8/4/26
NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 8/4
Sometimes, Lord,
the things I should know best
surprise me,
stop me in my tracks
and strike me as amazing...
That happened this afternoon.
I was sitting still,
(can't recall what I was thinking)
and then there came to mind a thought
that led to many other thoughts
of you and me - so simple -
and yet thoughts that brought a healing balm
to soothe and calm my soul...
I remembered how...
You're always there for me,
watching over me
- whether I'm paying attention or not...
You're always deeply interested
in everything I think or say or do,
in all I imagine, hope and pray for...
You always look upon me
as someone you cherish,
someone you treasure,
someone you've chosen
in spite of my faults and rough edges...
You embrace me
as someone you delight in,
someone you prize,
someone who's unique, special
and one-of-a-kind...
You greet me
as someone you know very well,
someone you understand,
someone you "get"
someone you accept...
You wrap me
in your arms,
in your warmth,
in your kindness
and compassion...
Your love for me is mysterious,
sometimes perplexing,
always mystifying and inviting,
seductive and confounding,
faithful and abiding...
You love me freely, unreservedly,
perfectly, completely,
mercifully and tenderly,
graciously and gently...
But sometimes, Lord - even often -
I forget all this and in self-pity,
I put it all aside;
I lose touch with you
whose hand rests always
soft upon my heart;
I think myself not worthy
of your notice, care and smile;
I forget it's in your image I was made
and of your love that I was born...
And then one afternoon,
your Spirit comes to nudge me
and there comes to mind a thought
that leads to many other thoughts
of you and me - so simple -
and yet thoughts that bring a healing balm
to soothe and calm my soul...
Sometimes, Lord,
the things I should know best
surprise me,
stop me in my tracks
and strike me as amazing...
That happened this afternoon
and for your Spirit's nudge
I give you all my thanks and praise...
Protect me, Lord while I'm awake
and watch over me while I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...
Amen.
The Steadfast Love of the Lord
by Dave Hunt
If a video doesn't appear below, click here!
8/3/26
NIGHT PRAYER: Monday 8/3
It's hard for me to believe that we've been singing Marty Haugen's setting of Psalm 23, Shepherd Me, O God - for 40 years! That's just shy of half my lifetime! So many of Marty's songs have become a comforting, challenging part of our spirituality and life of prayer. Let's take this opportunity to offer a prayer of thanks to God for the gift of Marty Haugen n the life of the Church.
Shepherd me, O God,
through
all my ups and downs,
through my sorrows and my joys
and through the graces and temptations
that come my way each day…
From here to there,
from where I am
to
where I'm meant to be;
from my past into my future,
through this night until the dawn,
from one moment to the next,
Shepherd me, O God…
From yesterday's dilemmas
through the problems of this day
to the peace your Spirit offers...
Shepherd me, O God…
From memories that hold me back.
from dreams that haunt my sleep,
and from fear that holds me captive,
Shepherd me, O God…
From my failings and my sins,
from my careless, selfish ways
to the grace of new beginnings...
Shepherd me, O God…
From fantasies and daydreams
and
from lies I tell myself
to
a life that's real and certain,
Shepherd me, O God…
From my hair-trigger temper
and my quick, impatient ways
to serenity and calm…
Shepherd me, O God…
From my risky, foolish ways,
from my careless, harmful habits
to the path where Wisdom beckons...
Shepherd me, O God…
From my gluttony and greed,
and my hoarding and my spending
to a generous, giving spirit...
Shepherd me, O God…
From my arrogance and pride
to a humble self-surrender...
Shepherd me, O God…
From lies I've told and retold
to the truth that sets me free...
Shepherd me, O God…
From all that's less than pure
to what's clear and clean and chaste...
Shepherd me, O God…
From my anger and resentments,
to mercy and forgiveness...
Shepherd me, O God…
From my lazy waste of time
to work that satisfies and serves...
Shepherd me, O God…
From my mindless, aimless wandering
to paths that lead to you…
Shepherd me, O God…
From my flirting with temptation
to doing what you ask of me,
Shepherd me, O God…
From prejudice and bias
to affirmation and acceptance,
Shepherd me, O God…
From wasting what I have
to sharing generously all that's
mine...
Shepherd me, O God…
From hopelessness and fear
to trust and confidence in you...
Shepherd me, O God…
From feeling sorry for myself
to gratitude for all my blessings,
Shepherd me, O God…
From doubts that cloud my thoughts
to deeper faith that clears my soul...
Shepherd me, O God…
From beyond my wants,
from beyond my fears,
from death into life with you,
Shepherd me, O God…
Protect me, Lord, while I’m awake
and watch over me while I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace…
Amen.
Shepherd Me, O God
by Marty Haugen
If a video doesn't appear below, click here!
Monday Morning Offering: 8/3
Image: George Mendoza
Good morning, good God!
