The following 170 'conversations' are my spiritual ponderings over the past few years. Each one may be taken as a printable daily meditation to aid one towards reflecting on the weightier matters of this present life and the hereafter.

Publically dedicated to all lovers of truth and all searchers for God, for they are destined to see God's Face and eventually know Him fully.

And privately dedicated to my lovely sisters Marette and Sylvia.

QUIET CONVERSATIONS

by Rev. Dan M. McCauley

“No Act of Love is ever in Vain”

Dedicated to all lovers of truth and all searchers for God, for they are destined to see God’s Face and eventually know Him fully.



(1) Dear Father,

A new year is here. Since You have no beginning and no end, You may not consider my recognition of special days as of special import. But, being a creature of time, I place a special emphasis on certain days and the beginning of new years. And perhaps especially my custom of beginning a new year with significant resolutions is a good thing. Most of the time, I tend to think in physical terms with my resolutions. I resolve to lose weight, to improve my muscle tone, to increase my endurance, to become more physically attractive. I resolve to face a future of declining health with more faith and less fear. Those are not bad goals, and I pray for Your guidance as I undertake them. Perhaps more importantly, I resolve to improve my people skills, that I may have more patience, be more understanding, demonstrate more concern for the welfare of others. I resolve to maximize my mental potential so that I may become more marketable in this world and the next. And, most importantly, I resolve to grow in Christian discipleship this year ...trusting You to lead me, seeking Your will above my own, bearing my cross daily for the sake of the Kingdom. Father, I resolve to do my part toward achieving world peace by prioritizing peace in my own heart. I resolve to balance the concepts of accountability and forgiveness, seeking to know Your mind in my decision-making. I resolve to examine my own life and motivations ...to look in the mirror for awhile ...before pronouncing judgment on others. I resolve to acknowledge my selfishness, my failures, my abuse of others. I resolve to confess my need for You. Grant me eyes to ever see the beauty of Your grace and love. Grant me ears to hear Your words of comfort and instruction amidst the babble of the world. Grant me lips to proclaim Your majestic holiness to those who do not know You. For I love You and desire to serve You.



(2) O God of Eternity,

When I contemplate Your holiness, like Isaiah I confess that I have unclean lips and dwell in the midst of a people with unclean lips. I seek to worship You ...to honor You ...to love You more fully day by day. I know that talk can be empty, so I commit myself to honoring you by my desire to become like You in word and deed. May You find delight in the way I treat others, the way I care for others, the way I love others. May you find delight in the way I forgive others and pray for those who hurt me. I would follow the example of your Son Jesus. Help me, I pray. Father, I turn aside from a world in turmoil to learn from You, seeking rest for my spirit and light for my thoughts. I bring my work and my life to be sanctified, my wounds to be healed, my sins to be forgiven, my hopes to be renewed. Father, I cannot imagine the affairs that You juggle moment by moment, yet in my finitude I often feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities that I try to juggle. May my faith in You bring peace in the midst of chaos. And when my skills fail and my efforts prove ineffective, lift me up, give me a hug, and encourage me to pick up my responsibilities and do my best for the Kingdom's sake. Thank you for new visions of how I may serve You better. Give me direction as to my individual responsibility in growing Your Kingdom. And send me visions of what I may become through Your grace.




(3) Father,

Are You keeping score? Have You noticed how many friends I have? Have You noticed that I live in the better neighborhood and drive the better automobiles? Have You noticed how well I speak ...my pedigree ...my clothes ...my bank accounts? In the world's eyes, I must be in the upper 10% bracket. So, Father, I've won the race, haven't I? What? You don't care about those things? You define success in a different way? Have I prayed for my enemies today!? Have I blessed those who have cursed me? Have I forgiven those who have wronged me? Have I gone the extra mile? Have I turned the other cheek? Have I given with no thought for return? Father, those are tough demands. Yet those were the standards that Your Son preached and lived by, weren't they? And I am to love as He loved, even to the point of saying with my last breath, 'Forgive those who have hurt me, for they knew not what they did.' Father, are You keeping score? How well did the Pharisees score? They gave a lot of money to their church ...attended services regularly ...revered the scriptures ...prayed loudly and often. You said that they were losers. How am I different from them? Father, I don't want to be a loser ...I want to be victorious. And to be a winner, You said that I have to give up my selfish desires. Forgive me my worldliness and my self-righteousness, for neither have a place in Your Kingdom. Bring wholeness to my body ...to my mind ...to my relationships ...to my church. I give thanks that You love me even in my brokenness. I give thanks that Your Kingdom is alive and well, and will survive triumphantly through troubling times. I give thanks for the many spiritual gifts evident in the lives and deeds of fellow pilgrims. Help me to forgive myself of past failures, even as I march toward the prize of my high calling, even eternal fellowship with You.



(4) My Father,

As a new year has come denoting change in my life, I am thankful that Your character does not change. I struggle to find the path that leads to You. And once I find it, I find it difficult to stay on it. Yet throughout eternity, You wait patiently at the end of the path, calling softly to me, urging me onward, encouraging me when I grow weary, providing aid for me when I stumble. Yes, and even forgiving me when I choose to leave Your path for another of my own choosing. You are the Unmoved Mover, the One Who initiates and creates and draws all sentient creatures unto Himself. At this time of year, as I tend to make resolutions toward making my life healthier and more productive, may I realize that all health and productivity is meaningless except in context to You. Father, may I resolve in this year to place a higher priority on things eternal. May I resolve to spend quality time on the relationships in my lives that I deem important, and may I realize the import of my relationship with You. May I resolve to place a higher priority on spiritual matters as opposed to material concerns. May I resolve to offer myself in service to Your Kingdom this year, and may I make myself as useable as possible through developing my potential and committing my resources. May I resolve to give a helping hand to those in need insofar as I am capable. May I resolve to inspect my life for evidence of Your grace, and dispense grace toward my neighbors in like manner. And may You grant the petitions in my heart according to my faith and faithfulness.



(5) Holy and Loving Father,

I am truly blessed by Your love and grace. You have created me imago dei, in Your image that I might know You and enjoy You forever. And there is a remnant part of me that aspires to know You and become like You... to be Holy and Righteous. Yet I am also fallible in that I allow politics or the media or family or friends to produce the yardstick whereby I measure right and wrong. Instead of seeking Your guidance, I let the world decide which acts are acceptable and which acts aren't. But isn't Your scripture plain? You put gossips, slanderers, and the unmerciful in the same boat with those who are deceitful, arrogant, and immoral. It seems that we, like Pharisees of old, find benefit in emphasizing some character flaws while ignoring others. I confess that it is difficult to discern truth from lie, right from wrong. So I pray for cleansing and enlightenment... that I may know truth and gain freedom from worldly influence. Yet, even as I give thanks that You ever lead me toward the light, I find it hard to rejoice when those whom I love suffer illness, injury, and death. Father, many fellow pilgrims are suffering and fearful. So I ask You to join me in ministering to and consoling those in need. I petition You to stretch forth Your Hand to heal the injured and the infirm. Not for the sake of longevity, for death holds no power over those who inherit eternity. Rather, I seek health in order to enjoy the abundant life and to serve You more fully. For Your Son Jesus came that I might have the abundant life.




(6) Eternal Father,

Mountaintop experiences are exciting, aren’t they? It was on a mountaintop where You met with Moses…to sanction his leadership and, later, to define Your Law. It was on a mountaintop where Your Son shed His humanity briefly in a transfiguration of glory. I love mountaintops. Sundays are often mountaintop experiences for me. Yet it is in the valley that I live and breathe and die. It is in the wilderness of life where I make life-changing decisions. It was in the wilderness where my Lord was confronted and tempted by the demonic. It was in the wilderness of Gethsemane where He wrestled with knowing and doing Your will. And so I come before You today acknowledging that I find myself sojourning in a wilderness ...and I am fearful. I fear my neighbor. I fear to open my mail. I fear that I will be physically harmed or deprived of security. In my wilderness are many enemies…people who are different ...dirty people, homeless people, ignorant people, poor people, weak people, arrogant people, people of color, older people, younger people, sick people, people who speak with an accent. My Father and Shepherd, deliver me from my fear ...for I know that it is through fear-tinted glasses that neighbors become enemies. I am weak but Thou art strong. I need Your strength and vision. May I seek Your will above my own, calling on You for help and solace, allowing You to be greater than my understanding or experience of You. Strengthen my faith that I may call on You when I stumble or lose my way. For decisions made on the mountaintops often lose conviction in the shadows of the valleys. May Your Presence anchor my soul for times present and future. Grant that I may be sensitive to the wilderness trails that my neighbors travel. Forgive me the immobilizing fear that renders me useless to Your Kingdom. And grant me discernment to identify and courage to face the demonic in my life.


(7) Lord Jesus,

One of Your desires for Your followers is that we have a unity of purpose, of vision. But I have difficulty seeing my neighbor’s perspective. Perhaps if I would just earnestly allow You to lead me, but You can’t lead people who aren’t willing to follow, can You? ...people who already ‘know it all’. But some of Your followers have prioritized Your will above their own. Some have even learned to celebrate the good fortune of others without resentment or jealousy. Why can’t I? Perhaps they look to You as their example. And perhaps if I looked to You as my example in all things, I could learn to celebrate life more fully and not allow fear to rule my life. You temporarily gave up Your divine power and prestige out of love for me. You obediently and humbly bore Your cross daily out of love for me. You allowed Yourself to be brutalized and crucified out of love for me. You denied Yourself family and fortune and fame out of love for me. How great a love you have! And what an example You are! And too often my response is to neglect You. Lord, I haven’t time for You in my life ...except for maybe a couple of hours on Sunday. I haven’t time to listen to You nor talk with You. You deserve better. Today I re-commit myself to Your leadership. I bow my knee to You. I confess my love for You and my desire to serve You more fully. Lord, I know that someday every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that You are Lord. May my someday begin now, at this moment. For my victory over the fears of life depend solely on my acknowledgment of who You are and how You may transform my life.



(8) Holy Father,

I honor You today for Who You are and what You are doing in my life. Much of my hope is based on beliefs about You. Quicken my faith that hope may find fruition. Some of my hope is rooted in my experiential encounter ...I know in whom I have believed. And may I not in ignorance or arrogance allege that my experience of You has provided me with an all-encompassing knowledge of things spiritual. For I indeed am but clay ... You are the potter. Father, I ask forgiveness for my acts of abuse ...abuse against my neighbor, abuse against You, abuse against myself. I ask forgiveness for allowing secular priorities to hinder me from accomplishing acts of charity and duty. Grace me in my efforts to develop a forgiving nature, that I may indeed feel Your forgiveness. And, Father, I ask healing for those who are ill or infirm. Bring comfort to those who are bereaved. And draw those who are lonely into the warmth of Your embrace. Above all, I seek the assurance of knowing that my will is in accord with Yours. Father, change is sometimes frightening to me. External change such as civil law and communication technology; unexpected emotional distance from loved ones; adjusting to the demise of family and friends. I fear for my own physical safety and the safety of those whom I love. I fear cultural changes that approve of science without ethics, politics without principle, religion without spirituality, wealth without work, pleasure without restraint, knowledge without character, power without conscience, and industry without morality. Internal change is also frightening. I am losing physical capabilities ...self-esteem ...mental acuity. I seek a surcease from change -perhaps a Sabbath from change-, a time when I can really rest and experience a taste of Your Kingdom. But may I always accept change and be changed for the sake of Your Kingdom.



(9) Holy Father,

You Who are the Master Teacher, teach me how to pray unselfishly ...to think of the needs of others before fixating on my own. Teach me how to exercise the faith that I have. Teach me how to pray with sincerity ...being as honest as I can be about my human condition, my need for forgiveness, my need for guidance, my need for healing. Teach me how to pray intelligently ...according to the light that I have. And, Father, teach me how to pray trusting that Your will is best ...that You have my best interests at heart. Teach me that if I desire to receive mercy, then I must show mercy. Mold my character into the likeness of Your Son Jesus Christ so that my petitions will always be in accord with Your will. Teach me the ways of righteousness so that my prayers may unlock storehouses of blessings for Your Kingdom. Teach me how to tame my tongue, that I may speak words of comfort and healing to each other ...that I may learn to bless others ...that I may encourage and even gently challenge those with whom I come into contact. For my nature is to be defensive ...to think only of temporal security and how to maintain it. Foolishness! Father, I am often foolish, so I do pray for wisdom ...wisdom to utilize my knowledge and skills as stewards of Your grace. Fill me to capacity with Your divine Spirit ...that my steps may be light and my mouths full of praise. And, Father, I would not appear to be ignorant of the pain in my world. I pray not only for Your healing to manifest itself, but for my own compassion to overflow into acts of charity and kindness. For not only do I grow in grace when I emulate You, but it also pleases You when I care for others. May who I am and what I do bring pleasure to You this day.


(10) God of Life...

You Who can breathe life into dead dreams, dead relationships, and dead bodies, breathe on me today. God of eternity, in a time when financial markets worldwide are volatile and so many are anxious, help me to look on You as my bridge over troubled waters ...my panacea for fear. God of Love, in a time when civility is dying and mistrust comes easy, help me to remember that You loved me while I was yet at enmity with you. I ask for a double portion of Your spirit ...that I would be enabled to love my enemies, act kindly toward those who abuse me, and willingly serve those who deserve it not. You have told me that sometimes I receive not because I ask not. So today I boldly ask for those blessings of life that would sustain me physically, socially, and spiritually. I ask knowing that Your primary will is for me to be spiritually healthy. And knowing that it is Your desire that all should hear the good news of your kingdom, I ask for confidence to give an answer for the hope that is in me ...that my light may shine before my family, friends, and acquaintances. Father, I hold you in such high esteem that I frown on anyone who takes Your Name in vain. I point fingers at those who refuse to pay You lip service. But isn’t Your Name taken in vain every time I pray a shallow pray? Isn’t Your Name taken in vain when I who call myself Christian allow fear and prejudice to determine my actions? Forgive me whenever I take Your Name in vain.




(11) Lord,

What a week! Biggest snowstorm in years ...State of the Union address ...Super Bowl hoopla. Lord, I confess that worldly reality pre-occupies my time and thoughts more than spiritual reality. I’m curious. Are You more interested in national security than spiritual security? Are You more interested in who wins football battles than who wins spiritual battles? Are You more impressed by the beauty of snow than the beauty of an unselfish soul? Lord, the temptation is ever before me to prioritize the flesh over the spirit ...and too often I succumb. Forgive me my wrong of You even as I forgive those who wrong me. Lord, one of my frustrations with inclement weather is that it limits my physical mobility. And yet, inclement weather has no effect on my spiritual mobility. Inclement weather cannot prevent me from coming into Your Presence by faith ...and worshiping You ...and bringing my requests before You. I am grateful that You am available to me at all times. Grant that I make myself more available to You. And, Lord, even as major events grab the headlines of my newspaper, the everyday concerns of Your people continue unabridged. I have problems with my relationships. I struggle with job demands and home responsibilities. I sometimes wonder why I am not happy. Am I ever going to change into a swan ...or will I remain an ugly duckling? Will my health problems become an overwhelming burden on those whom I love? Lord, even in the midst of unusual snowstorms, the concerns of life continue. I know that Your love and grace are sufficient to meet my needs and concerns. I ask for Your blessing of health ...health for my body, my relationships, my self-image. And as I become more and more available to You, use me to bring healing and health where I may. Use me to preach good news to those who are floundering. Use me to lift up the hopeless and the weak. For my desire is to honor You through both my words and my actions.



