Thoughts on God and us

Sometimes I only want to tell you everything I did today. Sometimes I don't want to expose myself to criticism. Sometimes I'd rather not talk about it. Sometimes I cannot shut up. I learned a useful prayer from reading Elizabeth Elliot, useful when you need to pray but don't know what to pray, useful for praying for anyone, in any situation.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us.

This has become part of my prayer today and every day:

Have mercy on us, Oh Lord, have mercy. You know the secrets of our form, how weak we are, both how much we can endure and how little. The mysteries of our human existence are no mystery to you. Be gentle with us, Lord, we beg you, but at the same time make us more aware of your limitless grace.

I appreciate that we are never useless tools in the hand of a mighty God. I liked this quotation, very much, as shared by Elisabeth Elliot in Keep a Quiet Heart:

Say not you cannot gladden, elevate, and set free; that you have nothing of the grace of influence; that all you have to give is at the most only common bread and water. Give yourself to your Lord for the service of men with what you have. Cannot He change water into wine? Cannot He make stammering words to be instinct [inbued, filled, charged] with saving power? Cannot He change trembling efforts to help into deeds of strength? Cannot He still, as of old, enable you in all your personal poverty 'to make of many rich?' God has need of thee for the service of thy fellow men. He has a work for thee to do. To find out what it is, and then to do it, is at once thy supremeist duty and thy highest wisdom. 'Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.'" (Canon George Body, b. 1840, exactly as quoted by Elisabeth Elliot.)

I quote it here because in my prayers right now I have nothing but stammering words. When I meet with my friends to discuss what seem like important things I have nothing but stammering words. When the Jehovah's Witnesses come to my door I have nothing but stammering words. Have mercy on us, Oh Lord, have mercy.