A Concord Pastor Comments: Pause for Prayer: THURSDAY 12/1

From the Indigo Girls song Watershed

Starve the emptiness,
feed the hunger...

From St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153 A.D.)

Where is God’s word to be kept?
Obviously, in the heart, as the prophet says,
    “I have hidden your words in my heart,
    so that I may not sin against you.”

Keep God’s word in this way.
Let it enter your very being,
    let it take possession of your desires
    and your whole way of life.

Feed on goodness
    and your soul will delight in richness.
Remember to eat your bread
    or your heart will wither away.
Fill your soul with richness and strength.

If you keep the word of God in this way,
    it will also keep you.

From a Concord Pastor:

Lord Jesus,
take possession of my desires:
    tame them, heal them,
    shape them, mold them,
    use them for your glory.

Take possession of my desires,
   the rest of my day,
   and my whole way of life.

Amen.

Pause for prayer...

The Lord has a word for you today,
   a word to feed the emptiness
of a starving heart...

Will you make the time and find a quiet place
   to listen for the word he waits to give you?

Will you pray with that word
   and take it with you
      for the rest of the day, or longer?

Will you keep that word?

Will you let that word tame you and heal you?

Will you let that word keep you?

The Lord has a word for you today...

Having trouble hearing, getting that word from the Lord?
Pick up the scriptures and read until you come to a story
a verse, a phrase, a word that speaks to you - let that be the
Lord's word for you today. I'd suggest beginning with the
book of Psalms or the gospel of Luke.