(12) Eternal Creator,

As was the case with the Prodigal Son, I feel unworthy to call you Father. Yet, because I have experienced Your forgiveness and love, and because Your embrace is so comforting, no other term is adequate. I do ask forgiveness again for squandering the resources at my disposal. I have not only acted selfishly with my material wealth, but I have selectively hoarded kindness, charity, and compassion. I receive grace freely and thankfully from You, yet I have difficulty dispensing grace to others. Father, mold me and shape me into Your character, that my daily life might radiate holy love to the glory of Your Kingdom. Today, I am reminded of the sacrifice of many lives given to defend that which is good. For their purity of purpose, for their courage under fire, for their willingness to lay down their lives for the sake of others, I give thanks. Father, I look forward to a time in Your kingdom when there will be no more wars, no territorial disputes, no weapons races, no ethnic cleansing. Yet for today I do abide in a world where hatred, vengeance, and fear prompt many to murder and abuse. I pray for wisdom in how to heal old wounds. I pray for Your Spirit of reconciliation to prevail in the lives of war-torn factions. I pray for understanding and compassion toward those who wound and abuse me. And I pray that Your Church may be used as an instrument of peace in a confused world.




(13) My Heavenly Father,

How like a child I am at times! I have survived the doomsayers, yet not without cost ...financial cost, emotional cost, perhaps spiritual cost. I still contend with worldly values ...I seek physical security above spiritual security ...I am fearful of death, fearful of want, fearful of loss. And yet, Father, a man is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose. I give thanks that no crisis on earth can replace the hope of my salvation, and no doomsayer speaks truth so well as the still, small voice of the Your Spirit. Another year has come and gone. Father, I look forward to a time when my celebration of who You are far exceeds the celebration of a year’s passing or the victory of a sport’s event. I look forward to a time when spiritual preparedness takes precedence over material preparedness. Perhaps this year is no more special than any other ...except for the opportunities it holds. Father, You are preparing a vision for my future ...You are making me dependent on Your resources. I have opportunities to join with You in making this world a better place ...a more righteous place ...a more holy place. Especially in times of crisis, the opportunity exists for me to grow in faith ...to grow in character ...to share the good news of my salvation. Father, I want to become holy like You. Examine my heart and mind. Convict me of that which prevents me from being righteous. Enlighten my path that I may see clearly the obstacles to be overcome. And may I experience peace even in the midst of conflict, knowing that I am doing all in my power to honor You with who I am and what I do.




(14) Lord Jesus,

As I honor You today, accept my tribute even as You accepted the widow’s mite ...looking to my hearts to learn of my love for You. Lord, oftentimes when the storms of life beset me, I am overcome with fear. Yet, in the midst of a mighty storm, You said ‘Peace. Be still.’ And it was so. Peace brings stillness but stillness also brings peace. Give me the courage to be still when it is my inclination to run. Storms remind me that I am a finite being...mortal ...not in control. Storms are unpredictable ...like relationships ...like jobs ...like physical and mental health ...like world diplomacy. Lord Jesus, not only did You display a supreme tranquility when facing that Sea of Galilee storm, but later, You faced the adversity of lies, envy, hardship, betrayal, loneliness, and the cruelty of Your cross all with calm serenity. Lord, I ask for Your help in facing my storms. I confess that sometimes my own stubbornness and hardness of heart deter me from Your Presence. I struggle to stay afloat while weighted with chains of unforgiveness and bitterness. Help me to cast off all that hinders me from freely coming to Your Side. For I know that You care for me and desire to save me from my own folly. And, Lord, ever remind me that to whom much is given, much is required. I who have been blessed should have compassion on those who have been less fortunate. May I learn to share my resources with those who have been robbed of so much by circumstances of location. And ever remind me as I work hard to bail water from my sinking vessel, that my God ever has the power to command, ‘Peace. Be still!’. I offer my petition for the sake of Your sheep and my future in Your Kingdom.




(15) My Lord Jesus,

I come before You confessing that I find it difficult to ‘be in the world, but not of the world.’ Sometimes, the clamoring of the world gets into my blood. I mark off my boundaries, stake my claim to territory, and try to defend it against all opposition. I live in fear, constantly looking over my shoulders while trying to give the appearance of being invulnerable. But, Lord, You didn’t live that way! You did a great job of straddling a line where You had one foot firmly planted in the Kingdom and the other foot planted in the world. You seemed to stay on the balls of Your feet, shifting toward the world when You were confronted with physical needs ...and shifting toward the Kingdom when seeking direction and proclaiming hope. Lord, if I could just learn to straddle that line, perhaps I wouldn’t allow my fear of leaving this world to consume me so. When confronted with death, perhaps I could just shift my weight all the way to the Kingdom’s side and I would find myself in Your Presence. Regrettably, too often I find myself shifted totally into the world ...I behave as if I am in the world and of the world. On the other hand, sometimes I see myself as in the Kingdom but behave like I am of the world. I’ve learned to use religious language, but my actions show that I really don’t care about feeding Your sheep, feeding Your lambs, tending Your sheep. Lord, forgive me my selfish behavior. I confess my need for guidance, for courage, for sensitivity. Show me how You touched the diseased, comforted the bereaved, affirmed the fallen, challenged the hypocritical, welcomed seekers, and befriended outcasts. For I need Your leadership and Your companionship. And in this season of love as I strive to strengthen or rekindle my meaningful relationships, let me not forget my relationship to You. Teach me what it means to love You with all of my heart and mind and soul and strength. And teach me what it means to love my neighbor as I love myself.



(16) My Lord and Savior,

I come to Thee as a child ...a child who loves You and a child in need. I delight in who You are ...Your gentleness and strength combine to provide a safe haven in a fear-ridden world. You have told me to come to You when I feel that my burdens are heavy, and that You will help me to carry them. I am burdened. I have relationships that aren’t wholesome ...sometimes my resentment of other people overwhelms me. Forgive me. Sometimes I do for others what they should be doing for themselves ...and I resent both them and my own weakness. Enable me. Sometimes mutual dependence prevents me from growing as I should. Heal me. I am burdened with physical problems. My friends and family have health concerns. Some of my parts don’t work as well as they once did. Heal me for the sake of Your Kingdom’s work. Or, if bearing with my infirmities is in accord with Your will, then grace me with strength to accept my lot. Lord, how do I maximize my effectiveness? How do I prevent burn-out? Give me vision to see the best avenues of service. Give me a desire to do Your will, even as You had a desire to do the Father’s will. Too often I seek security in false gods instead of in a relationship with You. I listen attentively to talk shows and athletic events but turn deaf ears to the cries of the oppressed, the weak, the helpless, the disenfranchised. Lord, I am not as much your disciple as I would like to be. Grant that I may learn to pray with humility, see with compassion, and walk humbly according to Your light. Lord, I love You and honor You for what You have done and are continuing to do in my life. Thank you.




(17) Father,

Another year has come and gone. I have made resolutions to improve my health, to strengthen my relationships with others and with you, to make the world a better place than that which I have found. I have had successes and failures. For my success, I offer thanks ...for I do find pleasure in accomplishments that are in accordance with Your Will. For my failures, I ask forgiveness ...especially when those failures were due to fear or indolence. As I face this new year, may I determine to do the best I can to bear my own load. And if my load becomes too heavy and I stumble, grant that pride will not prevent me from accepting the help that may be offered. And if my load becomes light, grant that I may be sensitive to the burdens of others and offer to lighten their loads. Father, it is my desire to become holy like You. Examine my heart and mind. Convict me of that which prevents me from being like You. Enlighten my path that I may see clearly the obstacles to be overcome. And may my new year be one of peace, knowing that I am doing all in my power to honor You with who I am and what I do.





(18) My Father,

Even as the world clamors for attention, increase my awareness of Your Presence and Your Way. In truth, I see as ‘through a glass darkly’, but my hope is to someday stand before You Face-to-face. Yet, for now, I am all too aware of the distance between me and You. I need to become more holy ...more righteous than I am. Father, I don’t feel very holy. I don’t feel that I can look You in the eye and say that I did my best. Forgive me my wanderings and guide me along the way. It is still my hope to be of service to You ...to enhance Your Kingdom. Yet my nation and my world appear more pagan day-by-day. In frustration, I watch as America’s all-pervasive and all-invasive media promote sexual immorality, greed, deceit, slander, and cultist fads. I feel impotent to represent You in a society that is so ego-centric. Give me courage to act in accordance with Your will. Grant me wisdom in speech, discernment in judgment, and, above all, love for the spiritually lost. Help me to align my priorities with Your priorities. Father, You alone have the resources to meet my needs. Help me to be steadfast in temptation, calm in the midst of conflict, and merciful to the penitent. Forgive me my fear, my stubbornness, my laziness. Bring health to those in need, comfort to the bereaved, friendship to the lonely. And as I face my daily stress, may I be ever aware that You are not only my future hope, You are my present Aide.





(19) Eternal Creator,

Give me eyes to see Your glory. Give me ears to hear the singing and praising of angels. Give voice to my inner spirit ...that my words to You be pure and true and reverent. Father, I long for Your kingdom ...a kingdom of light and love. Sometimes I catch a fleeting glimpse, but the essence will not be captured. Perhaps as I prioritize Your will, the vision will coalesce into hope and assurance. Perhaps as I actually do righteous acts, the kingdom becomes more palpable. Father, I ask today for those things that are needful in order for my pilgrimage to be productive. I ask for the basic necessities of food and shelter and clothing. I ask for the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships. I ask for a willingness to grow ...make me into a new wineskin that will stretch as You reveal more of Your truth. Forgive me my abusive natures ...a selfish nature given to pride, a fearful nature seeking physical security, a lustful nature seeking to satiate my desires. And soften my heart that forgiveness of others may come easy for me. For You have made it plain that I receive mercy in like manner as I give mercy. Strengthen me in my temptations ...that I may stand fast and falter not. May I look on my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as my example in times of stress. For He was tempted in like manner as I, yet He yielded not. Father, with Your Presence protect me from the demonic ...for the demonic cannot stand in Your Presence. Heal me of my infirmities ...whether they be physical, social, mental, or spiritual. For my desire is to serve You with all the strength and health at my disposal. For I know of no better way to demonstrate my love for You.




(20) O God my Creator,

Let not the blessings of the past nor the fortunate circumstances of today deceive me into a false reliance on my own strength and resources. All good gifts come to me from You. They were Yours to give, and they are Yours to curtail. My gifts of good health and providential care are not mine by birthright. I do but hold them in trust; and only through my submission to you are they worthily enjoyed. May I today, then, put back into Thy Hand all that You have given me, rededicating to Your service all the powers of my mind and body, all my worldly goods, all my influence with the world. All these, O Father, are Thine to use as Thou wilt. Your bounties and your blessings have descended upon me, empowering me to perform your will and execute your bidding. Give me moment by moment that which promotes and sustains my health; Refresh me day by day with Thy Living Spirit. Step by step lead me out of darkness and into Thy Divine Presence. Renew my mind by the transformation of the indwelling spirit, And when the mortal end shall finally come upon me, receive me to Yourself and send me forth into eternity. Crown me according to my faithful service as I continue to glorify the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I also am mindful to pray for loved ones and friends. Make your Spirit present in their lives in such a way that they become healthier and more cognizant of Your love. And, Father, I pray for world governments... that reason will prevail over insanity, charity over greed, civility over hate. And I pray for my enemies... for those who abuse me and despitefully use me. I pray that You would conform them to the image of Your Son.




(21) My Father,

I again contemplate Who You are, and who I am in relationship with You. I cannot understand that You had no beginning, for beginnings are an integral part of all that I am and everything that I do. I cannot comprehend that You are perfect, for I’ve never met another being who is without imperfection. I am tempted to remake You in my image, for perhaps I would feel a little more comfortable if You had a few of my character flaws. But You don’t have any flaws. You are Holy and Just and Righteous. You are Light and Truth and Love. And I am somewhat made in Your Image, not You in my. You have put a seed of Yourself into who I am. And if I but acknowledge that seed, and love it, and nurture it, it will burst forth and gradually fill my mortal shell with immortal spirit. And I shall be moving toward becoming more like You. And, Father, I do want to become like You. I want to be healthy and whole. I want to be caring. I want to love those who abuse me, forgive those who fail me, enable those who are faltering, strengthen those who are fainting from unseemly loads. Draw near to me today, that I may in humility represent You to my family, my neighbors, my city. Forgive me my pettiness, my littleness of mind, whereby I stifle Your will. Forgive me for allowing worldly comfort and security to blind me to the needs of those around me. Forgive me for arrogantly manipulating others toward my narrow thinking, denying others the freedom of being different. And I know that Your forgiveness inflows my life in like measure as I allow my forgiveness to flow outward toward others. Father, I pray today for those who are sick in body, mind, or spirit. If it be Your will, bring health to their lives. But if their burden of ill health be necessary for character development, give them grace to persevere for the Kingdom’s sake. For we all have burdens to bear and miles to walk before we may stand comfortably in Your Presence.



(22) Perfect Guide and Holy Father,

This day guide and direct my journey. Guide my individual journey that I may choose the good over the bad, and the best over the good. Guide my corporate journey that I may honor You with my worship, my ministries, and my witness. Ever lead me in the ways of eternal progress. Forgive me my selfish behavior and teach me to be more forgiving of others. Fill me with wisdom and invigorate me for Your service. Father, sometimes I am lonely, even when surrounded by those who love me. Help me to know that Your arms are ever open to receive me ...that Your ears delight in hearing my prayers ...that Your mouth is ever ready to bless me, console me, encourage me. Lead me to be ever like You ...that my arms and ears and mouth may enhance the lives of those with whom I come into contact. With hope, I look forward daily to a closer walk with Thee. And, Father, even though I am not capable of knowing You fully, I ask that You reveal as much of Yourself to me as I am able to bear, that Your glory may fill my being. Open my eyes to the Spirit, that I may not pass You by as I hurry about my daily tasks. Till the soil of my mind, that I may be receptive to the Seed of the Spirit and yield a bountiful harvest for Thy Kingdom. And even as I trust You to hear my prayers, may I listen eagerly and attentively to what You have to say to me ...whether through the written word, the spoken word, or the quiet voice of the Spirit within. Be pleased with my efforts to serve You. I pray trusting my petitions to be within Your will.




