All the Sense and Meaning I Need
Jesus, I love you, I love you!
Cleanse me of anything that is not love for you, even though the world will think me preposterous and my friends— some of whom are your disciples— will not be able to make sense of me. You are all the sense and meaning I need. I love you. Amen
(a prayer of Walter Wangerin from Reliving the Passion, p. 44; photo by Joshua Earle via unsplash.com)
Can't Wait
Oh, Lord, thank you for kids and grandkids I can't wait to spend time with, though it always passes too quickly, in Jesus' name, amen.
For Mia
Lord, watch over my amazing, wonderful granddaughter, Mia,
especially today on her 14th birthday.
Bless and guide her wherever she is,
everywhere she goes,
keeping her as lovely and kind as she is today
even as you increase her in wisdom, learning, and skill.
Continue to make her strong in faith and conduct.
Comfort her when she's sad or discouraged.
Lift her when she stumbles.
Surround her with friends and family
who respect, value, and love her.
And may the peace that passes understanding
and joy unspeakable
fill her heart and her days,
both now and ever more,
in Jesus' name, amen.
In Sensitive Agreement
that I never pray alone:
Thank you for the Spirit's intercession
and for my Lord Jesus,
who "ever liveth" to intercede for me
and with me.
Please let me pray in concert with you
and in sensitive agreement
with your will. Amen.
(photo via everystockphoto.com)
Generosity
My prayer today for my kids and my grandkids, from the "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids" app for iPhone and iPad:
A Prayer of Irenaeus
Give perfection to beginners, O Father;
give intelligence to the little ones;
give aid to those who are running their course.
Give sorrow to the negligent;
give fervor of spirit to the lukewarm.
Give to the perfect a good consummation;
for the sake of Christ Jesus our Lord.
(a prayer of Irenaeus; photo by Janosch Lino via unsplash.com)
For the Grace to Praise You
Abba, Father,
Mighty God,
Adonai,
I praise you:
for the grace
to praise you.
I praise you:
for the symphony of seasons,
four movements,
winterspringsummerfall.
I praise you:
for the marvelous variety of tastes
you've placed in this world,
grapes, apples,
bread, potato,
cheese, milk,
asparagus, peas,
egg yolk and white,
chocolate, coffee,
salt and pepper,
beef and chicken, pork and fish,
cinnamon,
sugar,
and so much more.
I praise you:
for your endless creativity,
your awesome majesty,
your thundering power,
your gentle caresses,
your incredible patience,
your immeasurable condescension
to listen to me
praise you.
God of Infinite Range
I praise you for your infinite range:
snow-capped Rockies,
Chimney Rock,
winding Rio Grande,
steep canyon walls,
thundering waterfalls,
flowering cactus,
sandy beach,
verdant pasture,
foaming ocean,
drizzling rainstorm,
flakes of snow,
hot springs,
frozen lakes,
soaring raptor,
creeping insect,
slithering serpent,
and lumbering ox,
and so on
and so forth
and so on
and so forth
and on
and on
and on...
Almighty God, my Father,
I praise you for your infinite range.
(photo by Balazs Busznyak via unsplash.com)
Help Us Again
I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
In this time of our deep need,
help us again as you did in years gone by.
And in your anger with those who do evil,
remember your mercy toward those who suffer and turn to you.
(a prayer from Habakkuk 3:2, NLT, slightly amplified; photo by Tim Mossholder via Unsplash.com)
Catch and Cushion
Abba, you are watchful and mindful when a sparrow falls;
catch and cushion your children...
let your everlasting arms shield and strengthen and support us all,
in Jesus' name, amen.
(photo via pixabay.com)
Entrance
O God, if still the holy placeIs found of those in prayer,By all the promises of graceI claim an entrance there.Give me a self-denying soul,Enlarged and unconfined;Abide within me, and controlThe wanderings of the mind.Give me the strength of faith that daresTo die to self each day,That bravely takes the cross, nor caresTo find an easier way.Help me to make more sacrifice,To walk where Christ would lead,That in my life He may ariseTo hallow every deed.Amen.(a prayer of General Albert Orsborn of The Salvation Army)
First
let my first thought today be of Thee,
let my first impulse be to worship Thee,
let my first speech be Thy name,
let my first action be to kneel before Thee
in prayer.
For Thy perfect wisdom
and perfect goodness:
For the love wherewith Thou lovest mankind:
For the love wherewith Thou lovest me:
For the great and mysterious opportunity
of my life:
For the indwelling of Thy Spirit in my heart:
For the sevenfold gifts of Thy Spirit:
I praise and worship Thee, O Lord.
Yet let me not, when this morning prayer is said, think my worship ended and spend the day in forgetfulness of Thee. Rather from these moments of quietness let light go forth, and joy, and power, that will remain with me through all the hours of the day;
Keeping me chaste in thought:
Keeping me temperate and truthful in speech:
Keeping me faithful and diligent in my work:
Keeping me humble in my estimation of myself:
Keeping me honourable and generous in my dealings with others:
Keeping me loyal to every hallowed memory of the past:
Keeping me mindful of my eternal destiny as a child of Thine.
O God, who hast been the Refuge of my fathers through many generations, be my Refuge to-day in every time and circumstance of need. Be my Guide through all that is dark and doubtful. Be my Guard against all that threatens my spirit's welfare. Be my Strength in time of testing. Gladden my heart with Thy peace; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
(a prayer of John Baillie in A Diary of Private Prayer; photo via pixabay.com)