A Concord Pastor Comments: Pause for Prayer: SUNDAY 9/13

Prayer comes when I put on the brakes, Lord,
   when I pull off life's highway, step aside from my schedule,
      make a place to be still, clear some space in my mind
          and, in my heart's chapel, wait:
             I wait for you, Lord...

And the waiting can be the hard part.
I know you're there, by my side - you're not hiding.
But I wait to see you,
   not with my eyes but with my heart...
I wait to hear you,
   not with my ears but in your word...
I wait for your touch,
   not on my skin but on my soul...

I wait for your presence beside me, around me,
   and especially within me
and only in the stillness, in the quiet
   will I find you...

Your presence is like a fine mist,
      translucent, spun of the Spirit's breath,
a soft but steady light burning
   in dark corners and at the tunnel's end:
only in the stillness, in the quiet
   will I find you whose presence is so real...

Find your delight in the Lord
   who will give you your heart's desire...
Be still before the Lord;
   wait for God...

And though I wait to find you, Lord,
   I know that first you wait for me...

You wait all day for me to call upon your name...
You wait for me to slow my step and find you by my side...
You wait for me to nod my thoughts in your direction,
   to tip my heart towards you when I'm grateful,
      to open my soul's windows to your Spirit...

You wait for me with help for this day's problems...
You wait for me with mercy for my failings...
You wait for me with healing for my bruises...
You wait for me with peace to ease my sorrow...
You wait for me with light to fill my darkness...
You wait for me with grace to bless my nights...
You wait for me to make some time and find a place
      where I might rest and wait for you...

Find your delight in the Lord
   who will give you your heart's desire...
Be still before the Lord;
   wait for God...

Truth be told, Lord, many times I come to prayer,
   not to wait for you
but to wait for you to fix me, mend and heal me,
   to wait for you to answer my questions and solve my problems,
      to wait for you to give me what I need and want and pray for...

And while I know you understand when I pray like this,
   I also know your first desire is simply for me to know you,
      to know your love for me and to love you in return....

Your first desire is to reveal yourself:
   as the One who's waited for me since before all time;
   as the One who waits for me when I'm faithful and when I'm not;
   as the One who waits for me to wait for you...

Your first desire is for me to know that you love me;
   that you have loved me since before all time;
   that you love me when I'm faithful and when I'm not;
   that you love my waiting for you
- even when I'm only waiting to see what you might do for me...

Your first desire is for me to love you in return:
   to love you with the time you've given me
      to wait upon my neighbor's needs and wait for you in prayer;
   to love you when I'm faithful and seek your mercy when I'm not;
   to love you while I wait for you, who wait for me, in love...

Help me to be still, Lord, in your presence:
   help me wait for you, my God...

I find my delight in you, Lord
   for you are my heart's desire...
Be still my soul, before the Lord,
   and wait for God who waits for you...

Amen.