the heart, day 3

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

Opening Prayer:
O God, in all ages you have imparted yourself to man and set alight the fire of faith in his heart, grant to me the faith which comes from search.  Cleanse my life from all that negates and crushes faith, and fill it with the purity and honesty that foster it.  Cleanse me from the evil which makes unbelief its friend, and drive it far from me, so that, being willing in all things to do your will, I may know the truth which shall set me free.  Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen. (Daily Prayer Companion  by Samuel M. Shoemaker)

Psalm for the Week: Psalm 73

Scripture for the Day: Isaiah 29:13-16

Reading for Reflection:

The key to this home, this heart of God, is prayer.  Perhaps you have never prayed before except in anguish or terror.  It may be that the only time the Divine Name has been on your lips has been in angry expletives.  Never mind.  I am here to tell you that the Father's heart is open wide—you are welcome to come in.

     Perhaps you do not believe in prayer.  You may have tried to pray and were profoundly disappointed...and disillusioned.  You seem to have little faith, or none.  It doesn't matter.  The Father's heart is wide open—you are welcome to come in. 

     Perhaps you are bruised and broken by the pressures of life.  Others have wronged you, and you feel scarred for life.  You have old, painful memories that have never been healed.  You avoid prayer because you feel too distant, too unworthy, too defiled.  Do not despair.  The Father's heart is wide open—you are welcome to come in.

     Perhaps you have prayed for many years, but the words have grown brittle and cold.  Little ever happens anymore.  God seems remote and inaccessible.  Listen to me.  The Father's heart is wide open—you are welcome to come in.

     Perhaps prayer is the delight of your life.  You have lived in the divine milieu for a long time and can attest to its goodness.  But you long for more:  more power, more love, more of God in your life.  Believe me.  The Father's heart is open wide—you too are welcome to come higher up and deeper in.

     If the key is prayer, the door is Jesus Christ.  How good of God to provide us a way to His heart. (Prayer  by Richard Foster)


Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

Song for the Week: Greater Than Our Hearts

Chorus: You who are greater than our hearts,
Come make your faithful mercies known,
The mind of Christ to us impart
Your constant mind in us be shown

O let us by your cross abide,
You, only you, resolved to know
The Lamb for sinners crucified,
A world to save from endless woe

Repeat Chorus

Take us into your people's rest,
And we from our own works shall cease
With your meek Spirit arm our breast,
And keep our minds in perfect peace

Repeat Chorus

Jesus, for this we calmly wait,
O let our eyes behold you near
Hurry to make our heaven complete,
Appear, our glorious God, appear

Repeat Chorus

Closing Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I ask you to come and lead me on this journey for my heart and for yours.  Be my Guide, and help me recover the lost life of my heart.  When I am confused, grant me clarity and insight.  When I am fearful and tempted to give up or check out, grant me courage to press on. When I am impatient or distracted, bring me back to what matters most.  When I am hurting, comfort me.  But in all, I pray you to restore me to fullness of the heart you set within me.  In your name I pray.  Amen. (The Sacred Romance Workbook by John Eldredge)