As usual, dear One......It takes me a little while to catch on to what turns out to be plain old, everyday Biblical truths. I guess I am not sure how I seem to miss these important things. I think my spiritual journey would be so much less bumpier and drama-filled if I could remember to draw on the past knowledge of the scriptural truths, I've read through the years. The "Lords' Prayer". How these words.....no matter what version.....speak to the heart and soul of all individuals. "Our Father.....Who art in heaven....Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come......Thy will be done.....in earth....as it is.....in heaven. Give us this day , our daily bread......and forgive us our debts.....as we forgive our debtors. And.....lead us not into temptation.....but, deliver us from evil......for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.....forever. Amen." Dear One.....when we moan to You about not being able to pray.....and lately I myself, have done that very thing.....I should be ashamed. Repeating that prayer, is following Your leadership in praying. And.....above all of that....is being obedient.
Another prayer that we should be quick to memorize and recite when nothing else is working.....is the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. Could You tell me why we don't "put ourselves out there" by repeating the words of this particular prayer. Recently finding myself listening and silently repeating the words were enlightening. "Lord....make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love....where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith....Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light.....and where there is sadness, Joy. O divine master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console.....to be understood as to understand....To be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive....It is in pardoning that WE are pardoned....and it's in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
I think that we look for reasons to not behave ourselves.....to not be the "Instrument of Your peace" that You would want us to be.....I think mostly because we do not want to be told we are wrong. That perhaps we are disobeying Your plan with all the "most righteous of reasons". " Who? Me, Lord? Oh, no!! You've got it all wrong."
I need to be so careful, Lord. I could possibly be stepping all over my own feet trying to get out of Your way. Especially when I think I am helping You. Dear One.....You know the cries of my heart. You know what I can do.....and what I can't. You know when I am trying.....and when I am faking it. But, You also know, with all this conundrum of pleas.....and prayers, promises and plans.....I need You to always bring me back to Your plan for me......not. someone.else. I can do Your plan for me.....because I know that You know I can do it.
The Serenity Prayer has been around for quite awhile.....Oh, my! It has given life to many a dying soul. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change......Courage to change the things I can....and the wisdom to know the difference." How clear is this? Only those who believe in the sanctity of saying these words and meaning them with a wholeness of heart.....will survive their plight.
Bottom line for me is in Proverbs 3:4-6......"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Lean not to your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him.....and He shall direct thy paths."
No matter who we are.....or how smart we are.....we defer to an all knowing God. Omniscient. He knows what He is doing. Lord, the teacher, preacher, mother part of me, wants to "help you". I ask Lord, that the sabbatical I've been on could be extended a bit......so, I can learn more and more of the plans You have for me.
All of this I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