(23) Lord Jesus,

In this season of the year when I place emphasis on love, may I ever celebrate that You have loved me with the highest love …an agape love that gives with no strings attached. Help me to emulate You in my relationships. Lord, it is amazing that You who are perfect should delight in hearing my prayers. For I am far from perfect. In this sacred moment, I place a welcome mat at the entrance to my heart. For I need to commune with You. I need not only Your guidance …I need Your forgiveness. For I am not unlike Your disciples who were such slow learners at times. And, like Your apostle Paul, I confess in frustration that sometimes I allow selfishness to dictate my actions …prioritizing physical security over spiritual security …and finding not the strength of character to do what I know to be right. I call myself Your servant, but I sometimes serve other masters. What master am I serving when I become more excited about the prospects of becoming financially richer rather than spiritually richer? Didn’t You say something once about laying up treasure for myself in Heaven? Do I serve You when I spend more money and effort making myself physically attractive than I do in making myself spiritually attractive? I seem to be a slow learner …for I know that my character development should be a higher priority. I know that this life is as a wisp of vapor compared to the foundation of eternity. I know that each selfish decision and act has detrimental repercussions. I suspect that I would be much happier if I would just allow You to be my only master. Yet I seem to be a slow learner. Keep challenging me with examples and visions. Do not give up on me, I pray. For there are times when I do love You in truth. There are times when I do willingly and joyfully serve You and Your Kingdom. Heal me from all that is preventive to my walk with Thee …that I may someday hear You say at this life’s closure ‘Well done, Thou good and faithful servant.’


(24) Father,

When ethnic cleansing occurs, I cry out 'Where is God?'. When
school children murder other school children, I cry out 'Where is
God?'. When the doctor reports distressing news, I cry out 'Where is God?'. Somehow I tend to forget that You allowed Your only-begotten Son to be murdered. You know intimately about the pain that a parent feels when a child dies. Father, so many of Your children down through the years have been murdered, raped, starved, imprisoned, tortured, dispossessed. Why have You withheld Your protecting Hand? Is it because we are created in Your image ...with freedom either to bless or curse, freedom to build or destroy, freedom to aid or hinder, freedom to give life or take life? Is it that we need to exercise our freedom in order to grow in character? Father, it is both a wonderful and a terrible thing to be created in Your image. How wonderful that I have the opportunity to live eternally in fellowship with You! How wonderful that I have an assurance that the best is yet to come! But how terrible that I have to witness mankind's inhumanity in order for me to experience spiritual growth! How terrible that I myself exercise the freedom to hurt and abuse others. In reflection, I know that Your plan for me is wondrously wise. But I still find myself to be human enough to fear the worst for my children. I desire to build walls of protection around myself and my family. I tend to forget that there is no security other than eternal security. Father, forgive me not only for my lack of faith, forgive me also for my complicity in creating the kind of society in which I live. Father, help me to take a stand against a society that glorifies violence ...a society that demeans the worth of the individual ...a society that devalues character and elevates the abuse of power. Father, I am frustrated. I feel powerless. Indwell me with Your power and resources that I may be Your emissary to a society in need. ... to a world in need.


(25) O God of grace and God of glory,

Many are the times I come before You with petitions, for I perceive my needs as many and I believe You to be a God Who loves to give good gifts to His children. Yet today it seems right that I should focus not on what I lack, but on what I have. How thankful I should be that You not only give me life, but You give me the opportunity for meaningful, eternal life. You have created me in Your Image with the great opportune gift of determining my own destiny. You have made it evident that it is Your desire ...Your hope ...that I should choose to become a part of Your Kingdom. To fellowship with You and enjoy You forever. What great opportunities You have given me! And You sent Your Son Jesus to show me the way ...to be my example and my savior. You have sent the Holy Spirit ...the Comforter ...to be my guide and companion. I have angelic multitudes working on my behalf. And You have established the church ...fellow believers who care for my well-being, who share my laughter and my tears. I have the Bible and other inspired works to help me to know Your ways. Father, when I pause to contemplate what You have done and are doing, I realize that my cup truly overflows. And even though You are far above me in Your Holiness, Your Ear and Your Heart are only a whisper away. You love to hear my unselfish prayers, especially when I ask for Your intercession in the lives of others. It seems incomprehensible that You, the greatest Being in existence, have made Yourself available to commune with me. Somehow, You have time for me. May I have time for You. May I accept Your love and reciprocate ...worshiping You as You deserve, ministering to others in Your Name, confessing my need for You in my life.




(26) My Lord and Savior Jesus,

It’s St. Valentine’s Day ...a time to remember those whom I love. Forgive me for commercializing that which should remain spiritual in nature. Recent world events speak to me of the nature of love ...especially the agape kind of love You exhibit. Lord, You said that I cannot be reconciled to the Father until I am willing to be reconciled to my brothers and sisters. Yet I don’t seem to be willing to forgive those who ask for forgiveness. And I don’t seem willing to ask for forgiveness for my own obstinacy ...my own abusive spirit ...my own sin. Forgive me. Lord, grant that the healing of this great nation begins in her churches. Grant that Your people may exemplify to the nation and to the world the nature of Your forgiveness and Your love. Lord, I know that ultimately, I do reap what I sow. Yet, You have indicated that I am to leave judgment to the Father. My personal ethic must be one of forgiveness ...of grace, that I may feel forgiven myself. For even in the model prayer You gave me, You stipulated that I will be forgiven my abuses in like manner as I am willing to forgive others their abuses. Lord, You told me to even ‘love my enemies’...and to pray for those whom I abhor. Lord, I have a tough time even loving those whom I like. I have a tough time giving with no strings attached. I have a tough time loving myself. I even have a tough time loving You. For You have told me that the best way for me to love You is to love my neighbor. So I ask for Your help today. I have sicknesses that inhibit my love. Heal me. I allow the ways of the world to choke my love. Free me. I allow my emotions to override my will. Strengthen me. For I want to love. I desire to allow Your love to flow in and through me so that You may be glorified through my life. For Your love for me deserves no less a response.





(27) Steadfast Creator,

In the midst of life's stormy change, may I anchor myself to You. Holy Lifegiver, in the midst of dying relationships, dying careers, dying dreams, may I accept Your offer of an abundant life. Wise Spirit, in the midst of hectic lifestyles where the multitude of decisions often overwhelm me, give me wisdom for the needs of the day. For I know You to be a God Who loves to give me that which is needful for my well-being if I do but ask. You have deemed it good to create humankind as both male and female ...to complement each other in companionship and in parenting. Today I honor female parents... mothers. Thank you for my mother. And today I am reminded that the best qualities of motherhood are also found in You. As Creator, You gave birth to me. You nurture me and guide me throughout life. You hold me when I need comforting. You provide needed sustenance for me, both my daily bread and the Bread of Life. You have prepared a nest within which I feel secure and safe. You applaud my successes and encourage me when I fail. You discern my moods and allow me the space I need in order for me to affirm my individuality. How like a good mother You are! So I am asking Your help today to comfort those who am grieving, hold the hands of those who am nurturing health back into loved ones, and whisper hope into the ears of those in despair. Bless those who have just cause to celebrate, and dance with those who am deservedly exuberant. And may I ever seek opportunity to share the light that is within me. For I know that Your desire is for all humankind to find a place in Your nest..the Kingdom of Heaven.



(28) Father and Creator of All Good Things,

How thankful I am that the beauty of music is part of my life
experience! Some have said that music is the language of the soul. And we are told that music is heard in the heavenly realms. So even as I am thankful that music is now a part of my life, may it eternally be so. Father, thank you for the inspiration You provided for the great musical composers and performers. Their music has challenged, inspired, and encouraged me. It has helped me to worship You as You deserve. And music is such a great teacher! Help me to be open to her lessons of life... that I can have unity without uniformity... that harmony may result from unique notes and instruments played in consonance with each other. Even as human composers make use of a variety of instruments and tax the versatility of each, so do You, my Master Composer, call upon the contribution of all humankind to play Your symphony, calling upon each of us to maximize our talents and abilities for the sake of the Kingdom. The diversity of musical instruments emphasizes for me both the uniqueness of my individuality and the important role I have to contribute. Music moves me to tears ...evokes laughter ...touches my memories ...brings peace in times of turmoil. So even as today I strive to utilize music in order to glorify You, so may I consecrate my life to be an instrument in Your great orchestra. And may my worth be determined by the fact that I have been touched and played by the Master, for any instrument is useful in direct proportion to the skill of the hand that uses it.





(29) Lord Jesus,

I name You Lord when I contemplate Your majesty and grandeur. I name You Master when I compare my individual pilgrimage with Your pilgrimage, acknowledging Your leadership, wisdom, and character. I name You Savior when I read of the cross and its role in Your life. I name You Friend when I see Your smile, hear Your voice, or feel Your touch. Like the Sons of Zebedee, may my desire be to eternally dwell in close proximity to You. Like Your friend Mary, may I yearn to sit at Your feet and learn. Like the Magdalene, may I seek to honor You with the best that I have. Like Zacchaeus, may my experience of You compel me to right the wrongs that I’ve done and determine to live righteously. Lord, again I appeal to Your compassion and ask for Your mantle to fall upon my shoulders. I need physical healing, I need social healing, I need spiritual healing. Yet I know not how to pray for what is best, for feelings and flesh distort my perspective. So I leave myself in Your hands, desiring Your will to be done, believing that You truly care for my well-being. And, Lord, even as I struggle with my immediate needs and the needs of those whom I love, I am aware that my world is in turmoil and needs Your guidance. Intervene in the affairs of nations ...that love may prevail over hatred, that light may prevail over darkness, that forgiveness may prevail over vengeance. And I ask that Your Truth and Light might prevail in the legislative branches of these United States ...that all decisions of our Executive bodies, our Legislative bodies, and our Judicial bodies might reflect righteousness and duly represent You, the Prince of Peace. I offer my prayer as a gift of love.




(30) Lord Jesus ...Master and Savior.

Save me today. For I have lost family and friends to life’s transitions. I commend them to Your care, knowing that You are the Open Door that leads to the Father. May Your Presence also comfort others who are saddened by loss, temporal though it may be. Eternal Physician, I also pray for healing from my sicknesses. I am bodily sick and need Your touch. I have sicknesses that impair relationships ...pride, fear of introspection, fear of trust, fear of change, fear of allowing others and myself to acknowledge imperfections. Give me humility and courage. I have a sickness of spirit that blinds me to the pitfalls before me. I equate being religious with being spiritual, even though You named that sickness in the Pharisees. Being busily religious didn’t impress You. You desire a contrite heart. You desire a relationship based on mutual love and appreciation. May I never confuse knowledge about You with an experience of You. For even Satan has knowledge about You ...and trembles. Lord, I also invite You to bless my new endeavors. Give me wisdom that I waste not. Give me energy for the ongoing tasks before me. Give me willing co-laborers so that responsible burdens may grow lighter through being shared by many. For I remember that Your compassion for the needy compelled You to give of Yourself. May I seek to emulate You. For You gave me a new commandment ...that I should love others as You have loved me.





(31) My Father,

The crime in my world, and especially in my city, brings sadness to my heart. And sometimes it brings fear into my life. When I read of ‘Good Samaritans’ being taken advantage of by the unscrupulous, I tend to chain the bowels of my compassion and give a wide berth to the needy. Yet let me not allow the media to determine how I am to relate to my neighbor. Contrary to what I read, there is much good in my neighbors and in my world. There is something of You in me that recognizes a kinship of humankind that is even evidenced daily within my eyesight when I have eyes to see. Father, it is not really surprising that some people selfishly abuse others. What is surprising, and what I give You praise for, is that there are so many people who unselfishly love others. Many give of their time -their talents -their treasures for no other reason than that they love You and they love each other. Thank you for giving me the capacity to love as You love. May those who look upon my actions find more concern than gossip, more giving than grasping, more patience than posturing, more grace than judgment. I know that I haven’t arrived ...I confess my imperfections and regret my failures to conform to your standards. You encourage me to look for the good in others and in the world. For where I see the good, I see You. Father, grant that I not allow fear to isolate me from community with You and with others who care for me. May I daily resolve to be a “Good Samaritan” through seeking Your guidance in my decision-making and through actively identifying the good in myself and in others.




(32) My Lord and Savior,

When I come into Your presence by faith, I am overwhelmed not only by Your love, but also by Your holiness. How could You say to those who abused You 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'? I have difficulty forgiving my friends, much less my enemies. When people abuse me, I tend to either strike back immediately or perhaps wait for a more opportune time. I confess that my love does not match up to yours. And when I reflect on Your holiness, I sense Your perfection. And I know myself to be far from perfect. Yet You love me and want me to spend eternity with You. Thank you for not giving up on me ...for giving me worth that I sometimes do not feel. For I struggle daily with the ways of the world ...with carnal passions and secular ideologies. I seek security in wealth ...in position ...in knowledge ...in fame... in human relationships. Help me to know that my only true security lies in honoring You as Lord of my life. Only through seeking and doing Your will can I know a peace in the midst of fears and doubts ...a tranquility in the midst of storms and turbulence. Jesus, I come to You with my needs ...for no one else understands ...no one else really cares ...no one else can heal me ...no one else can comfort me. Thank you for your availability ...for ever knocking on the door of my life ...for seeking fellowship with me. I sometimes wonder why You find me worthy of your love ...and then I am reminded that You love me not because of my worthiness, but only because I am Your sheep and you are the Good Shepherd. Although my adulation of You cannot increase Your holiness, I still feel compelled to praise You. And may my adoration for You spill over into my relationships with my fellow pilgrims. May I so love You that I love those whom You love. May the needs of my neighbors open up well springs of compassion! May my love for You compel me to prioritize those things that are good and healthy and beautiful.

(33) Father,

In the quietness of this moment I turn my thoughts to You, You who are the very ground of my being. Nurture my spiritual roots with Your living water. Envelop me in Your shikinah glory that I may be lifted above the mundane. Touch my eyes that I may see ...for I am often blind to those in need. Touch my ears that I may hear ...for I often have difficulty hearing Your voice amidst the clamor of the world. Touch my mind that I may discern right from wrong, the best from the good, that I may discern Your truth. Touch my lips that my words be ones of encouragement, hope, love, healing. Father, I only ask that which would help me to conform to Your likeness ...for my heart’s desire is to become like You. Forgive me, I pray, when I allow selfishness or laziness or pride or fear to dictate my actions. I acknowledge my sin and ask for cleansing. And may I forgive those who have hurt or abused me in any way. Father, at this season of the year I am reminded of the passion of Your son Jesus Christ. Through Him You have provided a way of life, a door to eternity, a light for my path, strength through Living Bread, a vine that nurtures me, a hope that sustains me, a good shepherd to watch over me, an everlasting presence to lead me homeward. Thank you for Your provision. In accord with You, I are well-pleased with Your Son. May I not only acknowledge Him as savior, but may I also honor Him as lord. Father, I pray for those who are sick ...those who are bereaved ...those who are troubled in relationships ...those who are struggling with making ends meet ...those who have leadership responsibilities ...those who are fearful of tomorrow. Meet these needs in accordance with Your will, for I know that Your desire is that I be healthy in my relationship with you, with others, with my world, and with myself. And may you find me to be a good steward of the growth opportunities I have, the truth I’ve received, and the resources placed in my care.



