Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 11/18

A word to reflect on:   
O God, you are my God -
   for you I long...
- Psalm 63

O God, you are my God -
   for you I long...

I long for you, Lord,
   and in so many ways...

I long for your wisdom in my daily dilemmas:
   for your counsel in my confusion,
      for your direction, when I'm lost and cannot find my way;
I long for you, O Lord, I long for your wisdom...

I long for your peace in my family:
   when misunderstandings and chips on shoulders
      wedge their way 'tween brothers and sisters,
         parents and children, husbands and wives;
I long for you, O Lord, I long for your peace...

I long for your strength when my spirit falters:
   when my will is weak and conviction fails me,
   when I haven't the courage to say and do
      what your word calls forth from my heart;
I long for you, O Lord, I long for your strength...

I long for your mercy:
   when I fail to love as you've loved me,
   when I fail to forgive as you've forgiven,
   when I refuse to let go what needs forgetting:
I long for you, O Lord, I long for your mercy...

I long for your understanding
   when I'm at odds with friends and neighbors,
      with competitors and colleagues:
   when I refuse to see their point of view
      and fail to do for them what I'd want done for me,
then I long for you, O Lord, I long for your understanding...

I long for your patience:
   when I want things done my way,
      on my schedule, on my terms
         and for my benefit and favor,
when I totally forget to even try

    to care for others' needs
       before I care for mine;
I long for you, O Lord, I long for your patience...

I long for your kindness:
   when I'm in a hurry, self-absorbed,
   when I'm brusque and gruff and curt,
   when my rough edge needs a smoothing buff
      before I scrape against another's heart;
I long for you, O Lord, I long for your kindnesss...

I long for your gentleness:
  when I'm tempted to be rushed and less than careful,
  when a warm and temperate spirit's what I need
  when I'm called to tend the needs and wants of others;
I long for you, O Lord, I long for your gentleness...

I long for your joy:
   when anger and self-pity haunt my soul,
   when jealousy and envy steal my cheer,
   when like a child I whine and pout
      and miss the simple joys of every day;
I long for you, O Lord, I long for your joy...

I long for your goodness:
   when I settle for something less than true,
      less than pure and honest, less than fair and just,
         less than what you want for me 

            to be and do and have;
I long for you, O Lord, I long for your goodness...

And I long for your love:
   when I'm tired of all my stuff and toys and things,
   when my heart's in need of another's love,
   when my soul's athirst for your gentle presence,
I long for you, O Lord, I love for your love...

O God, you are my God  
   - for you I long, always,
       and in so many ways...