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:
Come, bless the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord
Who stand in the house of the Lord
through the long hours of night...
- Psalm 134
I'm blessed, Lord, and I know it:
almost as soon as my head hits the pillow
I fall asleep;
my curse comes in the morning when it's time, again,
to lift my sleepy head and start the day...
But so many folks struggle to get a good night's sleep:
some, with hearts weighed down by worry,
lie awake for hours, tired but teased by thoughts
that nudge awake from slumber's edge
the troubled mind in need of rest...
Some have care for infants
who cry from cribs their need for warmth and milk:
nature's alarm, clocking through the night,
waking those who give what no one else can offer...
Others care for those who can't care for themselves:
the weak, the sick in mind and body:
those who've lost track of night and day, of then and now
and those whose years are long, whose days are short...
Come, bless the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord
Who stand in the house of the Lord
through the long hours of night...
Some are haunted by memories, dreams and nightmares:
Come, bless the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord
Who stand in the house of the Lord
through the long hours of night...
- Psalm 134
(Before moving on to the reflection below,
spend some quiet time with the scripture verse above...)
I'm blessed, Lord, and I know it:
almost as soon as my head hits the pillow
I fall asleep;
my curse comes in the morning when it's time, again,
to lift my sleepy head and start the day...
But so many folks struggle to get a good night's sleep:
some, with hearts weighed down by worry,
lie awake for hours, tired but teased by thoughts
that nudge awake from slumber's edge
the troubled mind in need of rest...
Some have care for infants
who cry from cribs their need for warmth and milk:
nature's alarm, clocking through the night,
waking those who give what no one else can offer...
Others care for those who can't care for themselves:
the weak, the sick in mind and body:
those who've lost track of night and day, of then and now
and those whose years are long, whose days are short...
Come, bless the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord
Who stand in the house of the Lord
through the long hours of night...
Some are haunted by memories, dreams and nightmares:
shades of yesterday or fear of tomorrow
steal a good night's sleep from those who most need rest...
Some keep watch, at home and abroad, defending us:
standing in harm's way, keeping vigil for our safety
lest any power or terror disturb the peace of night...
And some, Lord, for reasons known to you and them alone,
some weep the night away:
their tears a prayer, pleading for your hand to reach
and with your healing mercy touch and wipe each tear away
with words of comfort, hope of promise that a new day
comes for them and with it peace...
Come, bless the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord
Who stand in the house of the Lord
through the long hours of night...
Lord, you keep a faithful watch over all you call your own,
Some keep watch, at home and abroad, defending us:
standing in harm's way, keeping vigil for our safety
lest any power or terror disturb the peace of night...
And some, Lord, for reasons known to you and them alone,
some weep the night away:
their tears a prayer, pleading for your hand to reach
and with your healing mercy touch and wipe each tear away
with words of comfort, hope of promise that a new day
comes for them and with it peace...
Come, bless the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord
Who stand in the house of the Lord
through the long hours of night...
Lord, you keep a faithful watch over all you call your own,
you neither sleep nor slumber;
you keep vigil through the night when we're asleep,
you watch our tossing and our turning
when trials and troubles keep us awake...
Grant good rest and sweet dreams
Grant good rest and sweet dreams
to all your sons and daughters;
rock our troubled hearts to sleep
in your strong and gentle arms;
sing a lullaby of peace to those whose fears
keep them awake;
let the beating of your sacred heart give us faith
to trust that through the night you'll guard us
and you'll keep us for a new day and its morning...
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord
Who stand in the house of the Lord
through the long hours of night...
In the quiet of my prayer, Lord,
through the long hours of night...
In the quiet of my prayer, Lord,
give me rest while I'm awake that I might trust,
when evening comes, that you are always by my side...
Give my soul peace, Lord,
in the stillness of this time with you,
that when shadows lengthen and night falls
no fear will keep my eyes from rest,
from falling fast asleep in your embrace...
Hear my prayer, Lord, for those who long to be refreshed
beneath the blanket of night's darkness,
those who pray, who plead for you to close their eyes
and help them find the rest they need so much...
help us not fear the terror of the night
but in peace, bid us lie down to find the gift
of rest in you and sleep in your safekeeping...
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord
Who stand in the house of the Lord
through the long hours of night...
To ponder and pray over...
What worries and troubles keep me awake at night? Who stand in the house of the Lord
through the long hours of night...
To ponder and pray over...
What keeps me from peaceful rest?
What fears keep my eyes from closing?
What burdens might I need to hand over to the Lord,
that I might lie down freely and fall asleep?
Who stands vigil through the night for my safety?
How might I pray for them today?
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?
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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