A Journeying Prayer

I was just looking through one of my favorite books, Punk Monk by Andy Freeman, again and (re)struck by one of the sections.

The idea of our relationship with Christ being a “journey” is pretty well accepted by Christians. In one chapter, Freeman talks about journeying with God, journeying after God and journeying for God. Think of all the great epic stories in literature (or movies, although the book’s better!)… journeys are tough. We’re not staying at a resort. We’re roughing it. Journeys mean not taking the sissy way around, but instead, going THROUGH. Because the other side’s better. The other side’s where God wants us.

And for some reason (despite admitting intellectually otherwise), we struggle with the struggling. Don’t get me wrong, we may be able to admit God has a purpose, and we should work through our feelings to get to a place of peace and trust. But life is a journey, and that includes all the typical ups and downs of journey life. But thankfully, I have a hope for the other side.

Here’s A Journeying Prayer from Punk Monk:

Jesus, take me once again on a journey.
Take me to the city,
Take me to the valley and to the mountain,
Take me to the desert.
Take me to the place of wandering,
The place of hunger,
The place of solitude and of pain.
Take me to the place where You seem so far away
Yet only You are there.
Remove my crutches of possessions,
Remove the pillars of my faithless life,
Remove all the thumbs I suck.
And there in that place where nothing is left,
There refine my soul.
Amen.

This is what happens when I’m home from church sick ;)