(34) Eternal God and Father,

How great You are! If I were creating living beings, I wouldn't give them the option of rebelling against me. Yet You not only give me that option, Your love knocks on the doors of my heart even as I ignore Your will. Your arms remain open to me even as I defiantly go my self-serving ways. You extend grace and mercy beyond what is fair or just, for You have made it plain that it is not Your desire that any should perish outside Your Kingdom. Father, I confess that I do not love others as You love me. And even now, accountability assails my life in many ways. Selfish acts inhibit my spiritual growth, damage my relationships, ambush worthwhile endeavors, undermine my health, and feed chaos. Father, especially in times of financial prosperity, help me to prioritize things eternal over things temporal. Especially in times of relative world peace, help me see that spiritual warfare rages continually. Especially in times when I want to rest on my laurels, convict me of the need to be productive. For the fields are indeed white unto harvest still. And the workers are few. Father, help me to see that some must live simply so that others may simply live. Open the bowels of my compassion to the plight of my neighbor. Forgive me for being greedy and mean-spirited, for complaining about my relative comfort and security in a world where many have neither. Thank you for those who are generous in giving of their time and possessions. But it must sadden You that only a few take on the majority of responsibilities. Give me eyes to see the tasks before me as opportunities, not burdens. Father, move in and out of my life mightily so that it might be evident what a mighty God I serve and love. And, Father, for those who are unhappy, I ask for enlightenment. For those who are lonely, overly burdened, afraid, ill, angry, I ask Your healing balm. Father, the needs are many, but I am confident that Your love and power are sufficient for all needs.




(35) My gracious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

Help me to better understand Your ways. You have the power to make things perfect, yet You allow imperfection in Your creation and Your creatures. You have wisdom in abundance, yet wisdom is woefully lacking in Your created world. Your love and patience are beyond compare, yet You allow evil to reign in the hearts of mankind and angels. Indeed, the righteous often suffer and the selfish often prosper. Lord, help me to see my world as You see me, that I may celebrate You more fully and have hope for the future. For without hope for life beyond this temporal one, the present is bleak. Grant that I may be Your emissary in comforting those who mourn, enabling the weak, lifting the fallen, and befriending the lonely. Grant that I may live in the world, but not be of the world. Grant me wisdom and courage to devalue the temporal attractions of this world. May I prefer longevity of the spirit rather than length of earthly years. May I prefer inner beauty to outward beauty. May I prefer faith in You to faith in myself. Give me a vision for the present and the future, that my days may be full of the joy of serving You. Lord, I long to touch You, if only the hem of Your garment. I seek forgiveness for my sins against You, against myself, against my neighbors. I seek healing for mind, body, and spirit. Heal me of the fears that immobilize me. Heal me of regret, of anger, of abuse. Heal my body for Thy service, that I may with vigor walk in Thy paths and serve Thy Kingdom. Heal me of envy, of hate, of prejudice. For You have shown me that love, forgiveness, and humility are the clothes that I should wear. Even as I pray that You allow me to touch You, I long for You to take the initiative ...to stretch out your Hand and touch me. I need to feel that You care about me, that You love me. I need comforting as I face the unknown. I need assurance as I face another week of uncertainties. Reach out Your Hand that I may not drown in the troubled seas of my life.


(36) Dear Father and Creator,

May my faith this day find acceptance in your sight. O Thou who has no beginning or end, give me a glimpse of Your everlasting world, that I may not flounder under the weight of temporal concerns. When I , by faith, touch the hem of Your essence, I am awed by Your power and majesty. My man-made gods are of no threat to You. You hold galaxies and universes in the cup of Your hands. Yet You are mindful of me. And you care what happens to me. And you provide that which I need in order for me to become like You. May my music and prayers and conversation reflect the adoration You deserve. Father, forgive me when I intentionally cause pain to others, to You, or to myself. Give me health and grace me with Your peace, so that I may dutifully follow Your will in bringing about Your kingdom on this earth. Father, grant that I not allow cynicism to cloud my vision. Grant that I not allow fear to shut doors that You have opened. Grant that I not allow laziness to shackle opportunities. For I know that You ever lead me heavenward.




(37) My Father,

I affirm your goodness ...your holiness. You have made me in your image ...in order that I may become like You and enjoy you forever. So I trust You as a child trusts a loving parent. I toddle alongside You ...knowing that Your strong hand will not allow me to stumble and fall. Childlike, I sometimes leap into Your arms ...finding comfort in the knowledge that You love to hug me. I have learned to celebrate both good times and bad times ...confident that nothing can separate me from Your love. That is ...nothing except my own decision to shut You out. And I’ve sometimes done that ...just shut You out of my life as if I had no need of You. How blind and foolish I am to neglect the One who loves me most. I wander in hostile lands trying to be self-sufficient ...and I end up reaping loneliness, bitterness, alienation, and fear. For I cannot find fulfillment apart from You ...I cannot fly like an eagle ...I cannot run and not be weary ...I cannot walk without fainting ...apart from Your Presence. You love me enough to give me freedom to rebel and do my own thing. Yet You patiently hope for me to come to my senses and return to You. Thank you for that kind of love ...a love that gives without demanding ...love shaped in the form of a cross. Father, in Your holiness and love I find a God I can believe in and trust. May You find me faithful to share my knowledge and experience of You with those who hunger after righteousness but know not where to find Living Bread.





(38) My Father,

May I ever recognize and rejoice that You have been a present and available leader throughout my sojourn. Help me to see the glorious possibilities that you open for me. Help me to believe that I can be a beacon of light to my community. Help me to believe that I can be a place for people to be healed of sorrows and loneliness and despair. Help me to believe that I can be a person opposed to hunger, poverty, injustice, and oppression ...a person willing to be used by You as Your instrument. What a symphony You could play if only we Christians would allow ourselves to be used! Help me to believe that I can be a person of peace and goodness and love. Save me from giving up when times are tough. Save me from selling myself to false dreams of prestige and power. Set me free from selfish ambitions, from the desire that all men should think well of me. Give me instead a faith in You and Your kingdom, a faith on which I can build my individual life ...a faith on which I can build my home and family. And I would ask that You give me a spirit of adventure. Prepare me to go where I have never been, ready to risk anything for Your Kingdom’s sake. Prepare me even to pass through the deep dark valley of uncertainty and loss in order to be found faithful to Your call and to hear Your commendation ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’


(39) My Father,

Open the eyes of my faith, so that I may see You at work in my life. You are present to help celebrate at each new birth and to console at each departing. You are present in my workplace, to encourage me to do the right things and to turn the other cheek if need be. You are present at the doctor’s office when I wait for the results from a test. You are present in my home as I struggle to make ends meet, to fit all of my commitments into a 24-hour day, to balance the checkbook, to cope with loneliness and alienation. You are present and available, yet often I leave You out of my life. You knock at the door of my life daily...moment by moment. And I choose to keep the door shut and barred. Even when life’s pain becomes unbearable for me, I keep You at arm’s length rather than accept Your embrace. Perhaps I believe myself to be unlovable by a perfect God. If so, help me to know that it is Your desire that no one should perish outside of Your Kingdom. Perhaps I believe You to be responsible for my pain, and I hold You accountable. If so, may I learn to trust You as a little child ...believing that You loved me so much that You sacrificed Your Son’s life for my sake. Pardon my sinful nature. Purify me that I may be able and willing to serve You in a renewal of purpose. For I would glorify Your Name through eternity.



(40) Lord Jesus, Master and Friend,

I look to You as a perfect leader. As You called Your disciples to a higher plane of existence, call me to follow You through eternity. As You challenged Your disciples to seek first the Father’s Kingdom, so challenge me to make the Father’s will my first priority. As You compelled Your disciples to share the gospel with conviction and faith, so compel me to let my light so shine that good news may be shared with those who haven’t heard. As You empowered your disciples to bring healing where needed, so empower me to be Your emissary of healing and wholeness. As You demonstrated vulnerability to Your disciples, may I be open and honest in my emotions with others. As You rebuked Your disciples when they allowed selfish desires to cloud their vision, so rebuke me when I choose the ways of the world rather than the ways of the kingdom. As You taught the truths of the Kingdom through parables and example, so teach me to love mercy, act justly, and walk humbly. As You raised your friend Lazarus from death’s sleep, so raise me from slumber and passivity. And as You wept with the heartbroken, may my heart be open and sensitive to the dying, the bereaved, the wounded.



(41) O perfect and righteous Heavenly Father,

This day guide and direct my journeys ...my individual journey and my journey as a pilgrim in community. I am often confused in discerning the best from the good. Sanctify my steps and co-ordinate my thoughts. Ever lead me in the ways of eternal progress. Forgive me my selfish behavior and teach me to be more forgiving of others. Fill me with wisdom and invigorate me for Your service. Father, sometimes I feel alone ...even when surrounded by those who love me. Inspire me with a knowledge of Your presence ...inspire me through your sacred writings ...inspire me with a consciousness of the guidance of Your angelic hosts. May they guide me ever upwards in pathways of light, and justify me in the day of my reckoning. Lead me to be like Yourself. With hope I look forward to a time when You will receive me into Your eternal service. And, Father, even though I am incapable of knowing You fully, I ask that You reveal as much of Your character to me as I am able to bear. Help me to see Thee more clearly ...that I may not pass You by as I hurry about my tasks. May I not unthinkingly stray into paths of darkness and evil. And even as You hear my prayer, may I listen carefully and eagerly to what You have to say to me. Be pleased with my efforts to serve You. Strengthen my character and prepare my mind’s soil for Your seed. And I pray my prayer believing my requests to be within Your will.



(42) Divine Creator,

You honor me with Your special presence. Grant that I may not regard my academic degrees and personal influence as indications that I have arrived ...that I have no more growing to do. Rather, may I view them as signposts indicating that I am on the right path. God of laughter, help me to laugh at myself. Self-importance often attends accolades ...help me not to consider myself too seriously. Give me healthy balance in all areas of my life. Into Your hands, Father, I offer myself, and all who are dear to me. May the gift of Your special presence be with me throughout this day...a day of hope and vision as I acknowledge Your leadership in my life. Grant that I not lose sight of Thee all the day long, but to remember You in worship and in prayer, that at day’s end I may again be thankful for Your graciousness towards me. God of Peace, I turn aside from a world in turmoil to learn from You, seeking rest for my spirit, and light for my thoughts. I bring my work to be sanctified, my wounds to be healed, my sins to be forgiven, my hopes to be renewed. I often feel fragmented by the varied responsibilities and decisions demanded from me. Quiet the discord that flails me daily. Take me out of the loneliness of self and fill me with love and truth. And even as Your greatness is beyond my praise, lift me above the littleness of spirit that often besets me; send me visions of what I may become through your grace. Righteous Father, keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking gossip. Comfort me when life bends my spirit. Plant humility in my soul, and strengthen my heart with perfect faith in Thee.



(43) My Risen Savior and my Lord,

Today of all days is special to me because it represents hope. And I need hope. It is good news to me that You arose from the dead ...that life can be brought to dead things ...for I have dead things in my life that need resurrecting. I have dead relationships with other people ...relationships that once were vibrant. I have dead dreams and visions ...dreams and visions that once inspired me. I have dead days and weeks and months where it seems that I have lost my purpose in living. But I want to be alive ...I want my relationships to be alive ...I want my dreams and visions to be alive. Lord of resurrection, touch me that I might be resurrected to serve you better ...to serve my neighbor better ...to serve myself better. Even as you commended Your spirit into the Father’s hands, may I put my life into Your hands knowing that Your hands are gentle and caring. Lord, I honor You as the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep. May I willingly walk the way of the cross, whether I choose my own way or have it chosen for me, so that my witness may increase Your fold. May the way of the cross lead me to become a committed disciple to You and Your kingdom ...the kingdom here and the kingdom to come. You have taught me that suffering may occur as a result of seeking to be righteous. May I be worthy of any suffering that comes my way. My Savior, in Your sojourn, You shook heaven and earth! May You continue to shake my life ...disturb me, heal me, and bless me with power to go forth proclaiming Your gospel.




(44) Eternal Father,

I am reminded that mountain-top experiences are exciting ...it was on a mountain-top where You met with Moses ...to sanction his leadership and, later, to define Your law. It was on a mountain-top where Your Son shed His humanity briefly in a transfiguration of glory. I love mountain-tops. Sundays are often mountain-top experiences for me. Yet it is in the valleys that I live and breathe and die. And it is in the wilderness of life where I make life and death decisions. It was in the wilderness that my Lord was confronted and tempted by the demonic. It was in the wilderness where He wrestled with knowing and doing Your will. And so I come before You today acknowledging that I live in a wilderness with too few mountain-top experiences. In my wilderness I fear my neighbor. I fear that I will be physically harmed or deprived of security. I fear that my possessions will be stolen from me. In my wilderness are many enemies ...people who are not like me ...ugly people, dirty people, ignorant people, poor people, weak people, arrogant people, people of color, older people, younger people, sick people, people who speak with an accent. Oh God my Father, deliver me from my fear ...for I know that it is the fear-tinted glasses through which I view others that make of them my enemies. I believe in You ...I have experienced Your love, yet I am weak and in need of Your strength and vision. Help me in my wilderness to seek Your will above my own, to call on You for help and for solace, to allow You to be greater than my understanding or experience of You. For decisions made on the mountain-top often lose strength in the wilderness. Help me to call on You in the wilderness where I stumble and lose my way. Today, grant that I may be sensitive to the wilderness trails which my neighbor travels. Grant me forgiveness for my fears and failures that often immobilize me from being available for Your use. And may Your love so fill me that my light will be a beacon for others.


(45) My Father,

Even as we are inundated with news of character flaws in elected leaders, I am ever thankful that Your character is steadfast ...that Your righteousness remains uncompromised. Even as I read, hear, and see news of mankind’s subhuman behavior ...in the murder and abuse of children, in terroristic bombings, in drive-by shootings ...I am thankful that Your love is ever flowing toward me and through me. Father, I desire to become righteous like You ...to overcome my temerity in facing the struggles of this life ...to confront evil wherever I encounter it ...to live honestly, humbly, and heroically. Father, I desire to be in consort with You in loving this world ...praying for my enemies, doing good to those who abuse me, helping those who are in need. Empower me with eyes to see, ears to hear, and hands to uphold. O Thou whose light shines eternal, guide me in this hour. I seek wisdom in maximizing my resources, in determining direction, in organizing and implementing programs, in being a good steward. Grant that as I travel toward Your destination, I not lose touch with my companions along the way. Help me to balance the worthy goal of accomplishing tasks with the worthy goal of developing and maintaining relationships. For I desire to be both productive and caring.



(46) My Savior and Lord,

I envy the tongues of poets when I seek to speak of who You are and what You mean to me. Yet, although others may not be capable of reading my heart, You can and do. May my heart today reflect adoration and praise and thankfulness. Sometimes I envy the tongues of theologians who use big words and concepts to describe who You are and what You are doing. But even though I may not understand the theologians, I do know the reality of who You are and I know that my relationship with You has changed my life for the better. Perhaps I am not gifted to write books or songs about You, but I can and do offer You the simple gift of who I am. Lord, it seems that my struggles are many, and I am battered by disappointments, misunderstandings, and tragedies. My failures also are many, for too often I allow selfishness, laziness, and fear to affect my decisions. So I offer You my battered life, fraught with failures, hoping for acceptance. Your celebration of who and what I am overwhelms me, and sometimes tears of gratitude are the only appropriate response. Eternal Physician, You bring healing to my life in many ways. Today I ask intercessory healing for those both within my fellowship and those who are on my heart, that Your healing grace may bring health to the life of Your people. Yet You know what is ultimately best and I look through a glass darkly, and so I pray that Your will be done and that I be given the grace to patiently carry the cross I sometimes must bear. I am thankful that You bore Your cross for me, and that You will not forsake me as I struggle. May Your Church ever be known as a place of the cross, a place where burdens can be laid at Your feet and a place where the responsibilities of discipleship are taken seriously. May I join other pilgrims in a common vision of honoring You through word and deed, that Your kingdom here on earth may more perfectly reflect Your heavenly kingdom.


