he cares

Opening Prayer: O Christ Jesus, when all is darkness and we feel our weakness and helplessness, give us the sense of your presence, your love, and your strength.  Help us to have perfect trust in your protecting love and strengthening power, so that nothing may frighten or worry us, for, living close to you, we shall see your hand, your purpose, your will through all things. ~St. Ignatius

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10

Journal: What words or images from today’s scripture capture your heart for some reason?  Why?  What does God want to say to you today?  What do you want to say to him?

Reflection: It is often my tendency, due to fear, to white-knuckle life rather than to live it in trust and in peace.  I start to worry that God may never show up, that I am really on my own, and I immediately try to manage, control, and manipulate life instead of simply living it—which, in turn, creates even more anxiety and insecurity.  In fact it seems that the harder I try, the more anxious I become.

     Luckily, that’s where Isaiah comes in; to remind me that God is both willing and able to care for me, and my family, and my job, and my world.  My job is not to rigidly control things or try and make things happen.  My job is merely to open my hands, to let go, and to wait on the Lord.  My job is to trust and to pray.  God will come; in his own time and in his own way.  And when he does gladness and joy will overtake us, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.  Thanks be to God!

Prayer

Closing Prayer: In Thy will, O Lord, is my peace.  In Thy love is my rest.  In Thy service is my joy.  Thou art all my heart’s desire.  Amen. (A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie)