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:
You have been told what is good
and what the Lord asks of you:
Only do what is right,
love what is good
and walk humbly with your God...
- Michah 6
(Before moving on to the reflection below,
You have been told what is good
and what the Lord asks of you:
Only do what is right,
love what is good
and walk humbly with your God...
- Michah 6
(Before moving on to the reflection below,
spend some quiet time with the scripture verse above...)
So I guess I can't complain that I don't know the rules, Lord.
You're clear in letting me know just what you expect of me:
to do the right thing,
to love what is good
and to walk humbly by your side...
That sounds simple, Lord,
but I think I still need a little help with this...
Sometimes I see right away
what's the right and what's the wrong thing to do -
but other times it's not so clear.
Sometimes there are several good things to do
and I need to make a choice...
And sometimes when it's the wrong thing I want to do
I convince myself it's a good thing!
Yup! I need help with this...
I need your eyes to help me see the difference
between right and wrong...
I need your wisdom to help me know what I should do,
especially when I'm leaning in the wrong direction...
I need your Spirit to help me want to do the right thing,
especially when the wrong thing is very appealing...
Help me to do the right thing today, Lord,
and stay faithful to it and see it through...
You have been told what is good
and what the Lord asks of you:
Only do what is right,
love what is good
and walk humbly with your God...
It's the same way with learning to love what's good.
You know the truth of it, Lord:
sometimes my body and my heart long for what's not so good,
even for things that are bad for me or for others...
Sometimes I find myself wanting what's unhealthy,
unwise, unfair - and for what's not mine...
Sometimes I desire the wrong things or the wrong person...
Sometimes I desire what's good but in a wrong or selfish way...
Sometimes, I waste my heart's desires
on the quick and easy, the slick and pleasurable;
on what's cheap and selfish...
My heart was made for greater love
and in my heart of hearts I know this...
Help me to love what's good, Lord,
and to settle for nothing less...
You have been told what is good
and what the Lord asks of you:
Only do what is right,
love what is good
and walk humbly with your God...
When I do the wrong thing, Lord,
when my heart's desires go astray,
it's not easy to walk by your side:
I'm embarrassed and ashamed -
it's hard to look you in the eye...
But when I do what's right and love what's good
then it's my joy and my strength
to find you close at hand...
I'm beginning to see, Lord,
how these three simple commands work together
to bring me your peace and keep me at peace
with you and all I know and meet...
You have been told what is good
and what the Lord asks of you:
Only do what is right,
love what is good
and walk humbly with your God...
I'll have to be careful, Lord, lest the simplicity here
trick me into thinking it's easy - I know it's not!
I know I'll have to keep my eyes and ears open,
my mind clear and my heart pure,
so that I'll know the right thing to do,
the good things to love
and the path to walk that keeps my by your side...
That's what you've asked of me, Lord,
and now I've been told
so I can't protest that I didn't know...
Keep me faithful to these simple rules, Lord,
and shape my days and nights according to their wisdom...
In the quiet of my prayer,
remind me of what you always ask
and what you ask of me today...
In the stillness, Lord, help me see and hear
what's right and just, what's good in your eyes
and fill my heart with a hunger for what you love...
In the stillness, Lord, let me sit by your side
and when my prayer is done, let me stand
and walk this day, humbly, by your side...
You have been told what is good
and what the Lord asks of you:
Only do what is right,
love what is good
and walk humbly with your God...
To ponder and pray over...
do I ask for the Lord's strength and help?
Of all the things I treasure, some are more valuable than others:
what are they? how will I thank God for these treasures today?
The Lord walks always by my side,
my companion in good times and in bad: do I walk with him?
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?
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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