(47) My Father and Sustainer,

To whom can I turn when life knocks the props out from under me? When I have to face the loss of someone I love, to whom do I turn for hope? When my body refuses to function as it once did, who can give me courage to face an uncertain future? When my theology doesn’t seem to cover all the bases and religious institutions shed more doubt than light, who can bolster my faith? When I daily face a world where ‘bearing false witness’ appears to be the rule instead of the exception, who can teach me to love truth? In a life where betrayal and desertion within families bring so much pain, who is there that will teach me about loyalty and fidelity? When I am taught that selfishness is good ...when I am taught to place my own desires above the needs of others, who will teach me to be selfless? In a nation that fears pain and strives to alleviate it at all costs, who is there to reveal to me the lessons to be learned from that which brings pain to me? Oh God, You alone are able and willing to answer my questions ...You alone have the resources to meet my needs. You really care for me, and I thank you for your providence. May I ever look to You for my guidance. Forgive my sins of commission and omission. Forgive my stubbornness that prevents me from submitting myself to Your will. Fill me today with Your grace and love, that I may be Your hands, feet, and mouth to a world in need.



(48) Holy Father,

To You alone do I ultimately depend for justice and truth to prevail. I am frustrated at times by the injustice and deception that seem so prevalent in my world. But, oddly, I seek justice for those who oppress others, yet I seek mercy if I am the oppressor. Oddly, I seek justice for those who deceive others, yet I seek mercy for my own deception. I call for justice on those who sin against You in any way, yet I ask for mercy for my own sins. Why can’t I have the same compassion for others that I have for myself? Perhaps my selfishness intervenes. So today I ask for Your intervention that selfishness may not prevail. Give me a compassionate heart, that I may care for and nurture others. Give me a compassionate heart, that when my neighbor stumbles, I will reach out a hand to help. Give me a compassionate heart, that I may reflect the compassion exemplified by Your Son and my Lord Jesus Christ when He walked this earth. And may I learn to link compassion with accountability, that there may be balance in my life. For You hold me accountable for the light I’ve received, for the gifts I’ve been given, for my very life’s breath. You hold me accountable to grow. And so today I give thanks for those who are teachers, willing to share with others the light that they have received. You have told me that it is a heavy responsibility to accept the mantle of a teacher, for it distresses You when any are led astray from Your path or when ignorance is promoted as truth. So I do give thanks for teachers, for their willingness to study and apply Your truths to this earthly life. And I give thanks also for those who are willing to be pupils, for banquets are meant to be eaten.




(49) Lord and Savior,

Quietly I reflect on who You are and what You mean to me. I readily name You Savior, for I have felt the renewal that has happened in my life as a result of accepting Your offer of salvation. I hesitantly name You Lord, for You are one of many to whom I bow the knee. I seek security in wealth ...in position ...in knowledge ...in fame ...in human relationships. Help me to know that my only true security lies in honoring You as Lord of my life. Only through seeking and doing Your will can I know a peace in the midst of fears and doubts ...a tranquility in the midst of storms and turbulence. Jesus, I come to You with my needs ...for no one else understands ...no one else really cares ...no one else can heal me ...no one else can comfort me. Thank you for Your availability ...for ever knocking on the door of my life ...for seeking fellowship with me. I sometimes wonder why You find me worthy of your love ...and then I are reminded that You love me not because of my worthiness, but only because I am Your sheep and You are the good shepherd. Lord, I look at my nation in relation to the world and know that I as a citizen have been blessed. I have been given much. But you told me that to whom much is given, much is required. Show me how to use my resources and position to make your world safer and more healthy. Lord, I look at my life and find much to be thankful for ...and I find room for growth. May I determine to grow in accordance with Your will and not my own.





(50) My Father and Creator,

I pause in the busy-ness of life to contemplate my relationships to you ...to my neighbor ...and to myself. When I try to put You into the box of my understanding, You won’t fit. I who have a beginning in time cannot comprehend that You had no beginning. I who have difficulty remembering the names of new acquaintances, how can I relate to One who is aware of the very number of hairs on my heads? I who am frustrated in trying to be in two places at one time, how can I understand One who is present in all places? I find it hard sometimes to even love my own family. How am I to love my enemies ...do good to those who hurt me? I who have such difficulty with communicating what I really mean, how do I relate to One who knows what I mean before I formulate my thinking? I try to make You into my image, but You won’t fit. And may You never fit into my image of You. May You always be a mystery ...an enigma to my understanding. For one way I have of honoring You is to allow You to be bigger than my understanding or experience of You. And I want to honor You as my God ...to acknowledge Your perfectness ...Your holiness ...to bow in Your presence and worship You. My Father, I am reminded that Your acceptance of my worship is conditional on my attitude towards my neighbor. You have told me that it is impossible for me to hate my neighbor and love you. I do not honor you when I backbite my neighbor, gossip about my neighbor, lie to my neighbor, cheat my neighbor, steal from my neighbor, rob my neighbor of dignity. Forgive my weaknesses in character ...forgive my abuse of power... forgive my failure to stand for what is right ...forgive my failure to love. And even as I ask for forgiveness, I commit myself to forgiving those who have wronged me.



(51) My Father and Creator,

In the midst of a chaotic world, with You I find purpose and hope. In my life where chaotic relationships abound, with You I find harmony and unity. When I falter in my decision-making, You provide me with direction through faith. In Your Presence I truly find a place where race, sex, age, education, and prestige are of no import ...a place where the wounded are healed, the hungry are fed, the lonely are made welcome ...even a place where my diversity is celebrated, much as I celebrate the uniqueness of others. Lead me, Father, to Your dwelling place ...a place where affirmation and love abound. I sometimes weary of this world of fear and prejudice and vanity. May my faith today be sufficient to glimpse Your glory, that my burdens may feel lighter and my way seem less encumbered. Yet, even as I seek refuge from the world, I must confess my responsibility in making it what it is. Having been forgiven so much, yet I still have difficulty learning to forgive. I inflict heartache, grief, and anguish on my neighbors, even on those whom I love. Forgive my selfishness and greed, for grabbing more than I need and thereby denying the needs of others. May that mind be in me that was in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who rejected the hollow security of material wealth, who rejected popularity as a goal to be desired, who prioritized spiritual security over physical security. Do whatever is needed to keep me pointed in the right direction, to keep me motivated and growing. Take me by the hand that I might find comfort in Your presence. And even as my physical eyes grow dim with age, may my spiritual vision become sharp and clear as I strive to stay focused on You and Your will for me. Because my hope is to serve You in spirit and in truth.




(52) My Lord and Savior,

There is much talk at this time of year about graduation. Joyfully, I celebrate these rites of passages of young men and women from the educational institutions they attend. Perhaps some of them feel that they have completed their education. Yet, Lord, I never fully graduate from school, do I? All of life is a classroom and You are my Master Teacher. Perhaps my final exam comes when I face death, but periodic tests are ever a part of life ...and even pop quizzes occur from time to time. Am I being tested when my dreams crumble ...when I am betrayed or neglected? Am I being tested when the needy arrive at my doorstep, or when my own body parts begin to wear out? Am I being tested when my resources are more than adequate for my needs? Lord, how am I doing? What grade am I in spiritually? Am I progressing or flunking? Have I been playing hooky and missed some of Your instruction? Have I neglected to do my homework because of laziness or misplaced priorities? Do I have a responsibility to tutor those who are struggling with their assignments? Am I graded according to my accomplishments ...or according to my potential? Yet You have never asked me to give You what I do not have. You ask for all of who I am. May my goal be to graduate with honors when my day of reckoning comes. May I avail myself of all the opportunities that life provides for me physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. May I prepare myself for service to You in this life and the next. And, at the end of my sojourn, may my reward be found in hearing You say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share my Kingdom!”




(53) My Father, You Who are faithful and all-powerful,

I come with reverence before Your holiness. I hardly feel worthy to speak to You, yet You seem to delight in my presence as I delight in children. You have asked that those of us who are in the fold to have Your concern for lost sheep. I confess that I feel uncomfortable representing You to the world, for I still have much of the world in me. And I often judge others harshly through my own self-loathing. Forgive me my selfish attitudes and cleanse me from all that inhibits me. Father, Your blessings have descended upon me, empowering me to perform Your will and execute Your bidding. Give me moment by moment the sustenance I need for my physical well-being, my social well-being, my spiritual well-being. As I approach a new week, refresh me day by day with Your spiritual manna. Step by step lead me out of darkness and into the divine light. Renew my mind through a transformation of my spiritual nature. And when my mortal shell shall finally cease to contain my spirit, receive me to Yourself and walk with me a ways, that You may impart Your vision of eternity to my finite mind. Crown me with responsibility according to my fruitful service, and may I spend eternity glorifying the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.




(54) Lord Jesus,

You told me to come to You when I am weary ...tired ...burdened with care. And You told me that You will help me to shoulder my load ...to find rest. Lord, I’m here. Enfold me with Your Spirit as mothers enfold their young. Hug me close to Your heart that I may feel Your energy and love. Sometimes, Lord, I feel that my plate is too full. Perhaps it’s my own fault, but I feel that I am over-committed and out-of-gas. But perhaps through no fault of mine, life has placed burdens upon me that are not easily borne. Sometimes I am heartbroken as I feel helpless to relieve the pain and suffering of those whom I love. Lord, for a little while, just draw me into Your lap. I know that Your lap is big enough to hold the world, so there is no lack of room. I need to feel Your arms around me. Perhaps I need to just cry until the tension eases. Perhaps I need to regain my energy through taking a spiritual nap as You rock me. Lord, You know my needs even better than I, and I am thankful for Your availability. And as I leave Your presence to again face my responsibilities and opportunities, may Your peace abide with me ...to comfort me so that I face without fear the days to come. And even as I gain succor from my relationship with You, may I be an oasis of comfort for those around me who struggle and grieve. Help me to be forgiving and tolerant of those whose pain compels them to strike out at those who care. May I be quick to show kindness, slow to take offense, and ready always to speak of the nurture and rest to be found in Your lap.




(55)Lord Jesus,

I honor You today for Your life and message. By Your example, I am challenged to love all of human kind. And I fail the challenge. I even have difficulty loving other Christians ...sometimes my own family members ...how can You expect me to love those who are so different from me? Yet You do expect me to try. And in my failure, I ask for forgiveness ...knowing that Your love for me carries grace and forgiveness. Give me Your heart ...that I may say when I am attacked ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t really know what they are doing.’ ..that I may encourage those who are weary and carrying heavy burdens ...that I may be willing to reach out and touch those who are the leprous untouchables of the world ...that I may be an agent of reconciliation where walls of sexism, racism, age, and religious intolerance abound ...that I may not allow laziness or apathy deter me from seeking and following the will of the Father. Jesus, I call You my Lord and Savior, but I sometimes forget that to call You Lord means that I willingly submit to Your leadership in all aspects of my life. I trust that You will not lead me astray, or ask me to do anything that would not be ultimately healthy for me to do. But I have difficulty in allowing You to be in complete control. Help me to take that ‘leap of faith’ that proclaims ‘May Your will, not mine, be done’. I am well aware that doing Your will may alienate me from the world. I am even aware that making the doing of Your will my highest priority may alienate some from within my fellowship. But I am committed to You as Lord, and I am Yours to do with as You will. I marvel that You would entrust earthen vessels to establish Your kingdom here. But Your Church is still alive after 2000 years despite human leadership. And I trust that You can and will make her stronger yet. May Your Church ever be One that builds bridges, not walls... a Church that will be a beacon to the world and her leaders.



(56) My Father and my God,

When I contemplate the wonders of Your magnificent creation, from tiny single-celled organisms to millions of stars in far-flung galaxies, I am awed that so powerful and complex a Being as You can care about me. I offer thanks that Your goodness is manifested in a world where people do bad things. I offer thanks that You are just where injustice abounds. I offer thanks for Your patience although I am often impatient with others. I offer thanks for Your compassion towards me even though fear and insensitivity often compels me to leave the needy stranded. Father, You are Health-Giver, so today I ask for healing ...healing for those who are infirm ...for those who are lonely ...for those who are sin-sick in spirit ...for those who are stressed to the breaking point. If it be within Your will, I ask for health for all of these. And if, for some reason beyond my understanding, it be Your will that we bear with our infirmities, grant us grace to do so with dignity, perseverance, and hope. Father, I oftentimes feel the tension and stress of life. I exhaust myself through depleting my resources, and it never seems to cross my mind to check out Your resources except as a final resort. As a headstrong child is wont to do, I insist on doing things my way, hardly acknowledging that Your way is always the best. Forgive my foolish ways, and help me to know Your will regarding these tension points in my life. And, after knowing Your will, may I have the courage and character to do the right thing, even when I have to walk utterly by faith. For You are righteous, and doing that which is right marks me as a citizen of Your Kingdom.



(57) My Father,

Forgive me for I have been remiss in caring for Your children ...for my brothers and sisters. Of all cultures on earth, perhaps ours demonstrates less respect for the aged and more fear of the aging process. Sometimes I do not demonstrate the peace, assurance, and confidence that comes from a living faith. Confront me, I pray. I have allowed the aged to face overwhelming burdens without an advocate. I have debated the insignificant and ignored the weightier matters of Your kingdom. I have allowed my society to denigrate the aging process ...seniors have become victims of time sometimes powerless to cope. Father, my values need examining. It seems that I prefer quantity of life to quality, forgetting that quantity has no meaning in eternity. Why am I so afraid of death that I fear to touch the dying? Why am I so afraid of reliance on others that I am willing to deny even my own need for You? Why am I so afraid of growing older that I will go to extreme measures to ‘gloss over’ the aging process? Why am I so afraid of dependency that I can’t find the courage to face life? I want to live ...but on my terms, not Yours. Forgive me, for I want to dictate the rules and the boundaries. Father, help me to see that the boundaries and the freedoms of life are both good gifts from You. Bring my attitudes and values into conformity with Your Kingdom. When I am healthy, give me a compassion for those who are struggling. When I am the one struggling, give me the grace to accept help and the courage to voice my need. And when I become dependent against my will, give me the grace to remember my blessings and the willingness to bless others. Father, I also pray for those who are wounded emotionally or socially ...for those who are recovering from illness or a doctor’s care ...for those who feel powerless to face the pressures of everyday life ...for those who are bewildered by the choices of life ...for those who are lonely. Illuminate my path and accept my worship this day.


