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In Case the link above to Henri Nouwen’s Daily Meditation doesn’t work—
Tuesday January 14, 2014
From Unceasing Thinking to Unceasing Prayer
From Unceasing Thinking to Unceasing Prayer
Our minds are always active. We analyze, reflect, daydream, or dream. There is not a moment during the day or night when we are not thinking. You might say our thinking is "unceasing." Sometimes we wish that we could stop thinking for a while; that would save us from many worries, guilt feelings, and fears. Our ability to think is our greatest gift, but it is also the source of our greatest pain. Do we have to become victims of our unceasing thoughts? No, we can convert our unceasing thinking into unceasing prayer by making our inner monologue into a continuing dialogue with our God, who is the source of all love.
Let's break out of our isolation and realize that Someone who dwells in the center of our beings wants to listen with love to all that occupies and preoccupies our minds.
My Commentary:
Wow, talk about coincidence, but today’s LCMS Daily reading includes Psalm 42. This Psalm is all about our struggle with quieting our hearts to feel, know—God’s Peace through Prayer.
Psalm 42
1As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.
2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?
3My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, “Where is your God?”
4These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
5Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help 6and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me.
8By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
9I say to God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?”
10As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?”
11Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.
Outside of daily prayer several times a day with my prayer cross, the Benedictine Jesus Prayer is actually helpful as well to begin to meditate and focus upon your conversation with God. The Jesus Prayer: “Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me, a sinner.” That is the full Jesus Prayer but you can do smaller variations—“Jesus Christ, Son of God have Mercy… or Jesus Christ, Son of God quiet my heart.” Saying this prayer in sync with your breath is quite powerful.
In closing, today’s Psalm reminded me of one of my favorite Cursillo hymns that I found online:
God Bless Your Tuesdays!
Nicole Collins
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