grasping, day 5

Come to Stillness:

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

Opening Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive me when my bleeding and wounded heart causes me to grasp for life and relief from any and every source available. Instead, help me to reach only for you—that I might touch the fringe of your robe and find healing and wholeness for the brokenness of my heart and soul. In Your Name I pray. Amen. (JLB)

Psalm for the Week: Psalm 16

Scripture for the Day: Romans 7:14-25

Reading for Reflection:

When at last I cling to you with all my being, for me there will be no more sorrow, no more toil.  Then at last I shall be alive with true life, for my life will be wholly filled by you. (Confessions by St Augustine)

     No one had taught me that if a branch detaches itself from the vine and tries to be a vine itself, it will wither and die.  No one had pointed out that if a shepherd is not fed as well as the sheep, that shepherd will begin to starve and may end up devouring the sheep.  In our hunger, we feed on others in many covert as well as overt ways!  Or perhaps a shepherd determined to “die to self” may allow the sheep to devour him or her!  That too can happen in many grim ways.  We have all seen (and sometimes experienced) ministries that have become a hemorrhage, a dying, rather than a fulfilling and fulfilled life. (Feed My Shepherds by Flora Slosson Wuellner)


Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

Song for the Week: Tender Mercy

Hear my cry for mercy
As I call to You
As I lift my hands in Spirit
And in Truth

We cry mercy
(in the name of the Father most Holy)
We cry mercy
(in the name of the Son Who was slain)
Lord have mercy
(in the name of the Spirit indwelling)
Tender mercy Lord
You are mercy (in the name of the Father most Holy)
You are mercy (in the name of the Son Who was slain)
Lord have mercy (in the name of the Spirit indwelling)
Tender mercy Lord

           In Your tender mercy
           Brought by grace through faith
           I will lift my heart
           Toward Your most Holy place

Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, give me the grace and the strength and the courage to take off that which I use to cover myself; and to clothe myself only and always in you alone. Amen. (JLB)