calling, saturday

Saturday, August 8

Opening Prayer: Disturb us, Lord, when we are too pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little, when we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore.  Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim.  Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wilder seas where storms will show Your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.  We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes; and to push back the future in strength, courage, hope, and love.  This we ask in the name of our Captain, who is Jesus Christ. ~Sir Francis Drake

Scripture: Acts 9:1-31

Journal: What have been the moments in your life in which God has clearly called you to follow him in a very specific way?  What was that like?  What did it lead to?  Do you feel specifically directed by God, and his call, now?  Why or why not?  What do you think God is calling you to these days?

Reflection:

 

Deep in our hearts, we all want to find and fulfill a purpose bigger than ourselves.  Only such a larger purpose can inspire us to heights we know we could never reach on our own.  For each of us the real purpose is personal and passionate:  to know what we are here to do.  Soren Kierkegaard wrote in his journal:  “The thing is to understand myself, to see what God really wants me to do; the thing is to find the truth which is true for me, to find the idea for which I can live and die.”  (The Call  by Os Guinness)

Prayers

Closing Prayer: Father, you alone know what lies before me this day, grant that in every hour of it I may stay close to you.  Let me today embark on no undertaking that is not in line with your will for my life, nor shrink from any sacrifice which your will may demand.  Suggest, direct, control every movement of my mind; for my Lord Christ’s sake.  Amen. (A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie)