By Peggy Michael of Cantonment, Florida, USA
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry…When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:15, 17–18
Do you ever feel like you’re being pulled backward into a tunnel so long that you’ve lost your sense of time, direction, and feeling? Somewhere, are children laughing and friends greeting one another? Are mountains standing solid and secure?
If I ever believed in such ideas, I don’t remember them now. I need God’s grace, and yet I am afraid to make myself vulnerable.
Must I remain in this terrifying condition until death overtakes me, or will someone in the light show me a better way? They must search and pray, though, for I will be hard to find. I cannot find myself. If you have hope and tender mercy, call my name again and again, and I will try to follow your voice. For I do want to go out from this haunting prison. I do want to know my Lord again.
Are you the servant who can reach the hopeless with God’s grace?
Prayer for Peace:
God of light, bring us from our dark places. Forgive us for our doubt. Encompass our broken hearts with your healing spirit. Then in wholeness, we can resume sharing the peace of Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Practice for the Week: Encountering Scripture as Continuing Revelation
Read and pray with the Doctrine and Covenants as continuing revelation of God’s vision for the church and creation. Choose a favorite section or focus on recent counsel in Sections 156–164.
Pause to pray for deep understanding of meaning after the first reading. Pray for opening of your heart and emotions to the text. Prayerfully ask to hear the particular phrase or word that speaks to you or touches your life. Stay with this word or phrase. Listen as fully and openly as you can. What sense of divine presence or invitation comes? What is revealed?
Peace Covenant:
Today God, I will be the servant who shares love with one who is without hope.