Recently a peer of mine came to me with something in his hand.

“I got you this,” he said, extending his hand.

It was a small booklet from the American Bible Society. It’s a series of short devotions rooted in Scripture.

I have gone through it several times now. What I appreciate most about the booklet is the prayer that precedes the teaching for each day. It is simple and straightforward: “Lord God, quiet my soul and open my mind and heart to receive your Word. Amen.”

More and more often, I have to step away from current events, for my own sanity. How much word salad can one be expected to endure? How much more proof of chaos in the streets will it take before people say, “Enough!” How much more money will it take to buy a dozen eggs at your local market before folks say, “This is crazy”? All that to say, this is why I appreciated so much the prayer before the teaching: “Lord God, quiet my mind and heart to receive your Word. Amen.”

Because there are times when my soul is anything but quiet. There are times when my heart is so troubled, so filled with grief, so aghast at what is happening, that I can know the truth of Scripture but not exemplify it because I feel overwhelmed by trending events.

Of course, I could try and appear like I’m above it all by referencing familiar passages:

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)

or

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 ESV)

Yes, I know those passages, too. I have taught them many, many times. But the reality is that I do find times when I am nervous, when I am unsure of how unstable things are being made by the puppeteers, by those who are enemies of all righteousness.

Then the refrain hits me again: “Lord God, quiet my mind and heart to receive your Word. Amen.”

Encouragement: I was reading earlier this morning from David’s poems in the Psalter:

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:12 ESV)

What a simple, straightforward, and powerful prayer. Yes, Lord, and quiet my mind and heart to receive your Word.