# Balance Day 1 ![[broken day four.jpg]] > Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God. **Opening #Prayer *Dear Jesus, During this day help me quiet all the thoughts that fill my head—where I must go, whom I must see, and what I must do. In their place, give me a sense of your order, your peace, and your time. Help me to understand that you are in control, and I can trust you with my day. Help me to realize that nothing on my to-do list is important if it is not what you want me to do. I give all my tasks to you and trust you to bring order to them. In these moments, dear Jesus, come to me, be with me, and free me from the tyranny of “to do.” (Quiet Spaces by Patricia F. Wilson)* #### Psalm for the Week: Psalm 127 #### Unless the Lord Builds the House #### A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. *127 Unless the Lord builds the house,those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children[a] of one's youth. 5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.[b]* #### Scripture for the Day: Psalm 62 #### My Soul Waits for God Alone #### To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. *62 For God alone my soul waits in silence;from him comes my salvation.2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him,like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah* *5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,for my hope is from him.6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.* *8 Trust in him at all times, O people;pour out your heart before him;God is a refuge for us. Selah9 Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion;in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.10 Put no trust in extortion;set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.* *11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.* #### Reading for Reflection: *When most of us think of the word balance, we think of a life with equal amounts (or right amounts) of everything—a life in which our work and play and family and friendships and faith all receive comparable amounts of attention and energy. In the spiritual life, however, the word balance must be defined differently. As a matter of fact the word balance might not be the most appropriate word to use at all—the word centered might be more accurate. Because in the life of faith, balance means having Christ as the center around which everything else revolves. Thus, life is only balanced when everything is centered on Christ. Christ is the hub of the wheel; the focal point of our lives that allows life to function the way it was created to function. So the question becomes not “Do I have enough of God in my life?” but “Is Christ the center of my life? What does my life revolve around?” The answer to these questions will tell me a lot about whether my life is truly balanced or not. ~Jim Branch August 2004* #### Reflection and Listening: silent and written #### Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself #### Song for the Week: Be the Center *Jesus, be the center,* *Be my source, be my light, Jesus* *Jesus, be the center,* *Be my hope, be my song, Jesus* *Be the fire in my heart, be the wind in these sails* *Be the reason that I live, Jesus, Jesus* *Jesus, be my vision,* *Be my path, be my guide, Jesus.* *Be the fire in my heart, be the wind in these sails* *Be the reason that I live, Jesus, Jesus* ### Closing Prayer *You have taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence we shall be strengthened. By Your Spirit lift us to Your Presence where we may be still and know that You are God. (from The Book of Common Prayer adapted in Living Prayer by Robert Benson)* -----------------