Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Today’s reading

Philippians 2:5-11

“Therefore God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the the glory of the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11).

Prayer

You are Lord, and today I need you to be my Lord. There are many applicants for the job. Their voices echo against the bare walls of my soul, insidiously whispering their insinuations. They seek vulnerable spots in my soul for their attack, dragging me into shadowed halls of no escape where I find no way out.

The voices in the hall arrogantly announce the final word over my life or at least over my day. Jesus, I know my failures all to well. There are too many of them, and too often the same weary inadequacies--my inability to live up to my aspirations, my want of knowledge, my lack of deep insight, my stumbling about to trust and express what little I know, my fear to live from the heart of grace you give and be the human soul you intend. I could go on, ... easily. You get the idea.

But why must these ancient voices arise in my weak moments to accuse and abuse and haunt me into their nether world of non life? Even after all these years I cannot drive them out and prevent their return. So you can see, that is why I need you to be my Lord. For if you are not, I am left to the voices.

But you are the Living Presence of the Loving Mystery, the blessed face of the Eternal Wonder, the height and depth, length and breadth of Illimitable Love--and you are Lord. Last words over all things belong to you. And your word over me is “beloved.” But you have other words: “known” and “chosen,” and “delighted in.” You have known and wanted and loved me since before the birth of the worlds. Such is your good pleasure.

At the sound of your word the taunting voices flee, the doors are opened, the shadows are banished, the breath of life returns to my soul. For you are Lord. And I am yours. Amen.