This morning, Lord,
we offer you the prayers
groaning deep within our guts,
searching for a voice
searching for a voice
and longing for some words
to help them come to speech...
to help them come to speech...
We offer you the tired prayers
that haunt our hearts and souls
seeking respite in that harbor
where hope drops anchor,
seeking respite in that harbor
where hope drops anchor,
finds a berth
and puts in for the night...
and puts in for the night...
We offer you those prayers
perched on the tips of tongues
but for which we've found no words
but for which we've found no words
equal to the task
of speaking all our hearts contain
and long to share with you...
And we offer you our prayers, Lord,
the ones that we think foolish,
the pleas that we deem selfish
and the prayers we think too small
- or too large to dare to offer...
the pleas that we deem selfish
and the prayers we think too small
- or too large to dare to offer...
We offer you our secret prayers
embedded long ago, waiting still
to break the silence
that our doubt and fear impose...
embedded long ago, waiting still
to break the silence
that our doubt and fear impose...
We offer you the hushed prayers
that sleep within our souls,
waiting to be wakened
and shouted from our hearts and souls
in hope of reaching yours...
waiting to be wakened
and shouted from our hearts and souls
in hope of reaching yours...
When all we have to say is,
"Lord, we have no words to pray..."
help us trust you welcome such as this
"Lord, we have no words to pray..."
help us trust you welcome such as this
as prayer you take to heart...
Teach our hearts to speak to yours, Lord,
and help our hearts to know,
to grasp and come to understand
what your heart speaks to ours...
and help our hearts to know,
to grasp and come to understand
what your heart speaks to ours...
Encourage us to pray, Lord,
when we find the words to say
and teach us how to pray
- when we have none...
Amen.
when we find the words to say
and teach us how to pray
- when we have none...
Amen.
8/2/26
NIGHT PRAYER: Sunday 8/2
On Sundays, Night Prayer takes its lead from some element of the day's liturgy and so tonight we turn to a line from today's gospel: His heart was moved with pity for them and he cured their sick. (Matthew 14:14)
I often see videos online of folks rescuing wildlife caught in wire, fishing line, fences and other situations where the animal is stuck and can't get free. Very often, these animals fiercely resist the approach and touch of a human - as is their natural response. But then I came across this video where an owl sits quietly and patiently as a man frees it from the fishing line in which the bird had become entangled.
I find in this video an image of God who is moved with pity and approaches us
- to free us from whatever entanglement, predicament or pickle we find
ourselves in - particularly those jams from which we seem unable to free
ourselves. And note how the owl here: remains calm and patient;
trusts
what the rescuer is doing; and allows him access to get right to the
source of the problem... The owl doesn't resist, doesn't screech,
doesn't fend off a helping hand, doesn't resort to its natural responses - but rather yields to the intervention of a power much greater than itself and surrenders to a touch gentler than it may ever before have known. And don't miss how the owl, once letting go any jealous self-control, begins and learns to trust another's saving hand - and rests, even when freed - in the company of his deliverer...
Let's pray...
O God - I'm an owl!
I'm an owl stuck on a branch,
knotted up in my own troubles,
tied down in ways I can't escape,
tethered to a lonely perch, grounded
when I want so much to fly
and be from all that holds me...
Have pity on me, Lord,
and come and heal what ails my heart;
what binds my soul and keeps me down;
what keeps my wings from spreading
and flying to the safety
of your outstretched, open arms...
And, Lord:
deliver me me from thinking
- I can do this on my own...
Deliver me from anger, my self-pity
and my tantrums
and the isolation I mistake
as shelter for my pain...
Deliver me from panic
and the fear from which it comes;
from the worry that I'll never have
what my heart wants the most...
Help me to surrender, Lord,
to you and to your grace,
to your gentle, healing touch
right where my pain is most acute...
Help me remain calm, Lord,
in the chaos of my fears
while the finger of your wisdom
deftly lights and makes a way
to the freedom I desire
and that only you can give...
Help me trust you're there, Lord
when I'm feeling most alone,
when I fear I've been forgotten
with no one left to care...
Help me see you're by my side, Lord,
at work to set me free
and that day by day, hour by hour,
your grace is healing me...
Make me wise, Lord, like the owl,
give me patience with my lot,
and help me trust in your desire
to gently set me free...
Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake
and watch over me while I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep rest in your peace...
Amen.
Two songs this evening... The first is not a hymn but a haunting song which speaks of the loneliness of the owl - and the friendship it shares with the wind and the moon. Since tonight's prayer asks for calm and patience in waiting for the Lord's healing, this tune seems appropriate... The second is a fine hymn I've offered here many times: appropriate when recalling the fabled wisdom of the owl - an ode to the wisdom of God...
The Owl, the Wind and the Moon
by Mark Burrows
If a video doesn't appear below, click here!