(58) My Lord Jesus

Sometimes it is really a struggle to make sense out of what You’ve said. You’ve told me to love my enemies. Can I love my enemies and still bear arms against them? Am I loving them if I forcibly prevent them from committing a wrong act? Am I loving my children when I restrain them from hurting others? And, Lord, how do I pray for those who abuse me? Do I pray that they succeed in their endeavors? Or, rather, do I pray that they conform to Your image? You told me that if I live by the sword, then I will die by the sword. Were You talking about aggression only? Isn’t it OK to defend myself and my family? And, Lord, it is sometimes hard to reconcile Your words and actions with what I read in other parts of the Bible. The Old Testament especially seems to sanction war. What am I to believe? Help me to understand. Do You prefer some people over others just because of the happenstance of where they were born? Does a loving parent prefer one child over another? Lord, somehow I believe that You prefer peace to war. But the freedom You gave me is a two-edged sword. I have freedom to bless or to curse ...to heal or destroy ...to build bridges or build walls. Forgive me when I abuse my freedom. Forgive me for the times I covet ...for the times I wrongfully take what belongs to another ...whether it be something material like money or possessions, or whether it be something serious like reputation, good will, or dignity. Lord, bless those who in good faith serve my country in times of crisis. Many of them come home damaged either physically, socially, mentally, or spiritually. Heal them and their families, I pray. And may I do my part to work for peace, for You said ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’ Help me to do the things that bring about peace ...within my family, my church, my nation, my world, my very soul. Thank You for caring.



(59) Father,

There’s a sadness in Your world today. Some of Your people are sad ...and I believe that You are sad. Sad about the sickness of soul that pervades our society...and our world. It’s the kind of sickness that encourages a lynch mob to yell ’crucify Him’ ...the kind of sickness that says ‘guilty until proven innocent’...the kind of sickness that delights when people in high places fall. And, Father, it seems that many fall. Politicians, clergy, educators, athletes, business leaders ...every walk of life illuminated by fame and power have succumbed to character flaws in moments of weakness. Father, do You take delight in their fall? I think not! Rather, I believe that You take delight in forgiving people who truly repent when they are confronted with their sin. I recall that King David had to pay the consequences of his sin, but that You took delight in the fact that he truly repented. Father, help me to be like You. Help me to have an attitude of love that encourages people to come to me for forgiveness, knowing that I will stretch forth my hand to them and lift them from their despair. Father, I confess that I don’t have a right to throw the first stone. For I sometimes slander reputations with impunity ...I sometimes resist the good in favor of the comfortable ...I sometimes allow cynicism to overshadow my compassion ...I sometimes give the impression that I alone have ears to hear Your Voice. Forgive me my sin ...in the same measure as I am willing to forgive the sins of others. And, Father, even as You allow sickness to exist, You also provide healing. Heal my world, my nation, my church, my family. Heal my body, that I may be an instrument of Your peace. May I replace hatred with love. May I replace vengeance with compassion. May I replace darkness with light, and replace despair with hope. For, surely, it is in giving that I receive. It is in forgiving others that I feel forgiven. And it is in dying to my own selfishness that I receive my eternal salvation.


(60) O Loving Father and Wise Parent,

Scripture teaches me that I must be as a little child in order to reside in Your kingdom ...that I must accept your spiritual parenthood much like a human babe accepts the physical parenthood of earthly fathers and mothers. But, Father, I have allowed adulthood responsibilities, freedom, and power to distance me from the dependency I knew as an infant. I don’t know anymore what it is like to be a child. Help me! Help me to come to You as a little child ...an infant ...reaching for Your steady Hand as I sometimes falter in my daily walk. Help me to come to you as a toddler. As a toddler trusts, may I trust You for my eternal safety and security. As a babe learns to identify love with voice, may I bask in Your love and delight in Your laughter, Your smile, Your encouraging words. As a young child will run to parents for comfort, may I find Your arms when I am scared or in pain. Father, help me to be as a little child! I have allowed the cares of the world to occupy too much of my time. I fear for my safety. Pride swallows my sense of humility. I seek comforting words from the stock market rather than from Your lips. I have allowed my emotions to chart my course as if I have no will. I have allowed the demonic to rob me of the pleasure of your company. I have allowed my adulthood such prominence that it has become difficult to even remember what it was like to be a child. Father, help me to be as a little child in Your Kingdom.


(61) Father of Creation and All that is Good,

When warning sirens fill the air ...when tornados and lightning and storms confront me, I often grow fearful. But, Father, when I pause to listen to You, I hear You ask, ‘Why are You so afraid?” Perhaps a self-preservation instinct takes over and I crave physical survival ...safety for myself and my loved ones. In my fear, I may pray earnestly to You for safety ...and give thanks for survival ...yet I wonder why some are not as fortunate as I. I tend to hold You accountable for floods and famine, drought and tornados, hurricanes and other destructive storms. I even hold You responsible for a tragic accident that takes a loved one’s life. But, Father, I really do not believe that Your Hand controls these destructive forces. You allow them to happen as the natural growth process of a planet in transition. I know that, ultimately, You could prevent anyone from falling victim to an untimely death. But to what purpose? Is it my purpose to cling to this physical existence as if there is no eternity? If there were no untimely deaths, would I be better prepared for the transition into Your Realm? What of the ones who do not survive the calamities of nature? Do You love them less? Father, I believe You to be fair and just and righteous even in things that I do not fully understand. I believe that Your Hand is available, not as a causative force, but as a comfort ...a refuge ...a caress. When I find myself graced with safety in the midst of danger and destruction, I often pause and consider the meaning of my life and the direction in which I am moving. I realize that even though You love me, there will be an accounting for my days. And untimely physical deaths detract not from the eternal life. Father, help me to hear the warning sirens of the Spirit that are continually sounding in my life. They say, ‘Do not fear that which can destroy the physical body. Rather, fear that which can destroy the spiritual body!’ Father, help me to hear Your warning sirens.


(62) My Eternal Father,

Your glory overwhelms the heavens, and yet You condescend to hear my petitions. You are sufficient unto Yourself, yet You invite me to join You in an everlasting adventure. I don’t deserve Your love, yet I gratefully accept and cherish it. Thank you for Your availability, Your companionship, Your love. I am reminded today of the saints of Your church. Some had the courage to die for their faith, at times being tortured and mutilated. Others had the courage to live for their faith, at times preferring death but persevering for the sake of the Kingdom. In examining their lives, I am convicted of my own failure to commit myself totally to Your way. I are reminded that the spiritual foundation upon which I stand came at great cost and dedication. May their example inspire me. When I reach a fork in the road, may I be found faithful to choose Your path. May I be found faithful to touch the unclean, to befriend the lonely, to comfort the bereaved, to heal the sick. And, Father, as I determine today to follow Your will regarding my physical sojourn, I ask for wisdom to hear Your voice and grace to see with your vision. May I never prioritize the outer cup over the inner! Your Son Jesus deplored the fact that some religious leaders prioritized the external over the internal ...the physical over the spiritual. May I never prioritize a pristine edifice over my own commitment to love You and my neighbor. For I would be foolish indeed to give up that which is eternal to gain that which is temporal.



(63) Dear Jesus,

Open my eyes to behold You as You really are. Open my ears to hear what You are saying to me. Open my heart that my very lifeblood may pour over Your Kingdom in service and ministry. Lord, I talk a lot about ownership. But perhaps I are best served if I do not speak of the ownership of material things. For I serve my carnal nature when I identify more with things of this world instead of that which is spiritual. And perhaps I am also best served not to use the possessive pronoun when speaking of people. The children that we are allowed to sire . . . they are not our possessions. They belong to You. Even those mates with whom we have made life-long commitments must be allowed freedom to grow and serve in the Light of the Kingdom rather than under our umbrellas, no matter how admirable our intentions. And, Lord, what of Your church? Does the church belong to us or does she belong to You? Do we seek to isolate ourselves from the world in a country-club facility, or do we earnestly seek to know Your Will and Heart when it comes to evaluating the present and preparing for the future? I am reminded that the religious leaders of Your day didn’t much like it when You introduced change into their Sabbath day. Healing on the Sabbath day got You into all kinds of trouble, didn’t it, Lord? Lord, I’m not vain enough to believe that I know Your Perfect Will all of the time. Gardens of Gethsemane are available to me today, but they are frequented little for I have not Your dedication or commitment. Teach me to pray, Lord. Not for show or personal gain, but to know Your Will, even as You sought the Father’s Will. May my love for You drive me to my knees. Humble my proud spirit. And may I demonstrate my love for You by washing my neighbor’s feet ...by praying for those with whom I disagree . May I love You enough to care about those who are in real need. Lord, I pray that You can find enough self-less love within me to accomplish great things for Your Kingdom.



(64) My Father,

This special day I am reminded of my heritage. May my remembrance be not only of my heritage as a nation blessed, but also my heritage as a family blessed. I am thankful to enjoy freedoms that many of my brothers and sisters around the world cannot claim. May my thankfulness be accompanied by a concern and commitment to work toward the civil rights of all humanity. For You have told me that You are no respecter of persons ...that we all have equal worth in Your sight ...that it is Your desire that no one should perish outside Your kingdom. May I emulate You in Your desires. And in the midst of a time when there is little respect for many who serve in public office, may I lead the way in praying for those who are in positions of leadership. I pray that Your spirit will lead them onto paths of righteousness, that You will convict them of what is right and give them the courage to do the right thing when given a choice, that You will humble the proud and lift up the meek for the sake of Your kingdom. Father, even as You have loved me with all of my failings, I proclaim my love for my country even with all of her failings. And even as You call for me to move toward holiness...to move toward righteousness, so may I challenge my nation to become more righteous and more holy in actions both within and without. Today I honor the longevity of the elderly of our land. Father, it seems that longevity in biblical days drew a measure of respect, as it continues to do in other parts of the world today, especially the far eastern nations. Yet in my own nation, to become older is to subject myself to a climate of disrespect rather than honor. Give me grace to know Your mind in how to rectify this injustice. Enlighten me as to how to lead the way in honoring those who have paved the way for new generations. Forgive me for my selfishness and insensitivity. I commit myself to seeking and doing Your Will.



(65) My Father,

I say that You are all-wise. Yet, as I face the uncertainties of everyday existence, I sometimes second-guess Your wisdom. To become like you, I need to be in a place where I have to struggle. This place I call Earth is such a place. I don’t enjoy life’s conflicts nor understand why they are needed. But Your ways are higher than my ways, so I trust that You have my best interests at heart. You want me to become like You ...to develop desirable character traits. You want me to develop courage, so I must grapple with hardship and disappointment. You want me to be altruistic, so I must encounter social inequality. You want me to be hopeful, so life must always contain uncertainties and insecurity. You want me to live by faith, so ultimate knowledge must always be less than my capacity for assimilation. You want me to love Truth, so I must live in a world where error is present and lies are possible. You want me to be idealistic, so I live in a world of relative goodness and beauty, where the glass is half-full and half-empty. You want me to develop loyalty, so the possibility of betrayal or desertion must ever be present. You want me to be unselfish, so I must ever face my fleshly desire to be selfish and elevate myself to the godhead. You want me to seek happiness, so I must live in a world where pain and suffering exist. Father, when I fully realize what You are doing to help me to become like You, I celebrate the struggles of life and call on Your help as need be. Thank you for Who You are and what you are doing in my life.




(66) My Lord and Savior,

You have indicated to me that I am to work toward becoming perfect, even as Your Father is perfect ...to work toward becoming holy, even as Your Father is holy. But, like David, Moses, Peter, Paul, I fall short of that standard through actions committed and uncommitted. And so I stand in Your Presence today, contrite and remorseful for the damage I’ve done in my relationships to You, to others, and to myself. Like the woman caught in adultery, I need mercy. Save me from allowing a proud and haughty spirit to stiffen my neck ...seeking to hold others responsible for my own sin. Lord, I know that You love to forgive me when I am truly sorry for my actions. Thank you. And, Lord, I also know that You challenged the self-righteous Pharisees of Your day, naming their sins to them. Lord Jesus, when I allow pride or stubbornness to rationalize my actions ...when I feel that I are not subject to Your law because power or prestige has clouded my mind, bring me to my knees as You deem best. For I need Your forgiveness, Your mercy, Your grace in my life. I know that the ways of the world are not Your ways, yet the world does influence my life more than I like. Give me wisdom to discern truth and goodness. Give me vision to see the temporality of this world and its promises as compared to the promises of Your eternal Kingdom. Give me a heart that loves justice and mercy, a heart that breaks when confronted with my own sin or the sin of others. And, Lord, may I ever hold myself and others accountable for selfish actions. But may my confrontations always be accompanied by a broken-hearted sorrow that my fellow pilgrim may have a sickness of which he is unaware.




(67) My Father,

You have said that I am to worship You ‘in spirit and in truth’. What does that mean? To worship You in spirit, do I have to prioritize spirit over thought or will or comfort or preference? What place does ritual or tradition have in worshiping You ‘in spirit’? Can I worship You ‘in truth’ by following a prescribed formula ...or do I worship You ‘in truth’ by faithing Your Presence and relating to You as a lesser being relates to the greatest Being? Father, help me to worship You ‘in spirit and in truth’, for it is easy to play at church ...to play at worship. How do You feel when You only receive ‘lip-service’ from those of us who call ourselves Your children? I have been to meetings where only my physical body was present. My mind was elsewhere. I have often heard people speak without listening to them. May I not so dishonor You and this opportunity to commune with You. I avail myself not of the greatest resource at my disposal. I need Your Presence in my life. For I feel inept to help those who are ill or infirm. I feel inept to help those who are lonely and needy. I feel inept to help those who are angry and heartbroken at relationships gone sour and dreams unfulfilled. I feel inept to rear children of character in a society that honors immorality. I feel inept to face an uncertain future as cultural changes bombard me. I feel inept when expectations of me are beyond my capabilities. Father, thank you for caring ...for loving me beyond what I deserve. May my actions and thoughts this week reflect that I love You.




(68) My Father,

When the struggles of life humble me or when the pains of body and mind cripple me or when relationships are in disarray, I come to You ...for You continue to work miracles in body, mind, and spirit. You can bring life out of death, joy out of sorrow, good out of evil. I come as a co-heir of the Kingdom along with Your Son Jesus ...even though I am a co-heir by grace, and not by works. For my works do not match up to those of my Savior. Often I am selfish and greedy, seeking to grab more than what I need and leaving others with less than they need. Forgive me for seeking to be fashionable when others do not have sufficient clothing. Forgive me for paying exorbitant prices for food I don’t need while others go hungry. Forgive me for my lust of food, clothes, cars, houses, and people. Forgive me for grasping those things I don’t need when others have a real need for me to share. Forgive me for not seeing that wealth and possessions are of no lasting value unless they are shared for the well-being of the many. Thank you for the example of some in my midst ...those who are more giving, more generous, more unselfish. May I also look to the example of my Lord Jesus Who never failed to prioritize the spiritual over the material in all things. Strengthen my faith, that things eternal will occupy my thoughts and weaken the hold that this world has on my mind.



(69) My Father,

Sometimes when I lose things, I ask You for help. And it seems to really help, for my memory seems to clear for me ...or I seem to be led to look in a different place. And I find what was lost. And I rejoice. But some things I don’t find again. I have lost things in my life ...loss that sometimes drives me to despair. I have lost the innocence of childhood ...and never regained it. I have lost dear friends and loved ones ...and I ache with remembrance. I have lost prestige and honor as retirement took me from the work force. I have lost the vitality of youth and cope with a body that doesn’t function as well as it once did ...and with bated breath I face each new day. I walk through the valley of death’s shadow ...and I fret that the ending of my sojourn is not clearly discernable. I suffer a loss of dignity as those in the healing professions poke and probe in order to prolong my pilgrimage on this planet. Father, help me to live with loss. You must have had to come to grips with loss ...for much of Your creation is lost to You. My Lord Jesus wept over Jerusalem because it was lost to Him. And for every one of Your prodigal sons who come home, many do not. You are saddened by loss ...as am I. Lend me support as sadness sometimes causes the eye to dim and the step to falter. Welcome me into Your arms as the pain of life sometimes overwhelms me. And when the grief of loss has ebbed, encourage me to celebrate life ...for I cannot lose what I have not first received. May I give honor to You for life’s blessings. And grant me vision to see that life is balanced with good times and bad times. Grant me wisdom to see that You have given me freedom both to curse and to bless. Grant me courage for the facing of loss ...believing that the glories of Your Kingdom will erase all shadows from my mind and soul.




