TUESDAY, July 27 (William Reed Huntington)

Psalm 61: Hear my cry, O God, and listen to my prayer. I call upon you from the ends of the earth with heaviness in my heart; set me upon the rock that is higher than I.

A few years ago, after spending several days in an emotional sinking spell, I shared with a close friend my dark mood.

"Do you pray every day?" he asked gently.

"Of course!" I snapped.

"What do you pray?" he persisted.

My prayers sounded much like this psalmist's lament: "Hear my cry, God, and respond soon, for my heart is overwhelmed."

My friend smiled. "And when do you start this prayer?" he questioned.

"As soon as I feel depressed."

My friend suggested a different strategy, one I still use: "The moment you awake, before you even get out of bed, think of ten things about your life which are good and promising, or at least less discouraging than before. Thank God for each of these."

My friend was telling me to choose deliberately the way I would begin each day, and to begin with a spirit of thanksgiving. Try it. You'll like it. (1992)

PRAY for the Diocese of Eldoret (Kenya)

Ps 61, 62 * 68:1-20(21-23)24-36; Judges 2:1-5, 11-23; Romans 16:17-27; Matthew 27:32-44

View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.

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