In the Coracle

Prayer on Discernment When I Don’t Know Where I’m Going (Thomas Merton)

November 28, 2006 // Tags: contemplative, discernment, Prayer, Spirituality

While reading the new book Plastic Jesus by Eric Sandras (author of Buck Naked Faith), I found this awesome prayer.Â It comes from Trappist monk Thomas Merton.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.Â I do not see the road ahead of me.Â I cannot know for certain where it will end.Â Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am folllowing your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.Â And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.Â I hope that I will never do anthing apart from that desire.Â And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.Â I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Bookmark and Share

Close this Window

Bookmark and Share This Page

Save to Browser Favorites

Email This to a Friend

Copy HTML:

If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Possibly related posts:

Introduction

Welcome! I'm Pat, and I'll be your host here. Please comment on what you see here. I am a lay missionary to North Bend on the east side of Seattle, a husband, dad to 2 kids, a software test architect for DeepRockDrive, a web software company that does live, interactive concerts streamed over the Internet. I'm also a failed and (quite possibly future) church planter and a Doctor of Ministry student with Bakke Graduate University, and usually on this blog we discuss Christian spirituality (especially of the Celtic, post-Evangelical, post-Charismatic and neo-monastic flavors), photography, motorcycles, and other oddball things.

About the Coracle

The ancient Celts traveled in coracles - handmade, wooden framed and hide-covered boats, to journey where the trinitarian God led them. Though the transportation was simple, the journey was profound. This image is an illustration of the way I experience God's guidance - an invitation to travel with him on his paths, not mine; at his pace, not mine.