A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering

The Good Shepherd of yesterday's scriptures is still with me...
Many readers will be familiar with "Shepherd Me, O God,"
Marty Haugen's setting of Psalm 23 and its beautiful refrain:
          Shepherd me, O God,
          beyond my wants, beyond my fears,
          from death into life..."

Today's Pause for Prayer is meant to help us look at some
of the other passages in life in which we might pray for the
Shepherd's guidance...

Shepherd me, O God,
from here to there,
from where I am to where I'm meant to be,
from this moment to the next,
from today into tomorrow,
from my past into my future...

Shepherd me, O God,
from yesterday's problems
to tomorrow's solutions...

Shepherd me, O God,
from the memories I'm stuck in
to the ones I've yet to make...

Shepherd me, O God,
from all that haunts me from my past
to a future I've yet to experience...

Shepherd me, O God,
from my failings, sins and errors
to the grace of a new beginning...

Shepherd me, O God,
from daydreams and fantasies
to the life that's mine to lead...

Shepherd me, O God,
from my foolish ways
to the wisdom of your path...

Shepherd me, O God,
from selfishness and greed
to a giving, generous spirit...

Shepherd me, O God,
from my prideful arrogance
to humble self-knowledge...

Shepherd me, O God,
from the lies I've come to believe
to the truth that sets me free...

Shepherd me, O God,
from what is less than pure
to what is clean and clear and chaste...

Shepherd me, O God,
from my habits of laziness
to work that satisfies and serves...

Shepherd me, O God,
from my mindless wandering
to the path you'd have me walk...

Shepherd me, O God,
from flirting with temptation
to doing what is right...

Shepherd me, O God,
from prejudice and bias
to understanding and acceptance...

Shepherd me, O God,
from wasting what I have
to sharing all that's mine...

Shepherd me, O God,
from hopelessness and fear
to trust and restored confidence...

Shepherd me, O God,
from feeling sorry for myself
to feeling grateful for my life...

Shepherd me, O God,
from doubts that cloud my thoughts
to faith that fills my soul...

Shepherd me, O God,
from here to there,
from this moment to the next,
from today into tomorrow,
from my past into my future...

Shepherd me, O God,
from all my wants,
from all my fears,
from death into life...

Amen.