In God Makes the Rivers to Flow; An Anthology of the World’s Sacred Poetry & Prose, Eknath Easwaran includes a selection from the Jewish Liturgy entitled “Evening Prayer for the Sabbath.”  I’ve written the following poem-like reflections inspired by this selection.

Tell Me Your Will for Me

Speak to me, then, Lord, as I seek Thee again and again

            in the stillness of meditation, until Thy bidding

            shall at last become for me a hallowed discipline,

            a familiar way of life.

—Jewish Liturgy “Evening Prayer for the Sabbath”

Tell me your will for me,

what you would have me do.

Pave the way for my service to you.

Make me an instrument of your will.

Transform my life.

Lord, I have a confession to make.

I am afraid.

And I nurse my fears in silence.

And I curl up in bed and let fear

have its way with me.

I try to numb my fears with sloth.

I am guilty of a deadly sin.

I do not know the way out.

I pray for your strength and comfort.

Ease my fear so it does not prevent me

from doing your will.

I do so much of nothing.

And I am ashamed.

I feel so much regret and guilt.

Forgive me.

Let me know your unconditional love.

Lift me out of my despair.

Make me feel safe.

Show me how to rise up

and take the stage.

Tell me your will for me.

Tell me every day.

Guide me to the people

that will help me serve you in my way.

I need your help, Lord.

I need your strength.

I don’t know how to do this on my own.

I feel like such a coward

giving in to my fear.

I feel like such a lazy bum

for curling up in bed instead of going to work.

I feel like such a failure

in the face of my addiction to this sloth.

I don’t know what to do.

I need you.

Tell me your will for me.

Grant me the strength and courage

to do your will.

I am your servant.

Teach me to serve.