# Intimacy Day 4 > Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God. ### Opening Prayer: *O God, who existed before all things, draw near to my heart today as I draw near to yours. Grant that as we are together during this time—as well as this day—I will know of your presence to the very core of my being. Let me experience the intimacy with you that I was created for. In the name of Jesus, the Word made flesh. Amen. (JLB)* #### Psalm for the Week: Psalm 131 #### I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul #### A Song of Ascents. Of David. *131 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high;I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. 2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.3 O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.* #### Scripture for the Day: Revelation 21:1-7 #### The New Heaven and the New Earth *21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place[a] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,[b] and God himself will be with them as their God.[c] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”* *5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.* #### Reading for Reflection: *The spiritual guidance Brother Lawrence (Practicing the Presence of God) offers is simple: the love of God is everything, a love that surrounds and enfolds us. Out of this love should proceed a rhythm of continual internal awareness of God. Our constant conversation with God helps us to remember that he is our partner in everything we do. Br. Lawrence used to say to the Lord, “So that my work will be better, Lord, work with me; receive my work and possess all my affections.”* ​ *Just as two people who love each other find their days filled with thoughts of each other, so in this practice we raise our minds to remember the One who loves us most. We establish a loving, familiar union with God, who holds us in the palm of his gentle hand. The practice of the presence of God becomes a habitual state of the soul, an openness to the Divine One who surrounds us in our busy lives. (Beginning Contemplative Prayer by Kathryn J. Hermes)* #### Reflection and Listening: silent and written #### Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself #### Song for the Week: Draw Me Close to You *Draw me close to You never let me go* *I lay it all down again* *To hear You say that I'm Your friend* *You are my desire no one else will do* *'Cause nothing else could take Your place* *To feel the warmth of Your embrace* *Help me find the way bring me back to You* *You're all I want* *You're all I've ever needed* *You're all I want* *Help me know You are near* ### Closing Prayer *Lord you are my Lover, it is you whom I desire. You flow through my body like a stream, you shine on my face like the sun. Let me be your reflection.~St. Mechthildis*