The Perfect Wisdom of Our God
by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty
If a widget doesn't appear below, click here!
The perfect wisdom of our God,
Revealed in all the universe:
All things created by His hand,
And held together at His command.
He knows the mysteries of the seas,
The secrets of the stars are His;
He guides the planets on their way,
And turns the earth through another day.
The matchless wisdom of his ways
That mark the path of righteousness,
His word a lamp unto my feet,
His Spirit teaching and guiding me.
His word a lamp unto my feet,
His Spirit teaching and guiding me.
And, oh, the mystery of the Cross,
That God should suffer for the lost
So that the fool might shame the wise
And all the glory might go to Christ.
Oh grant me wisdom from above,
To pray for peace and cling to love,
And teach me humbly to receive
The sun and rain of Your sovereignty
Each strand of sorrow has a place
Within this tapestry of grace;
So through the trials I choose to say:
"Your perfect will, in your perfect way."
NIGHT PRAYER: Sunday 8/2
On Sundays, Night Prayer takes its lead from some element of the day's liturgy and so tonight we turn to a line from today's gospel: His heart was moved with pity for them and he cured their sick. (Matthew 14:14)
I often see videos online of folks rescuing wildlife caught in wire, fishing line, fences and other situations where the animal is stuck and can't get free. Very often, these animals fiercely resist the approach and touch of a human - as is their natural response. But then I came across this video where an owl sits quietly and patiently as a man frees it from the fishing line in which the bird had become entangled.
I find in this video an image of God who is moved with pity and approaches us
- to free us from whatever entanglement, predicament or pickle we find
ourselves in - particularly those jams from which we seem unable to free
ourselves. And note how the owl here: remains calm and patient;
trusts
what the rescuer is doing; and allows him access to get right to the
source of the problem... The owl doesn't resist, doesn't screech,
doesn't fend off a helping hand, doesn't resort to its natural responses - but rather yields to the intervention of a power much greater than itself and surrenders to a touch gentler than it may ever before have known. And don't miss how the owl, once letting go any jealous self-control, begins and learns to trust another's saving hand - and rests, even when freed - in the company of his deliverer...
Let's pray...
O God - I'm an owl!
I'm an owl stuck on a branch,
knotted up in my own troubles,
tied down in ways I can't escape,
tethered to a lonely perch, grounded
when I want so much to fly
and be from all that holds me...
Have pity on me, Lord,
and come and heal what ails my heart;
what binds my soul and keeps me down;
what keeps my wings from spreading
and flying to the safety
of your outstretched, open arms...
And, Lord:
deliver me me from thinking
- I can do this on my own...
Deliver me from anger, my self-pity
and my tantrums
and the isolation I mistake
as shelter for my pain...
Deliver me from panic
and the fear from which it comes;
from the worry that I'll never have
what my heart wants the most...
Help me to surrender, Lord,
to you and to your grace,
to your gentle, healing touch
right where my pain is most acute...
Help me remain calm, Lord,
in the chaos of my fears
while the finger of your wisdom
deftly lights and makes a way
to the freedom I desire
and that only you can give...
Help me trust you're there, Lord
when I'm feeling most alone,
when I fear I've been forgotten
with no one left to care...
Help me see you're by my side, Lord,
at work to set me free
and that day by day, hour by hour,
your grace is healing me...
Make me wise, Lord, like the owl,
give me patience with my lot,
and help me trust in your desire
to gently set me free...
Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake
and watch over me while I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep rest in your peace...
Amen.
Two songs this evening... The first is not a hymn but a haunting song which speaks of the loneliness of the owl - and the friendship it shares with the wind and the moon. Since tonight's prayer asks for calm and patience in waiting for the Lord's healing, this tune seems appropriate... The second is a fine hymn I've offered here many times: appropriate when recalling the fabled wisdom of the owl - an ode to the wisdom of God...
The Owl, the Wind and the Moon
by Mark Burrows
If a video doesn't appear below, click here!
The Perfect Wisdom of Our God
by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty
If a widget doesn't appear below, click here!
The perfect wisdom of our God,
Revealed in all the universe:
All things created by His hand,
And held together at His command.
He knows the mysteries of the seas,
The secrets of the stars are His;
He guides the planets on their way,
And turns the earth through another day.
The matchless wisdom of his ways
That mark the path of righteousness,
His word a lamp unto my feet,
His Spirit teaching and guiding me.
His word a lamp unto my feet,
His Spirit teaching and guiding me.
And, oh, the mystery of the Cross,
That God should suffer for the lost
So that the fool might shame the wise
And all the glory might go to Christ.
Oh grant me wisdom from above,
To pray for peace and cling to love,
And teach me humbly to receive
The sun and rain of Your sovereignty
Each strand of sorrow has a place
Within this tapestry of grace;
So through the trials I choose to say:
"Your perfect will, in your perfect way."
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