NIGHT PRAYER: Thursday 7/2

I spend a fair amount of time, Lord - waiting for you -

but I'm not even sure what I'm waiting for:

- do I wait for you to appear that I might see you?

- do I wait for you to speak that I might hear you?

- do I wait upon your touch that I might feel you?

- do I wait for you to mend and fix my brokenness

or for your healing to make me hale and hearty

- do I wait for you to fill me with your joy?

- do I wait for you to answer all my prayers?

Of course, I'd be very pleased

should you come to me in any or all of these ways!

But most of the time

I just keep on waiting - although I often wonder:

- have you appeared and I've not noticed you?

- have you spoken a word I did not hear?

- have you reached out but I've not felt your hand upon me?

- have you offered healing I've ignored or just refused?

- have your brought me joy I've turned from in self-pity?

- have you answered my prayer

in ways I hadn't hoped for or expected?

I think it's very possible that in any or all of these ways

I've missed you in my waiting

and so I pray and wait some more, Lord,

and then I pray again and wait
- and then I wait some more...

In my prayer tonight, Lord:

- let me close my eyes and see your face

- let me listen in the stillness

and hear your word of love

- let me feel your touch upon my heart

- let me know the healing your grace brings

- let me lift my heart to this day's joy

and in all of this

- let me hear an answer to my prayer...

I pray and I wait, Lord, but not in vain:

- for whether or not I see you

      I trust you're always with me

- whether or not I hear your voice

      I know you call me by my name

- whether or not I feel your touch,

      I know your arms reach out to hold me

- whether or not I'm healed today

I know your mercy bathes my wounds

- whether or not I find your joy,

I know your Spirit fills my soul

- whether or not I hear you answer

      I know you always hear my prayer...

And so I pray and wait - and wait and pray

and in my waiting, Lord,

I pray you'll come and that I'll find you

as you draw near in search of me...

Protect me, Lord, as I wait and pray

and watch over me as I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch for you

and asleep, wait in deep and restful peace...

Amen.

There may be times in your life
when nothing seems to be going right
Your way gets hard and the road is full
then my God will come to see me through.

Even when I get discouraged,
sometimes when I get discouraged
even when I get discouraged,
I'll just wait on God.

You might have doubts and you might have fear
problems may come and they might bring tears
but don't you worry and don't give up
if you wait on God, he will show up.

Even when I get discouraged,
sometimes when I get discouraged
even when I get discouraged,
I'll just wait on God.

If you wait, wait I say on the Lord,
My God will see you through, yes.

If you wait, no matter how long, wait I say

All you gotta do is wait, I say!

I said all you gotta do is
just hold your peace
and let him fight your battles

Even when I get discouraged,
sometimes when I get discouraged
even when I get discouraged,
I'll just wait on God.