Daily Devotion - Friday, April 23

Concluding a Week About Listening

“Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my sighing.
Listen to the sound of my cry, O my God,
for to you I pray.”
--From Psalm 5

This week we have used a prayer by Kenneth Phifer entitled “I Need to Listen” as a focal point for our devotional life. The writer of the above Psalm verses desired that God hear his/her prayers. Rev. Phifer’s prayer is asking God to empower him to be a better listener. The two requests can be drawn together. To finish this week of devotions on becoming a better listener, we meditate on the concluding section of Rev. Phifer’s prayer.

“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 weigh 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 voice within and the voices of those around you.

--Ben Keckler
04.23.10