In Need of a Shepherd

We just sang a beautiful song on Sunday in choir...and not just because of the music...it's one of those songs that washes over you as you sing it.  The words of the song spoke to the depths of who I am and who I want to be.  I want to be fully surrendered to my Shepherd...I want to be a good sheep, not just a crazy one that wanders off all the time.

Here are the lyrics...

"Shepherd of my soul,
Keeper of my heart,
Guardian of each step I take
Lead me.  Lead me.  Lead me in your way.

Shepherd of my soul,
Keeper of my heart,
Author of each plan I make
Lead me.  Lead me.  Lead me in your way.

When I am lost my Shepherd finds me
And leads me back into the fold.
He speaks to me with words of comfort
And shelters me, and shelters me,
He shelters me from the cold.

Shepherd of my soul,
Keeper of my heart,
Guardian of each step I take
Lead me.  Lead me.  Lead me in your way.

Shepherd of my soul,
Keeper of my heart,
Author of each step I take
Lead me.  Lead me.  Lead me in your way."

In the Middle of the Night...

No, I won't start singing "A weem a way, a weem a way..." Wait, maybe I just did...Anyway, I've been waking up a lot lately in the middle of the night.  This is not typical behavior for me.  I just turned 30...is this a sign of my age?  Probably not...I have been waking up with verses, words, and ideas...I prayed a long time ago that I would have dreams (literal) of what I was supposed to do...wouldn't that be nice?

So, now I just get awakened in the night with words and I know they are not from my own brain...help it, at that time, there's no telling what activity my brain can handle.  Last night I woke up at 2:00 a.m. and just kept reciting "Do justly.  Love mercy.  Walk humbly with your God."  And that question kept coming to me, "God, what do you want us to do?"  You see, I struggle with selfishness...I can see what I want, or what I think is best...and then IIIIIII takes over...and IIIIIII have to stop.  God's will is way more important than my own.  So, I know this is short, but God, what do you want me to do?  What do you want us to do?  What is best for me?  What is best for those around me?

Help me to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly behind you, alongside you, but never in front of you.

Amen.  So be it, Lord...a weem a way.

Prayer

Being church is messy most of the time....if you don't think so, try really being the part of the body you're supposed to be and functioning next to other parts...takes practice and lots of growing pains.

Below is a prayer I wrote for our church's offertory prayer...

God woke me up with it in the middle of the night again...don't know why God seems to send me these things at the strangest hours, but I'll take them.  :)

God,

We come now to a time of offering, a time of giving.
In this time, take us beyond these offering plates that we pass to a place of honest reflection.
We know that it is in giving
That we receive.

God, I confess today
That sometimes I enter these doors
with a hardened heart;
I confess that when I exit these doors,
Somtimes I gift the world with hatred, with judgement,
with my own selfishness.

God, I am guilty of trying to love you
Without loving my brothers and sisters.
You tell us in your Word
That that kind of love is impossible.
That if we truly love you, we will love others.

We are a body of believers walking around on crutches
Because we have been wrestling with you
Over your dreams for us.

God, show us how to offer ourselves today
To be the people you would have us be.
Show us what we hold in our hearts and hands
That can either be detrmental or beneficial
To those outside these doors.
 
You have given so freely to us.
Help us to gift the world
With you in us.
That every valley of a situation will be lifted.
That every selfish thought of pride be made low.
That the rough plans we have made be made straight.
And that hte glory of the Lord, your glory, shall be revealed
That we all may see it together.
Amen.