Pause for Prayer: THURSDAY 1/30

 

I love this description of the Lord:

The Lord is gracious and merciful, 

slow to anger and of great kindness.
The Lord is good to all 
and compassionate toward all his works.
The Lord is faithful in all his words 
and holy in all his works.
The Lord lifts up all who are falling 
and raises up all who are bowed down.  
The Lord is just in all his ways  
and holy in all his works.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him,  
to all who call upon him in truth.
- Psalm 145

Well, this psalm describes you to a T, Lord -

   a perfect portrait!

But I know you ask me to live and love as you do 
   and it's not easy for me to recognize myself 

      in these same words...

So I ask for your help today, Lord:
   help me be more like you, help me better "fit to a T" 
      how you ask me to live, how you call me to love...

Help me be gracious today, Lord,
   especially with people around me 
      whom I easily take for granted:
          my spouse, my children, my parents;
          my friends and neighbors; my coworkers;
          and those who serve my needs all day long.
With all of these, help me be gracious and kind
   in my words and deeds, in my attitude, 
      in my attention to the people 

         I live and work with...

Help me be slow to anger and merciful today, Lord, 
   to anyone who's offended me,
      anyone who's wronged or failed me:
help me see the breadth and depth of your mercy
   when I offend or wrong or fail you...

Help me be good and compassionate today, Lord,
    and not just to my friends and loved ones
       but to the people who bother and annoy me,
    the people who drive me up the wall,
       the people I try to avoid.
Help me be as good and compassionate with others
   as I would have them be with me...

Help me today, Lord, 

   to be faithful and holy in all my words:
   help me tell the truth and keep my word;
   help me bear witness to what's just and fair;
   help me keep my language and my humor clean;
   help me speak whatever wisdom's mine to share;
   help me speak the words 

      that others truly need to hear;
   and help me know when 

     I should butt out and shut up...

Help me be holy and just at my job, Lord: 
   may I return a fair and full day's work 

       for what I earn.
Keep me honest in my business dealings
   and just in how I treat 

       my customers and colleagues.
Let my faith and prayer 

    make holy any work I do, Lord,
       on or off the clock, at home or on the job,
    for all my deeds should give you praise and glory...

When others call upon me, Lord, today,
   let me hear their needs and any silent plea for help.
Open my eyes and ears, my heart and hands, 
   to those around me and let me never be too busy
      to lift up those whose spirits are falling,
      to raise up those bowed down 

         by burdens and sorrow. 
As you are near and hear me 

   when I call upon your help 

let me be there for others, Lord, 

   as you are there for me...  

In the quiet of my prayer, Lord,
   help me see your face in psalm 145
and give me the desire share with others
   the mercy, kindness, and compassion 

      you offer me...

In the stillness of my prayer, Lord,
   help me see the moments today and every day
      when I might be gracious and slow to anger, 
      when I might be faithful and holy
      and ready to help and lift up those 
         who call upon my help...

Be near to me right now, Lord:
   hear and answer me, lift and raise me up
      when I call upon you in truth...

 

Amen.
 

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