Recently the balance between words and silence in my prayers has changed. I still say the Lord’s Prayer, intercede for others, and pray for peace, but beyond this my need for words seems to be dying away without any effort on my part at all.
I decided to collect together the prayers which have grown out of this inner silence, making them into a little book. If new prayers on this subject arise, I will add them here, one by one.
***
I seek you, Lord
In wordless prayer,
And listen
For your silent voice.
I badly need
Your light and peace;
I long to see you,
And rejoice.
I find you, Lord,
In wordless prayer:
You greet me
With your loving kiss.
You speak to me
So quietly,
Then draw me
Into silent bliss.
***
Nothing to ask for,
And nothing to hide:
Here, in your hands,
I find mercy.
Nothing to sigh for,
And nothing to tell:
Here in your hands,
I find rest.
Nothing to weep for,
And nothing to say:
Here, in your hands,
I find comfort.
Nothing to long for,
And nothing to seek:
Here, in your hands,
I am blessed.
***
Nothing to ask for,
Nothing to say,
Nothing I need, Lord:
You are my way.
You are my water,
You are my food,
You are my Teacher:
You are my truth.
Father, in sickness,
Jesus, in strife,
Spirit, in sorrow:
You are my life.
***
I worship you in silence, Lord,
In stillness, and in darkness,
All alone;
Astonished by your majesty,
Your changelessness, your power:
All unknown;
And yet you are so gentle, Lord,
Your love so warm and bright,
So pure and sweet,
And so I dare to worship you,
Repeat your name, rejoice,
And kiss your feet.
***
There’s nothing I need
But your presence;
Nothing to do
But your will.
Nothing to say
But, “I love you”;
Nothing to see
But your light.
There’s nothing to utter
But, “Jesus”;
Nothing to offer
But thanks.
Nothing I want
But your mercy;
Nothing to do
But unite.
***
Resting in prayer:
Silent and dark.
Turning to God:
One mind, one heart.
Bowing in prayer:
Wordless and deep.
Trusting in God:
Shared love is sweet.
Yielding in prayer:
Body and soul.
Joining with God:
Maker and goal.
***
Ask, without questions;
Seek, without fear;
Knock, without striking:
Jesus is near.
Pray, without speaking;
Sing, without sound;
Dance, without moving:
Jesus is found.
Join him, forever;
Ages, transcend;
Jesus within us:
One without end.
***
Don’t strive for God
In prayer,
For He is near,
Sharing every longing,
Loss,
And tear;
Bearing all our pain,
And grief,
And fear,
Beside us,
And within:
Already here.
***
You lift me on a wave of light,
And take my spirit far away:
Where all words cease,
In perfect peace,
And I no longer pray.
For you are here, within me, Lord,
There’s nothing that I need to do;
No time, or space,
Just your dear face –
In love, I’m one with you.
***
I breathe you in,
And breathe you out:
No word, or thought;
No fear, or doubt.
I breathe you out,
And breathe you in:
You know me,
And forgive my sin.
I breathe you in,
And breathe you out:
You’re always here –
Within, without.
I breathe you out,
And breathe you in:
My Lord, my God –
My closest kin.
***
I turn my inward eyes to you,
Creator of the human race;
In stillness, and in silence, Lord,
I gaze upon your face.
I join my mind, and heart, and soul
With yours, as I absorb your grace;
With childlike faith, and hope, and love,
I rest in your embrace.
***
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