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My soul waits for God

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Leader: Lord, you have called each of us by name

All: And drawn us together in your love.

Leader: Be with us now

All: as we give our lives to you and your people

Song: My Soul Waits for God by David Haas or other suitable hymn

[pause for personal reflection

Psalm 62 -  Security

..........

For God alone my soul waits in silence;

from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my

salvation, my fortress;

I shall never be shaken.

How long will you assail a person,

will you batter your victim, all of you,

as you would a leaning wall,

a tottering fence?


 

Their only plan is to bring down

a person of prominence.

They take pleasure in falsehood;

they bless with their mouths,

but inwardly they curse.

For God alone my soul waits in silence,

. for my hope is from him.


 

He alone is my rock and my

salvation, my fortress;

I shall not be shaken. On God rests

my deliverance and my honour;

 ..............

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us.

Those of low estate are but a breath;

those of high estate are a delusion;

in the balance they go up; they are

together lighter than a breath.

 

Put no confidence in extortion,

and set no vain hopes on robbery;

if riches increase, do not set your

heart on them.

Once God has spoken; twice have I

heard this:

that power belongs to God, and

steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.

For you repay to all according to their work.

my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Reflection 1:

 

The psalms are such powerful prayers of faith, embracing the entire galaxy of human emotions and experiences. Psalm 62 is no exception. In this particular psalm we pray the truth that only God is worthy of our trust. In the midst of attack by our enemies, both outside and within, we have an amazing peace that no one else can provide. In the midst of all of the noise that can deafen our sanity, a tranquil voice comes. It is the voice of God. And that voice most authentically comes in prayerful silence. This is hard, because being silent, being still and quiet at the center, is a most difficult challenge. We all seek, those of us who are extroverts as well as the most introverted.

 

[pause]

 

Reflection 2:

 

The grace of prayer, of truly hearing and knowing the presence of God, is a gift that eludes us all most of the time. Prayer in its most basic form often becomes an exercise of asking God for something and waiting for it to happen. When our request is denied or does not find fulfillment to our liking, we are tempted to resort to believing that God does not answer our prayers. Actually, God always answers our prayers. The problem is that we do not always like the answer.

 

[pause]

 

Refection 3:

 

We all have our preferred ways to pray. But regardless of what form of prayer we engage in, true prayer, true connection with God, is about discernment. We desperately want to know God's plan for us. Asking for something and magically receiving an answer does not nurture discernment. Prayer is about being still, not doing all the talking, and intentionally listening to what God is trying to say. If we can discipline our minds and our hearts to truly listen, to be still, and to wait, then we can experience God, our God, our rock and strength, who is our survival, our direction, and our protection, our hope, and our very source of breath.

 

[pause]

For personal and shared reflection:

  • What are the struggles in our prayer life?

  • Why is it so difficult to be still, to be quiet, to be open to God speaking?

  • What patterns and places can we discover to help us find stillness in our lives?

     

     

     

    Intercessions...


     

    Our Father....


     

    Closing Prayer:

     

    Gracious and awesome God, we desperately need to hear your voice and to know your direction for our lives, Come now and grace us with the quiet needed to place us in silence with you so we can hear your voice clearly, without distraction, without the noise that can lead us far away from you. Be with us in the quiet so we can hear you, so we can follow you, so we can receive your strength, so we can serve you with the purest heart, and with your will at the center. AMEN


     

    Ray Vercruysse, Edmund Rice Christian Brothers of North America (published January 2012)