There are days when prayer seems as simple as breathing sweet and easy.
On others it feels like laboured heavy-breathing after a long climb.
No matter how it feels to us, we can rest assured that God delights to hear our prayers.
And we are always welcome to come into His Presence.
This poetic prayer came about when sleep-deprived and weary.
I wanted to stay and pray in the quiet place where my soul communes with God.
But my mind and body had other ideas.
Lord,
I wish that I could linger longer in Your Presence
to sense the touch of Your fingers on my life,
and really catch the essence of what it means
to rest from strain and strife as I learn
to distinguish the better from the best,
to resist the tug of urgent, rush and hurry
calling attention to all I need to do
causing needless anxiety and worry
while pulling me away from You.
And I know it’s more important to turn aside
from things that drain and steal my energy
when I hear Your Voice calling
“Come and abide with Me”.
You are the only One who can give me
lasting hope, joy and peace
and I live and function best
with Holy Spirit grace and ease.
So I come, willing now and able
to stay a while and feast
at Your abundant table,
stay in Your Presence
gaze at Your Face,
feels arms of Love surround me
in a safe and warm embrace,
soak in Your Love-light
pure, holy and true
and emerge refreshed, restored
strengthened and renewed
©JoyLenton2013
**Note** – This post is one of the ‘here’s one I made earlier’ variety that waits for such a time as this. I am still taking a break from my usual writing schedule and needing as much rest as possible while away visiting family for a few days. But I hope to be back in the swing of things again soon!
Poetry Joy 
I loved this Joy. Your poetry speaks into my very soul at the moment. Thank you. X
Thank you, Lynn. I am honoured if God uses my words to speak to others. Blessings x
Dear Joy
One thing this illness has taught me, and that is the absolute necessity to abide in our Lord Jesus’ Presence. We need His grace so incredibly much just to life sanely from one day to the next. But then, I would rather live too close within our Beloved than being healthy and trusting my own strength. This poem describes it so well. I hope you have a great time with your family. I was concerned about you when I haven’t seen a post from you for a while. Please, dear friend, rest as much as you need to!
Blessings XX
Mia
Dear Mia, I really value your input here and wholeheartedly concur with the insights you share. Leaning heavy on the Living Rock, and tapping into His rich resources of strength and grace, are essentials when illness renders us weak and dependent. And in the trusting, resting relationship with have with Him, we can grow spiritually strong even when physically weak. I have been missing here for a few days due to visiting family. It is my intention to rest up as much as possible too – a necessity now and in the days ahead! Thank you for your concern, my friend. Blessings 🙂 xx
Encouraged by these words of longing to be in constant dwelling of the Lords presence. Someday soon we will be dwelling in His presence and never return to this earthly dimension! God bless you Joy on your life and writing.
How our souls long for that day, Kathy! That’s especially true when the things that weigh heavy in this life encroach on our peace and attempt to steal our joy. Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Blessings xx
Regardless of when you wrote it, it was the right time for me to read it. It was like fresh oil, and a beautiful picture of that peaceful place of rejuvenation where the Healer and Restorer of my soul waits for me, faithfully, even when I forget Him, even when I decide I’m too busy and don’t have time today, even when I can “only stay a few minutes this time because I have a lot to get done.” Still, always, He waits, patient, faithful. I especially liked your ending: “ stay in Your Presence, gaze at Your Face, feels arms of Love surround me in a safe and warm embrace, soak in Your Love-light pure, holy and true, and emerge refreshed, restored, strengthened and renewed.”
Neil, I never cease to be awed and amazed at the Lord’s timing and how He ensures we see and read those things we need to. I can really relate to the way you depict the Lord waiting patiently for us to turn heart and mind to Him. And He does so with no condemnation for our failure to do so but with a deep desire to commune with and pour His Love upon us. Thank you for reading and leaving a lovely comment to bless and encourage me too!
So beautiful Joy. Thanks so much for sharing with us. Such a blessing to read and allow the words to filter through to our hearts. I am so thankful we are able to abide in our Saviour.
Thank you, Anita! Your kind words are such a blessing to me. I share your thankfulness in being able to abide in our Saviour and knowing He abides in us. 🙂 x