quieting, day 5

Come to Stillness:
Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God.

Opening Prayer:

Uncrowd my heart, O God,

until silence speaks

in your still small voice;

turn me from the hearing of words,

and the making of words,

and the confusion of much speaking,

to listening,

waiting,

stillness,

silence.

                                ~Thomas Merton

Psalm for the Week: Psalm 23

Scripture for the Day: Lamentations 3:19-28

Reading for Reflection:

Without solitude it is virtually impossible to live a spiritual life.  Solitude begins with a time and place for God, and Him alone.  If we really believe not only that God exists but also that He is actively present in our lives—healing, teaching, and guiding—we need to set aside time and space to give Him our undivided attention. (Making All Things New by Henri J.M. Nouwen)

                                                                                   

Hasten unto Him who calls you in the silences of your heart. (A Testament of Devotion by Thomas R. Kelly)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

Song for the Week: Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Closing Prayer:

O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and

rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be

our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee,

to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou

art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(The Book of Common Prayer)