Daily Devotion - Friday, April 17

I Need To Listen

This week we have used a prayer by Kenneth Phifer entitled, “I Need to Listen”, as a focal point for our devotional life. The theme of Rev. Phifer’s prayer is for God to empower him to be a better listener. We conclude our meditation time on becoming better listeners with the concluding section of Ken’s prayer to the Great Listener, God our Creator.

“Steady me, O God, as a listener.
And when I speak, make me careful lest I use words as weapons
and language as a severing sword.
Enable me to sort out what I hear and not be thrown off balance
when the tongue of another is careless.
When prejudice and passion weight the words I hear with divisiveness and conflict,
give me sense enough to reject them.
Grant me judgment and common sense to cut through words
that evade and distort lest I be misled.
Steady me, O Lord, as I learn to listen. Amen.”

Divine presence and help is near. Have a good day and weekend listening to the voices of those in this place.

--Ben Keckler
04.17.09