NIGHT PRAYER: Saturday 1/7

This evening, Night Prayer begins with a song!

Tomorrow's gospel will tell us that the magi, having found and worshiped the Christ child, were warned in a dream to "go home by another way..." in order to avoid another meeting with the scheming King Herod.

So, take a few minutes to read the whole story here - and then listen to Taylor's wonderful song, before moving on to this evening's Night Prayer...

If a widget doesn't appear below, click here!


 
Home By Another Way by James Taylor

Those magic men the Magi
Some people call them wise
Or Oriental, even kings
Well anyway, those guys
They visited with Jesus
They sure enjoyed their stay
Then warned in a dream of King Herod's scheme
They went home by another way

Yes they went home by another way
Home by another way
Maybe me and you can be wise guys too
And go home by another way
We can make it another way
Safe home as they used to say
Keep a weather eye to the chart on high
And go home another way

Steer clear of royal welcomes
Avoid a big to-do
A king who would slaughter the innocents
Will not cut a deal for you
He really, really wants those presents
He'll comb your camel's fur
Until his boys announce they've found trace amounts
Of your frankincense, gold and myrrh

Time to go home by another way
Home by another way
You have to figure that God's saying play the odds
And go home by another way
We can make it another way
Safe home as they used to say
Keep a weather eye to the chart on high
And go home another way

Home is where they want you now
You can more or less assume that you'll be welcome in the end
Mustn't let King Herod haunt you so
Or fantasize his features when you're looking at a friend

Well it pleasures me to be here
And to sing this song tonight
They tell me that life is a miracle
And I figured that they're right
But Herod's always out there
He's got our cards on file
It's a lead pipe cinch, if we give an inch
Old Herod likes to take a mile

It's best to go home by another way
Home by another way
We got this far to a lucky star
But tomorrow is another day
We can make it another way
Safe home as they used to say
Keep a weather eye to the chart on high
And go home another way

-James Taylor

NIGHT PRAYER

Where is my journey leading me, O God?

Where do my road trips take me? 

Am I seeking Jesus?

Am I finding Jesus?

Am I following Jesus?

 

Are the lights by which I live my life

    leading me to Jesus

        - or to some other destination? 

Do I know where I'm going?

Do I know how to get there? 

Do I ask you for directions?

Is my path bringing me closer to you, O God,

    or leading me down a dead end?

 

Are my dreams real enough, true enough

    to hold me up and sustain me

        when the journey is rough and threatening?

        when I fear I've lost my way?

 

When the Magi found Jesus they did two things:
    they offered him presents
        and then went home - by another way...

 

Finding Jesus, meeting Jesus, changed the Magi.

Yes, they went home,

    but they went home by an alternate route.

Even if their destination was a familiar one,

    meeting Jesus recharted their journey.

 

The Magi's story challenges me, O God, 

    to look at my life’s maps and to discern 

        where I'm headed,

        where I'm going 

        - and how I'm getting there...

 

Does my journey need some course correction?
Do I need to begin to “go home by another way?”

 

Help me find the light of Jesus' star

    shining in my life, in my heart,

        in my thoughts and in my dreams...

 

Help me find Jesus,

    the light no darkness can extinguish,

the One who came to change my heart,

    to change my life, to change my path

        and lead me home, O God, to you...

 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

and watch over me while I dream,

that awake, I might keep watch with you

and asleep, rest in your peace...

 

Amen.

 

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!