From The Restory - Conversations On The Journey (16)

 

When I Pray

Listen to my words, o Lord,

and hear my sighs.

                                        Ps 5:1 (GNBDC)

In the same way the Spirit also comes to help us,

weak as we are.

For we do not know how we ought to pray;

the Spirit himself pleads with God for us

in groans that words cannot express.

And God, who sees into our hearts,

knows what the thought of the Spirit is...

                                                 Rom 8:26-27 (GNBDC)

The Conversation

Elements From The Conversation 

"Powerlessness is our greatest treasure. 
Don’t try to get rid of it. Everything in us wants to get rid if it. 

Grace is sufficient for you, but not something you can understand. 

To be in too big a hurry to get over our difficulties is a mistake 

because you don’t know how valuable they are from God’s perspective, 

for without them you might never be transformed as deeply and as thoroughly."

                                                                                        Thomas Keating

Music

“This is an old prayer it came to me to rewrite. It's about surrendering.” 

                                                                                         Leonard Cohen

The old prayer Leonard is referring to is the text of the traditional Jewish Traveler's Prayer (Tefilat HaDerekh), uttered before embarking on a trip: 

May it be Your will, Lord, our God and the God of our ancestors, that You lead us toward peace, guide our footsteps toward peace, and make us reach our desired destination for life, gladness, and peace. May you rescue us from the hand of every foe, ambush along the way, and from all manner of punishments that assemble to come to earth. May You send blessing in our handiwork, and grant us grace, kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us. May You hear the sound of our humble request because You are God Who hears prayer requests. Blessed are You, Lord, Who hears prayer. 

However, Leonard combines this old Jewish prayer with the prayer of Jesus in the garden of  Gethsemane to create something new:

Father, if it is your will,
take this cup away from me;
nevertheless not my will,
but yours,
be done.

                                   Luk 22:42 (NKJV)

O my Father,

if this cup cannot pass away from me

unless I drink it,

your will be done.

                                   Matt 26:42 (NKJV)

Much love

George en Matilda