A Concord Pastor Comments: Praying 10 minutes today: WEDNESDAY 5/8

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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:
As the deer longs for streams of water,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
My being thirsts for God, the living God.
When can I go and see the face of God?
-Psalm 42

(Before moving on to the reflection below,

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

This psalm makes me sound too holy, Lord,
   certainly holier than I think I am.
But the image of the deer drinking from the pond
   - that's me!

I search for something deep within, Lord,
   I thirst for what I really want from you
but even when I find it
   - I only take a sip...

Afraid to drink too deeply,
   I moisten my lips and take a cautious sip,
careful not to gulp too much
   lest I get drunk on you, lest you intoxicate my soul
and I lose myself in waters deep, over my head
   my feet not touching bottom
      - lost in you...

As the deer longs for running streams
   so my soul longs for you, O God,
but the waters of your grace run deep and sometimes dark

and even if I swim in faith I fear I'd lose myself in you,

that I'd be gone, no trace of me to find
- and only you'd remain...

And yet I know how pure your waters flow,
   refreshing all the life that's mine in you,
sustaining what you've given me
and quenching every thirst that I might have
   for mercy, peace, for joy and truth, for knowing
      - I am loved...

You bid me drink and slake my thirst for you,
   to have no fear that any harm would come my way
from downing the sweet waters you supply,
      from quaffing the deep cup of life you offer
- and fill and fill again...

As the deer longs for streams of water,
   so my soul longs for you, O God.
My being thirsts for God, the living God.
When can I go and see the face of God?

In your waters I'll not drown, Lord:
   I'll find the clear reflection of your face,
      of you the living God whom my heart seeks,
         for whom my soul is thirsty
             - you alone will give me peace...

Lead me to your waters, Lord,
   that I might drink, not sip, but deeply drink
and taste your sweet refreshment on my lips and in my mouth
   until my thirst is quelled...

Intoxicate my spirits 'til I dive into your grace
   and in your depths find peace I've never known;
until I drown in waters giving life, not death,
   until my spirit swims as one with yours
      - in peace...

In the quiet of my prayer, Lord,
   bring me to waters of your grace
where I might sip and taste, then deeply drink
   the sweetness of your cup...

In the stillness, Lord, calm my fears
   and I will dive into your depths:
      in over my head,
      my feet not touching bottom,
      lost in you and in your peace...

In your cool fresh living waters
   quench my thirst for you, O Lord,
and in those waters let me find reflected
   the face of God who saves me...

As the deer longs for streams of water,
   so my soul longs for you, O God.
My being thirsts for God, the living God.
When can I go and see the face of God?

To ponder and pray over...

Am I afraid to find the God I seek?
Do I sip God's presence
when I might drink more deeply?
What am I afraid I might lose of myself
were I to dive into the waters of God's life and love?
Would any other water taste as sweet?
Would any other waters be more refreshing?
Do I trust that God's desire is to quench my thirst for peace?

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.