guard my way to You...

I love that we have the freedom to pray spontaneously and easily. But I also love that when we for whatever reason can't, there are things to help us. I wish I remembered that more often- so often these past few months I have wanted to throw up my hands, scream, or worst of all, become indifferent, at my lack of attention span, lack of words, lack of desire to pray. And then every once in awhile I'll remember with total "Duhh!" clarity- oh yeah, there are things to help me with this. Somehow every time it seems like this novel concept to grab Celtic or the Psalms, to remember that God accepts any prayers we can offer, is happy to meet me through others' writings. I'm so thankful for prayer books, for words I can read and set my heart to- letting my prayers be formed by their truths and not by my will.

I started praying this prayer regularly a couple of months ago. I picked it back up this week and was encouraged by its simplicity, by its statement, and by how it spoke my desire, need, and dependence perfectly... and I experienced gratitude and dare I say, even wonder, to see just a bit how God has been answering it this spring.

"Lord, I have heard Your voice calling at a distance.
Guide my steps to You, Lord, guide my steps to You.

Lord, I have heard Your voice calling at a distance.
Guard my way to You, Lord, guard my way to You.

Lord, I have heard Your voice calling at a distance.
Keep my heart for You, Lord, keep my heart for You.

Lord, I have heard Your voice.
Amen."

-from Celtic.

I need my way to Him guarded. He is doing it. I'll keep praying it.

And I am grateful always for this:
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." -Romans 8:26