(70) My Father,

I welcome Your Presence because of my desire and need to commune with You. Indeed, You are present even when I am not aware, but presence does not signify relationship. And I seek a saving relationship with You. And not only a saving relationship, but also one that nurtures and sustains me in the trials and tribulations of this life. Father, even though I may be in Your Kingdom, I am still worldly in much of my thought and action. I struggle with knowing Your will, and I struggle with doing Your will. Indeed, this life in the flesh offers me tremendous challenge ...for I are naturally selfish and am adept at rationalizing my actions. Save me from the temptations fostered by the demonic, by my friends, or by my own desires. Help me to focus on You and Your Kingdom, that spiritual matters may take precedence over the physical. Father, I have much for which to be thankful ...not the least of which is a vision for the future. Father, I confess that I am not perfect, but I have a desire to become more like You. Lead me and guide me along the way. My needs are many. Many of Your children are experiencing deteriorating physical health. Some are lonely, some are frightened, some feel useless, some are over-burdened, some are bereaved, some are tired. Some are frustrated with trying to cope with a society that embraces change without considering consequences. Whatever our needs, Father, I call on You to meet them according to Your will. For I know You prioritize our well-being ...You love us beyond what we deserve. And I am grateful and offer You my allegiance.



(71) Gracious Father,

In my own way ...using the gifts You’ve given me ...I am striving to love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I give in my own way of who and what I am ...and I hope that You are pleased with my offering and commitment. I look at what I am doing for Your Kingdom ...and I am both gratified and challenged. Gratified that I am part of a family of believers who have sacrificially given toward Your Kingdom. Challenged that I am not all that I want or hope to be. Challenged to become more loving than I am. Challenged to become more forgiving ...more honest ...more courageous ...more empathetic with the less fortunate. I humbly ask for Your help in overcoming these challenges, for Your Spirit has the capacity to both enlighten and empower me. And, Father, as I recall again the sacrificial life of Your Son, may I again renew my commitment to give my life for Him. But You have indicated that You will not accept my gift so long as I harbor enmity against my neighbor. So I pledge to Thee my desire to forgive those who have wronged me, so that I may feel forgiven myself. And Father, I also bring my individual cross ...my cross of ill health, failed relationships, unfulfilled dreams, broken promises. Father, You never promised me that putting my trust in You would make this life easy. But You have promised me that eternal life is secured only through trusting You. I ask that my load be lightened where it is within Your will. And I ask for the grace to bear my cross willingly and with grace, even as Thy Son bore His. As an act of consecration, I again offer all of who I am in service to You. For You are worthy, even as my Savior Jesus Christ is worthy, to receive my adulation.



(72) Lord Jesus,

When I contemplate Who You are ...what You have done and what You are doing, I acknowledge Your Majesty ...Your Glory ...Your Holiness. Not only did You volunteer to live life in the flesh, You lived it magnificently. Perhaps my greatest tribute is to try to emulate You. Yet sometimes I am so crippled by disappointment and grief that I find no joy in facing a new day. You experienced disappointment and grief, but You allowed it not to cripple. Though life buffeted You on all sides, You steadfastly relied on Your relationship to the Father to provide the comfort and direction You required. And You were victorious, even as You painfully died. Being in the Father’s will led You to pain, and being in the Father’s will may well lead me to pain. Give me grace to look beyond the pain ...even to grow through the pain, that I may follow Your path to the Father. I confess that I am sometimes bitter as I play the hand that I’ve been dealt. Yet others are dealt worse hands and complain not. May I learn the secret of their serenity. Perhaps they spend more time with You ...perhaps they spend more time helping others ...perhaps they have cultivated a support group that sustains them. Reveal to me the secret of what I lack ...that I may be healed of all debilitating crippleness and in health serve You and Your Kingdom. I ask Your special touch on those who are bereaved ...those who are in despair ...those who are searching for truth ...those who are carrying responsibilities beyond their capacity. For those of us who are healthier, give us Your eyes to see those in need, Your ears to listen to those who long for a caring friend, Your words to comfort-guide-forgive.




(73) Loving Father,

Thank you for being such a wonderful and patient Parent to me. You help me to distinguish the beautiful from the ugly, the tranquil from the chaotic, the meaningful from the useless. But even though I am somewhat discerning, I still seem to care more for the flesh than the spirit. When it comes to this life, I still seem to prefer quantity to quality. And when it comes to religion, I sometimes prefer to live with confusion rather than seek the truth. Father, there are so many institutions and people who have developed conflicting systematic theologies about You. Who and what am I to believe? Some picture You as a blood-thirsty tyrant delighting in punishment. How could I come to You for comfort if that were true! Some picture You as too holy to notice my cares and concerns. But Your Son Jesus delighted in reaching out and touching sinners. Aren’t You that way, too? Some picture You as so loving that You would never hold me accountable for my sin. They seem to conveniently forget that You are holy and expect me to love righteousness. Regrettably, I have difficulty in allowing You to be Who You are ...an eternal Creator who can never be fully known but who desires to have fellowship with His creation. Father, may I allow You to be bigger than my experience or knowledge of You. May I allow others the freedom to touch You in places other than where I have touched You. Guide me to be sensitive to the uniqueness of my fellow pilgrims. Thank you for giving of Your own beauty to make me uniquely beautiful in my own way.





(74) My Father,

I come before you today with excitement and trepidation ...excited because you can use a new leader like you did Moses and Joshua, leading into uncharted territory. And yet uncharted territory can be a scarey place for those of us who like the security of familiar surroundings, even if those surroundings involved bondage and slavery. Have I as your follower been in bondage to fear and tradition...or have I freely allowed You to use me to my potential? I cannot say ...You are my judge. I do know that I love you enough to follow your leadership to the ends of the earth. May I continue to seek your will through prayer and execute Your will through deeds. Give me the courage and serenity to face each new day. I give thanks for past leaders who have carried the mantle of leadership well. Father, I pray for health for Thy Kingdom’s sake. I ask that physical infirmities be healed, that relationships be made whole, that my life’s stress be manageable, and that my spirit be as one with Yours. I ask forgiveness for my abuse of others ...for my selfish behavior ...for my refusal to stand up for what is right ...for my laziness. And I pray for those who have abused me ...lead and convict them to become all that You intend for them to be. And, Father, I acknowledge my need for You to fill my cup with love and grace and mercy ...not only that I may enjoy the fruit of Your presence, but that I may share my cup with others who have need.



(75) My Father,

I honor You today as Life-giver and Health-bringer. For You are not only the author of Creation, the Ground of my Being, You also have shown that You love me personally. You want me to be happy. You want me to be healthy. And, ultimately, I cannot be healthy while dwelling outside of Your Kingdom. And so You woo me and challenge me …You confront me and send me visions ... You provide blueprints for my guidance and resources for my journey. How privileged I am to relate to You as Father! Of all people, I as a believer should awe the world through the celebration of my faith! And, yet, how dim my light! What a tragedy when those of us who claim citizenship in Your Kingdom live as if this world is our only home! How tragic when my friends and acquaintances are unaware of the light that I have received. How disappointing to my Savior when I do not take advantage of opportunities to express the hope that is in me! Father, I confess that I often fail in representing You as salt or light. Pride –arrogance –resentment –envy –fear –these and other enemies of love all seem to hold sway over me at times. Forgive me for my failure to stand tall in my faith. Give me courage to speak and do those things that promote Your Kingdom. Give me wisdom to adequately espouse eternal truths. Give me a love for that which is true …that which is good …that which is beautiful. Give me the humility to ‘wash another’s feet’, that I may better understand and emulate Thy Son. May my love for You break down barriers of strife that divide…and may my light be a beacon for my community and city. For I desire to honor you and glorify Your Name. Grant me health and wholeness that I may serve Thee better.




(76) O Thou Who art eternal and absolute,

How blessed I am to have the opportunity to relate to You as Father ...Abba ...Parent. As children run to parents with their hurts and fears, I come to You with my hurts and fears. As children run to parents for hugs of affirmation and love, I come to You for affirmation and love. As children run to parents to share the excitement of good news, I come to You with thankfulness for the blessings of life. As children curl up in a parent’s lap for security and rest, I come to You for my security and rest. As children depend upon parents for the necessities of life, I trust You for my necessities. Small children do not worry about clothes or food or shelter ...they have faith that their parents will provide. And yet, sometimes I spend a lot of time worrying and fretting about clothes and food and security. I‘m really not very good at trusting You for my providential care. Father, I seem to be lacking in faith. Of Your creation, it seems that the only flora or fauna on this planet that worries is humankind. Perhaps worry stems from my desire to be self-sufficient. Perhaps it is hubris ...pride that prevents me from depending on You. Perhaps if I had a little more humility, my faith would be strengthened. Father, help me to burst free of my entwining worries, that unencumbered I may serve You and Your Kingdom in freedom and health. And, Father, thank you for those who are good examples for me …who have learned to walk by faith ...who embody Your love in their words and deeds. Bless my efforts to love others and honor You. Bring healing to those in need, hope to the distressed, comfort to the bereaved, enlightenment to those who search. For I know of Your love for me, and I are pleased to return Your love.



(77) O Loving Father and Wise Parent,

It seems that it is best for me to come before you as a child…in awe of Your majesty and strength, dependent on You for the needful things of life, bonding with You as I delight in Your hugs. But I don’t know anymore what it is like to be a child. I have worn the heavy mask of adulthood for too long. Help me! Help me to come before You as a little child ...an infant ...reaching for Your steady Hand as I sometimes falter in my daily walk. Help me to come to You as a toddler. As a toddler trusts, may I trust You for my eternal safety and security. As a babe learns to identify love with voice, may I bask in Your love and cherish Your laughter, Your smile, Your encouraging words. As a young child will run to parents for comfort, may I find Your arms when I am scared or in pain. Sometimes I feel like a child in the midst of a crowd of adults, being pushed to and fro, perhaps fearful of being trod underfoot, vision obscured by the mass of humanity surrounding me. Daddy, put me on Your Shoulders so that I may wonder at Your creation ...so that I may see clearly the path before me ...so that I may proudly relish Your strength and love. Father, help me to be as a little child! I have allowed the cares of the world to occupy too much of my time. I fear for my safety. Pride swallows my sense of humility. I seek comforting words from the stock market rather than from Your lips. I have allowed my emotions to chart my course as if I have no will. I have allowed the demonic to rob me of the pleasure of Your company. I have allowed my adulthood such prominence that it has become difficult to even remember what it was like to be a child. Father, help me to be as a little child in Your Kingdom. And even as I sometimes smile at the simple faith of children, may my simple faith bring a smile to Your Lips. For great things may be accomplished through a simple faith. Grant me a vision for this hour. And grant me courage to speak truth through love.



(78) Lord Jesus,

I welcome You into my life and seek to honor You with my words ...my singing, my prayers, my readings, my proclamation. Yet I know that lip-service is meaningless if my actions belie my words. So today I recommit myself to honoring You through my actions also. In this season of Lent, I purpose to honor You through giving up some things. Oftentimes, Lord, I determine to give up for Lent only those things that I feel are detrimental to my physical health. Instead, may I give up those things that are detrimental to my spiritual health. Would I bring You honor if I gave up gossip and other harmful communication ...if I gave up wasting valuable time watching TV shows and reading material that promote violence, greed, sexual promiscuity, confusion, fear, and idolatry ...if I gave up promoting political agendas over religious agendas, physical agendas over spiritual agendas, self-serving agendas over Kingdom agendas? Lord, would such actions bring You honor? Convict me of how I may best honor You, for You deserve no less than my best. May I never take lightly what You went through in order to become my Lord and Savior. As I tend to allow the trials of life to draw from me self-pity and even catatonia, focus my sight on how You bore Your burdens with dignity, courage and love. Lord, perhaps I focus too much on my own desires and not enough on what You desire. One of Your desires is that all mankind willfully submit to Your Lordship. May I allow You to use me as Your instrument of outreach. Your desire is that the sick be made whole, the hungry to be fed, the lonely to be visited. May I allow You to use me as Your instrument of koinonia. Your desire is that the Holy Spirit should be my ever-present guide in traversing the myriad pathways of this world. May I listen quietly and reverently to the guidance I receive. Lord Jesus, I would honor You in these many ways. I love You because You first loved me.



(79) My Father,

Your wisdom is far above my understanding. I ask for strength, that I might accomplish great tasks for You. And learn to overcome my fear. But sometimes You give me weakness, that I might learn to lean on You. I ask for physical health, that I might use my eyes -ears-arms-legs to serve. You sometimes give me infirmity, so that I might grow spiritually. I ask for wealth, that I might be happy and secure. You sometimes give me poverty, that I might be wise and vulnerable. I ask for power, that I might enjoy the praise of men. Sometimes You give me impotence, that I might learn to praise You more and gain awareness of my finitude. I ask to become like Your Son Jesus, and You give me a cross to carry. Sometimes You allow me pain, in order to teach me the greater lessons of life. Sometimes You allow physical separation from my loved ones, in order to teach me the value of spiritual community. Sometimes You allow tough times, that I might learn patience and hope. Sometimes You prune my dead branches, that I might bear fruit. How wise You are! You give me not what I want, but what I need. Help me to see Your wisdom and to submit myself to Your leadership. Father, I am thankful that You have made yourself known to me ...through Your inspired word, through the exemplary life of those who know You, through Your all-pervading Spirit. Guide me today, I pray, as I struggle with the cares of this life. Give me faith sufficient for the day.



(80) My Savior and my Lord,

I gather my thoughts in order to worship You. Grant that my time be not spent in vain. Grant that I somehow connect with You...that I be silent long enough to hear Your voice ...that I be focused on Your Presence and my status in Your Kingdom. I bring energy and commitment. Give me vision and compassion. I bring wounds to be healed ...wounds of the heart and wounds of the body. Heal me that I may be fit to serve. I bring unhappiness and loneliness. Give me Your Presence ...Your hug ...Your voice ...Your smile. I sometimes worship You out of religious duty. Help me to bridge the gap from duty to opportunity ...that I may see worship not as an obligation to be borne, but as a needed opportunity to fellowship with One Who loves me. I bring an uneasiness about the countdown of my days in the flesh. I fear pain as a constant companion ...and I do not wish to be a burden on others. Give me faith, wisdom and assurance. Lord, forgive me my abuse of others and of myself, even as I ask You to forgive my abuse of the relationship You offer. Great Physician, I call upon Your power to heal today. My spiritual body is in dire need, yet I choose to ignore the spiritual and prioritize the physical. My spiritual body has clogged arteries ...clogged with the cares of the world and carnal concerns. My spiritual eyes have grown cataracts and I have difficulty seeing the needs of my neighbor. I suffer from spiritual dementia ...forgetting the lessons from the cross ...conveniently forgetting the cost of discipleship. My spiritual body has grown weak from the lack of proper care and exercise. I can’t seem to find the energy to do Your work. Lord Jesus, be my Great Physician today. Mold me into a servant fit for work ...for the harvest indeed is plentiful, but the workers are few.




