Find a quiet time and place to pray... take a few deep breaths...
be still... and know that God is near...
When you turn back to him
with all your heart,
to do what is right before him,
then he will turn back to you
and no longer hide his face from you...
- Tobit 13
(Before moving on to the reflection below,
spend some quiet time with the scripture verse above...)
Sometimes, Lord, it does seem
that you've turned away from me,
that you've hidden your face from me...
At least, sometimes, that's how it feels...
But would you ever turn away from me, Lord?
Would you ever hide your face from me?
Would you ever forget me?
I don't think so.
In fact, I don't believe so, Lord.
No, I'm the one who turns away from you.
I'm the one who tries to hide from your eyes
while all the while you seek me out, you pursue me,
you show me the face of your mercy...
It's me who plays hide-and-seek with you, Lord, while all the while you seek me out, you pursue me,
you show me the face of your mercy...
but there's no hiding from you no matter how hard I try...
Like a child I pretend that if I turn my back to you,
I'll become invisible, that if I run and hide, you won't see me
and I'll escape the light, the truth of your gaze...
Sometimes I try to hide, Lord,
because I'm ashamed of what I've done or failed to do;
embarrassed by my words or deeds, I try to hide
until I've "put myself back together..."
I try to slip out of sight but you never look away,
so faithful is your vigil over me...
But I can't hide from you,
especially when I need you, Lord...
In your mercy, only you can see and mend and heal
what's wounded, broken and hidden within me...
When you turn back to him
with all your heart,
to do what is right before him,
then he will turn back to you
and no longer hide his face from you...
It's the light of your truth, Lord, that reveals my need
to stand before you, face to face,
to turn back to you with all my heart:
to let the light of your truth brand my soul with your mercy
and heal me with your grace...
Then, redeemed by your love, I'll have no need
to hide from your face
or to hide my face from you...
Then, with my heart turned 'round
I'll hear your word of truth,
I'll hear you call my name,
I'lll hear you call me to do as you ask:
to love you with all my heart and mind and soul
and to love my neighbor as myself...
This Lent, Lord, help me stop playing games:
no more hide-and-seek!
I know you watch my every step:
not to catch me when I fail
but to lift me when I fall;
not to stalk my every move
but to strengthen me in faith;
not to weigh my every deed
but to wait my heart's return...
Guard me every step of the way, Lord,
lest I fail or fall, lest I weaken in faith,
lest my heart resist your care for me...
When you turn back to him
with all your heart,
to do what is right before him,
then he will turn back to you
and no longer hide his face from you...
Help me turn back to you with all my heart:
to begin again, to start fresh this Lent,
to live a day at a time in your sight...
When I do what's right before you, Lord,
it's my joy to stand before your face.
Help me do what's right,
what's honest and just, what's pure and true,
what's loving, forgiving and reconciling...
Help me turn my heart to you:
show me the light of your truth
and shine on me with the warmth of your face...
In the quiet of my prayer right now,
help me be honest
and hide nothing from your merciful eyes...
In this quiet time,
let me turn back to you with all my heart
and pledge to do what's right before you...
Help me turn back to you, Lord, with all my heart;
help me do what's right in your eyes;
turn back to me, Lord,
and let your face shine upon me...
and I'll escape the light, the truth of your gaze...
Sometimes I try to hide, Lord,
because I'm ashamed of what I've done or failed to do;
embarrassed by my words or deeds, I try to hide
until I've "put myself back together..."
I try to slip out of sight but you never look away,
so faithful is your vigil over me...
But I can't hide from you,
especially when I need you, Lord...
In your mercy, only you can see and mend and heal
what's wounded, broken and hidden within me...
When you turn back to him
with all your heart,
to do what is right before him,
then he will turn back to you
and no longer hide his face from you...
It's the light of your truth, Lord, that reveals my need
to stand before you, face to face,
to turn back to you with all my heart:
to let the light of your truth brand my soul with your mercy
and heal me with your grace...
Then, redeemed by your love, I'll have no need
to hide from your face
or to hide my face from you...
Then, with my heart turned 'round
I'll hear your word of truth,
I'll hear you call my name,
I'lll hear you call me to do as you ask:
to love you with all my heart and mind and soul
and to love my neighbor as myself...
This Lent, Lord, help me stop playing games:
no more hide-and-seek!
I know you watch my every step:
not to catch me when I fail
but to lift me when I fall;
not to stalk my every move
but to strengthen me in faith;
not to weigh my every deed
but to wait my heart's return...
Guard me every step of the way, Lord,
lest I fail or fall, lest I weaken in faith,
lest my heart resist your care for me...
When you turn back to him
with all your heart,
to do what is right before him,
then he will turn back to you
and no longer hide his face from you...
Help me turn back to you with all my heart:
to begin again, to start fresh this Lent,
to live a day at a time in your sight...
When I do what's right before you, Lord,
it's my joy to stand before your face.
Help me do what's right,
what's honest and just, what's pure and true,
what's loving, forgiving and reconciling...
Help me turn my heart to you:
show me the light of your truth
and shine on me with the warmth of your face...
In the quiet of my prayer right now,
help me be honest
and hide nothing from your merciful eyes...
In this quiet time,
let me turn back to you with all my heart
and pledge to do what's right before you...
Help me turn back to you, Lord, with all my heart;
help me do what's right in your eyes;
turn back to me, Lord,
and let your face shine upon me...
To ponder and pray over...
How do I try to hide from the Lord's face?
Why do I try to hide? What do I try to hide?
Where in my life do I need to turn back to the Lord
and do what's right in his eyes?
Am I ready for the hide-and-seek to stop?
What will I ask of the Lord today? Am I ready for the hide-and-seek to stop?
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.
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