
so I'm re-posting this prayer from months ago...

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

(Before moving on to the reflection below,

spend some quiet time with the scripture verse above...)

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...

To ponder and pray over...

What's goin' on and goin' down in my life
that's difficult to bear these days?
Am I taking the long view, looking for the Lord,
trusting that the Lord is here to help me?
How do I need the Lord's help this week?
today? right now?

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.