Monday, July 23, 2007

Psalm 63

O God, You are my God; early will I seek you; my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.

So have I looked for you in the sanctuary, to see Your power and your glory.
Because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.

Thus will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips.

When I remember You upon my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.
Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
My soul follows close behind You; your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek my life to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.

But the ruler shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by God shall glory;
but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Glory to God: Lover, Beloved and Love;
As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.

7 comments:

Dr. Laura Marie Grimes said...

Please pray for my Sophia sister Phoebe, who has indefinitely put off her planned ordination due to a painful misunderstanding which we are still working out. I respect her need to wait till she is truly ready to move forward, but also fear that part of this is the inner voices of unworthiness she has been grappling with from inner anguish and decades of having her call denied. So my greatest prayer is that she will be fully healed and freed by God's love so she can move forward in God's time-- and that I be used in whatever way can assist that, and find this deep challenge a transforming and growing experience as well.

Many thanks.

Mary Beth said...

Praying for Phoebe.

Please keep me in your prayers. I am working on taking positive and healing steps for myself after the negative performance review...I feel very much attacked and I believe it is a case of personal retribution (it has been seen before from this person). I will be going to visit HR to discuss options.

In the meantime, I need to stay sweet and sound of heart and do my work. Please, God, help me do so.

smkyqtzxtl said...

Prayers for you Mary Beth and for you Laura as you seek God's divine timing and prayers for Phoebe as well, prayers in the name of JEsus, the Son of our living God and Father. I received a late night call, it was a confession. I too am now needing wisdom as to how to deal with this information as it deals with a family member. The truth must be revealed to them but the knowledge will cause more pain in an already pain filled life.

Rainbow Pastor said...

Prayer for all these intentions--for Phoebe, for Mary Beth, for Pamela. For clarity and trust in God's good time...

I ask your prayers for myself...I too am grappling with a confession made to me and the possible implications for the individual and myself, both now and in the future.

Unknown said...

Laura, thank you for the psalm, which is so quenching after a long, long day.
I join you all in your prayers.

Dr. Laura Marie Grimes said...

Oh, Mary Beth, how rotten...Prayers for guidance, strength, and consolation as you seek to prophetically and lovingly confront this painful situation.

Prayers for everyone else as well, and thank you so much for praying for Phoebe. She is taking some retreat and discernment time, probably extended, which includes very limited contact with me...So all I can do is to pray, be a loving presence awaiting her if and when she is ready to return, trust God working in her good and loving heart, and learn from my own mistake without shame or blame for her or myself...

All things do work together for the good of those who love God...but they're not always fun. Or, as I once heard in a brilliant expansion on the Sound of Music line: "When God closes a door, God opens a window. But the hall in between can be murder!"

Dorcas (aka SingingOwl) said...

Prayers for all going upward now.