Lord, in the quietness reach out and hold me.

Draw me gently into your peace.

And in the loving silence at your heart,

attune my ears

to hear the sounds I never listen to.

The harmony that lies in you,

the discords in the world you've put me in.

The laughter and the tears

in other people's lives.

Make me more sensitive to others' needs.

Sometimes, I hear the words

that others speak,

but fail to grasp their meaning.

Help me to hear the worry

hidden in a throw-away remark,

the fear wrapped in a joke,

the insecurity behind unbending dogmatism.

Let me identify the cry for help

so casually expressed.

Help me to listen more, and think,

and think before I speak,

and then to think again.

And, Lord, teach me to hear sincerity in those

who see and say things in a different way.

Give me the grace not to condemn or criticize,

but first to search for common ground,

and grasp the things that draw us all together,

not concentrate on what holds us apart.

Help me to take the richness

of another's thought,

and hold it, precious as my own.

Above all, may I hear the gentle echoes

of your love, reflected all around me.

Give me the joy of listening to your voice,

the quiet rustle as your arms enfold me.

~ taken from 'Breaking the Rules' by Eddie Askew ~

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This page was created by Shirley-Anne on the 8th April, 2000