PRAY: Times to Treasure (a prayer for women)

Father, I read about a young woman this morning. A young woman whose life intersected with yours as no one else’s. A woman who became the mother of a baby born to die, sent to save. I’ve noticed these words about Mary before, Father. Twice you tell us she “treasured these things in her heart” (Luke 2:19, 51). Isn’t that just like a woman? We tend to hold things close. We watch. We ponder. And we remember. We take few things at face value. We want to find the deeper meaning whether it’s there or not. Sometimes, this frees us. Other times, this traps us as we review painful events and conversations. Father, today I lift up my fellow women to you. I lift up those faraway and those near, those I know and those I don’t know. I ask You to redeem this treasuring quality of ours. Help us to hold fast to that which is good and to repel anything evil or dark. Help us cling to you more than to our memories. Help us not be bound by our thoughts, wishes, and dreams but to find freedom in the ones you give.  Help us, oh Father, to seek you first. To find you in the stillness as Mary did so that when you come to us (as you promised), we’re ready to receive your words and your truth. Whether our calling is amazing or expected, typical or radical, Lord, allow us to demonstrate Mary’s willingness to follow. Let us have her heart, her spirit to drop our own activities and enter into yours. And Father? I ask you to allow us to  experience your breath, your touch, your holiness that transforms each day,  each moment into something to treasure. Allow us, dear Jesus, to treasure you. In Your holy and gracious and worthy name I pray—AMEN.  How do you cling to the good and eliminate the less-than-best? How do you maintain purity in those things you “treasure in your heart”? Share with...

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