The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime

Sometimes I get soul ache.  I start to feel disconnected from Christ.  I feel far from God.  I don’t like it, but I struggle to know how to solve it.  Greg Boyd recently blogged about just such an experience.  In his post he recommends leaning into Jesus more.

I’ve found his advice to be right on.  It’s not about greater guilt.  That never helps.  I’ve found that the best course of action is to engage in a more consistent discipline of being close to God.  This book by Phyllis Tickle is an excellent resource in this pursuit.  

She provides a multitude of prayers to be prayed throughout your day.  Some are scripture references, some are prayers from saints through church history, and some are hymns.  I’ve found them to be excellent.  It helps me stay connected to God throughout my day.  Here’s an example from a prayer I read yesterday:

Out of my bondage, sorrow, and night,
     Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Your freedom, gladness, and light,
       Jesus, I come to You;
Out of my sickness into your health,
Out of my want and into Your wealth,
Out of my sin and into Yourself,
      Jesus, I come to You.

Out of my shameful failure and loss,
     Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of Your cross,
     Jesus, I come to You;
Out of earth’s sorrows into Your balm,
Out of life’s storm and into Your calm,
Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
     Jesus, I come to You;

Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
     Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Your blessed will to abide,
     Jesus, I come to You;
Out of myself to dwell in Your love,
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward for ever on wings like a dove,
     Jesus, I come to You;

Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
     Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the joy and light of Your home,
     Jesus, I come to You;
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of Your sheltering fold,
Ever Your glorious face to behold,
     Jesus, I come to You;

William Sleeper