(81) Lord of Grace,

It is good for me to remember You at this time. Lord, when I by faith come into Your Presence, I become aware of Your overwhelming grace and love. And I reach out and touch You and become healed and empowered. Yet sometimes I refuse to reach out to You, even though I long for Your healing and power. Perhaps it is my refusal to grace others that denies me Your touch ...for You told me that I will be forgiven in like manner as I forgive others. Or perhaps it is my refusal to grace myself ...to forgive myself for my failures. Lord, do you expect me to be perfect? If so, I fail. Or is it rather that You expect me to desire to be perfect? I do fail You, but when I fail in my commitments, help me to pick myself up. Help me to renew my commitments even as I acknowledge my frailty. Lord, sometimes the toughest one for me to forgive is myself. Even as You stretch Your Hand towards me this hour, may I reach towards You with a re-commitment to emulate You in character and righteousness. And, Lord, I am still struggling to know what I can do to facilitate peace on earth. You said that those who live by the sword shall die by the sword. You also acknowledged the human condition when You said that there will be wars and rumors of wars until Your return. But let me not forget that You also said, “Blessed are the peace-makers -those who make the world a more peaceful place - for they shall be called the children of God.” Help me to know what it means to be a peace-maker. I offer my prayer in the name of the Prince of Peace, even Jesus Christ.


(82) My Father,

Your ways are far above my ways. Yet it is my nature to seek security through knowledge. Whenever man-made disasters or natural disasters invade my life, I reflect on who and what You are. I confess that I do not understand much about You. I don’t understand what You have been doing throughout eternity. I cannot fathom an endless future with You. And I don’t understand much about how You are working in the present. I allow fear to rule my life, and I allow fear to hide Who You are. And so I try to placate You lest You smite me. And I seek to give You no untoward advantage over my life. I seek to keep myself out of harm’s way so as not to attract Your attention. Yet this god-concept made in my image is not the loving Father that my savior Jesus revealed to me. You know me. You nurture me. You love me. Yet in my fear, I often tend to forget the lessons of scripture. I fear pain. I fear death. I fear dependency. Forgive me and strengthen me. Father, sometimes I serve You out of fear, not love ...to placate, not honor. Today, may I seek to build my life around those actions that truly bring honor and glory to You. But I struggle with how to glorify You. Scripture teaches me that I am not to hide my light under a basket. But how does my light shining bring honor to You? Do I glorify You through my nurture and care of others? Do I glorify You through the ministries I provide for my community? Do I honor You in my daily conversation, my priorities? My Father, forgive me for my sins of omission and commission. May I today recommit myself to bringing You glory through both the way I face death and the way I face life. May I avail myself of Your resources through prayerful petitions. May I do my part to bring about Your Kingdom on earth through righteous living and willful submissiveness. Grant me healing and health physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually that I may be a fit laborer in Your service.



(83) My Heavenly Father,

Scripture teaches me that Your ways are far beyond my understanding. Yet it is my nature to seek security through knowledge. When I am facing a crisis ...when the unexpected happens ...when it seems as if the cares of this world will overwhelm me, I reflect on Who You are and who I am. I cannot comprehend that You have had no beginning, for I am a creature of time. I have little information about the future beyond this life, except that I am invited to spend that future in Your Kingdom. I am even confused about how You are working in the present. I see bad things happening to good people ...I see accidents and illnesses taking the lives of loved ones in the prime of life ...I see babies and children suffer and die. If You love us, how can these things be? I don’t fully understand how You are working things out but, by faith, I believe that You are the embodiment of love, compassion, and mercy. By faith, I believe that You are just, righteous, and fair. By faith, I experience a little of Who You are, and I am overwhelmed. Father, I don’t understand many things, but I will walk by faith until You are revealed to me more fully. Father, I confess my failures. I seldom tolerate the diversity within humanity, much less celebrate it. I even question the motives of fellow believers. Grant that I may celebrate a unified community without resorting to a demand for uniformity. Grant that my security under Your grace erase the fears that beset my life. For I have but one Creator Father ...one eternal Kingdom. In my physical temporality, I am fortunate to receive the benefits of living in the greatest nation on earth. Yet with blessing comes responsibility. To whom much is given, much is required. Grant that I may share my blessings with this world ...not just my material blessings, but even more so my blessing of knowing You. For the spiritual is of infinite more significance than the physical.


(84) My Gracious Lord and loving Savior,

You have loved me with a great love. And there have been times when I have responded in kind. But, unlike Yours, my love seems to wax and wane. Like David, I sometimes long for the passionate devotion of my youth when I railed “ Bring on the giants! You and I can defeat them all, can’t we, Lord!” I was ready to tackle any challenge for the sake of Your Kingdom. For I believed that I could be ‘in the world but not of the world’. And then the world began wearing me down. Lord, I’ve grown fearful and tired. Now I’m scared of giants. Forgive me for my loss of faith. I am thankful that You haven’t given up on me. But sometimes I’ve given up on You. I still am confident of my place in eternity. But it seems to me that the world is too big a giant for me ...or You ...to tackle. I’ve come to believe that I can’t make a difference. Forgive me. Help me to remember my first love ...how I felt when I first encountered Your saving grace and experienced Your power. May I not be content to ‘sit on my laurels’ and just spiritually coast toward a sunset encounter with You. Rather, invigorate me to take hold of the opportunities before me ...to utilize my talents and resources to their fullest. Bless the worthwhile ministries that I am striving to maintain. Convict me of when to release a non-productive vision and give me courage to faithfully discharge productive visions. Protect me from evil. May I ever grow stronger in my care and nurture of others. Give me physical health ...social health ...mental health ...spiritual health ...that I may be Your hands, Your feet, Your voice to those in need. May I eliminate the negative through accentuating the positive, ever mindful that You emphasized that a Christian is best identified by what he or she does, not by what he or she doesn’t do. And may I ever submit to You for the guidance that I need. For my desire is to clear out a space in this world where Your Kingdom can nourish and grow.



(85) O Loving Father,

Your grace extended towards me is beyond my comprehension. Sometimes I feel so unlovable, for my selfish acts are ugly to me as well as to You. Yet Your forgiveness continues to be available. Thank you for loving me beyond what I deserve. Grant that I may dispense grace towards my neighbor even as I have received grace from You. And even as I struggle with the daily cares of this world, give me a vision of a future without the pain and sorrow prevalent in this earthly existence. Father, I confess that sometimes I see the needs of my neighbor and avert my eyes. I am aware that some go hungry while I waste food. I am aware that some need a friendly word of encouragement ...an intercessory prayer...and I appear not to care. Some are at the ends of their rope while I have rope to spare. Forgive me for my lack of compassion ...for my judgmental attitude ...for my laziness ...for my reticence to get involved. Grant that my actions reflect Your love, for surely there is no place in Your eternal Kingdom for selfishness. Forgive me when I fail to praise You for that which I have received. I have been graced by happenstance of birth ...by innate resources and abilities not of my own making ...I have been graced to have been born at a particular time and place. And yet I glory in my good fortune as if I had dispensed my own grace. Even as the nine lepers failed to acknowledge my Savior’s healing, so I often fail to acknowledge the blessings You have provided. Grant that today my eyes be opened and my heart filled with praise for the grace, love, and mercy inherent in Your character. Through the cross of Jesus reconcile me to Yourself and to others ...so that conflict may cease, that neighbor may speak gently to neighbor, that Your will be accomplished through my submission.



(86) My Father,

Open the faith of my eyes to Your presence. In my sophomoric mind, I often plead for You to be with me in this or that endeavor, perhaps forgetting that it is impossible for me to exclude Your Presence. In one sense, I am blessed to realize that You are ever-present with me. In another sense, I am ashamed that I cannot hide my character flaws from You. What I do and what I think are open books to Your Eyes, and I ask forgiveness for the grief I cause both to you and my neighbor. Father, open the faith of my eyes to the simple pleasures of life. Thank you for waking me to the sound of rain, the sweet fragrance of a wet garden, the dry earth drinking in replenishment. Your blessings are poured out on the land. Thank you for all the simple pleasures that I enjoy -a mug of steaming coffee warming cold hands, a warm bed reluctantly yielding me up to the new morning, hot water streaming over my shoulders in the shower, the aroma of a hot dinner promising savor to my mouth and satisfaction to my stomach, the laughter of children squealing with delight over things that I have grown too sophisticated to enjoy. I should be happy with all that I have, but I carry anxieties in my heart, things that preoccupy me and numb me to the pleasures I have. It’s like plucking a flower, and over time watching it wither. Should I despair at its withering, or rejoice in the beauty and fragrance once enjoyed? Thank you for the beauty and fragrance I have enjoyed and remember. I offer my withered stem back to You as I trust that new seasons will bring new flowers. I pray for those for whom life's withered flowers seem overwhelming. I pray for those whose lives seem to have never had flowers in bloom. Thank you, Father, for all the pleasures I have experienced, the beautiful blooms I have held. I trust you with my future, knowing your faithfulness in the past.



(87) My Lord and my Savior,

Welcome to my thoughts. I offer You my love, for You first loved me. I offer You my eyes, for You give me visions of what can be. I offer You my allegiance, for You sustain me in the dark nights of the soul. I offer You my praise, for Your gift of joy brings a smile to my lips. I offer You my availability, for You have always been available to me. Savior, even as You overcame the flesh, grant me the power to overcome my selfish desires. Be my companion when I am lonely. Enlighten me as I struggle with difficult issues. Be my stubborn friend when I seek to run away from myself. Be my comforter when I weep. Be my hope when I despair about the future. Be my liberator when I am depressed. Be the healer of my soul when I am wounded. Grant, I pray, my petitions of intercession. Bequeath a double portion of Your Spirit to the lonely, the bereaved, the sick, the aged, for those who feel overwhelmed by personal problems. I pray for my colleagues at work ...for my friends ...for the members of my family. Grant to them, and to me, a desire for honest love and integrity. I pray for the poor, for the dispossessed, for the homeless. Grant that I may ever view the needs of my neighbor as an opportunity rather than a burden. Grant them food, shelter, healing, and faith in Your Kingdom. Send into their midst agents of Your reconciliation who are able to embody Your compassion. I pray for those of us who have an abundance of things, but who are the prisoners of our own possessions. Grant us the gift of freedom, that those things that we possess may not in truth possess us.



(88) My Father,

You are my loving Parent ...the perfect Parent. I offer myself to You as a toddler might daily offer a crayon-colored picture to a beloved parent. The picture only has worth to the parent. And so my life only holds worth in relation to Your holiness and grace. Father, I confess that I’ve sometimes intentionally colored outside the guidelines of Your will. And often I’ve left portions of the canvas uncolored, neglecting to do my part to beautify the world. Forgive me. My deep desire is to offer You a beautiful picture, and yet I seem incapable. Even as my individual picture represents both the sacred and the profane of my life, so believers daily construct an intricate mosaic of interwoven life and purpose. And the overwhelming aura is good. Father, I thank you for the goodness in the individual thread-lives woven into Your Fabric. The pattern depicts helping hands, kind words, smiling eyes, open pocketbooks, and bent knees. Your Fabric is durable and can be used to clean up spills, loosen dirt and grime, provide shade, or add color. We believers are a mosaic connected through Your Spirit, and my desire is that You continue to hold the Fabric firm. Father, in these dog-days of summer, physical bodies often gasp for refreshing air. Even so, my spiritual body longs for the refreshing air of Your Kingdom. May Your Spirit flow in and through my life in such a way that I am truly refreshed, inspired, and exhilarated. Forgive me my selfish deeds, even as I forgive those who ignore my needs or abuse my trust. Bless my effort as I strive to discern Your will and call upon Your resources in order to enable the powerless, comfort the afflicted, enlighten the searcher, befriend the lonely, challenge the comfortable, and encourage the disheartened. I ask that You grant my prayer in the Name of Your Son and my Savior Jesus Christ.




(89) My Heavenly Father,

I come to You when my world is too frightening, when the problems that I face defeat me, when the pains of body and mind cripple me, when I seem powerless to improve or mend relationships. For not only do You provide rest from my labors, but Your love for me can bring good from evil, bring joy from sorrow, bring hope from despair, bring life from death. I give thanks for Who You are and the wonders that You perform. I would become more like You, but my efforts fall short. I still wound others ...I sometimes turn a deaf ear on the cries of the needy, I have not the time to comfort those who mourn, nor do I care enough to proclaim the good news of salvation to those who are lost. Forgive me for these sins of commission and omission. Forgive me every unkind word, every self-righteous opinion, every false judgment. Recreate me in Your image through Jesus Christ my Lord. Teach me to look for Your face and listen for Your word in the stranger, even those who are not of my race or sex or political persuasion or religion. For I know You to be a God who enjoys diversity and it is my desire to know You in all of Your splendor. Save me from selfish ambition, from allowing the desire for popularity to dissuade me from speaking the truth in love. By being a good steward of Your resources, may I honor You through worthwhile ministries and relevant proclamation. As I struggle with identity and purpose, deliver me from the fear of change. For fear is ever the enemy of truth and growth never occurs without change. Father, I thank you for Your Kingdom Presence. And, Father, I pray for those around my world who are struggling with the sorrow of untimely death. I pray for families in trouble, for children who are abused, for those who are addicted to unhealthy vices, for the loneliness and despair of the aging. I call upon an outpouring of Your spirit to meet these needs.


(90) Father,

I am bone-tired ...tired of pain, of thankless commitment, of being inundated with negativity, of life. Revitalize me with your Spirit. Help me to focus on the life of my Lord and Savior and how He faced the demands of his day. I have difficulty accepting people who are different from me. Give me grace not only to accept, but to celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Some struggle with family responsibilities ...with relationships with children, parents, siblings, mate. Some struggle with the responsibility of being a breadwinner, of providing for the financial needs of the family. Grant them wisdom, patience, kindness, perseverance, and the grace to speak the truth in love. Some are living under the constraints of parental and educational authority, longing for the illusive freedom of adulthood. Give them grace to see that boundaries are ever a part of life and must be handled carefully and with wisdom. Some are in the twilight years of their sojourn and are feeling useless and powerless. Grant them wisdom to see the power inherent in kind words. Some are lonely for companionship. Help them to learn to care for others and to bring their loneliness to You as need demands. For You ever care for us and delight in our company. Some are in spacesuits that are in disrepair and somewhat dysfunctional. Father, it is scarey when we lose our hearing, our sight, our motor skills, our ability to remember. Grant that we may never lose that which is most dear to us ...our faith in You. For the troubles of this present life are as nothing compared to the joys of eternity. Father, I ask Your guidance in decision-making, in discernment, and in prioritizing. For without Your guidance, I am indeed blind. I give thanks for all that is being done out of commitment and love for You. Bless our efforts to do more, for any progress made in the Kingdom is gain that is built on solid ground.


(91) My Lord Jesus Christ,

How wonderful an example You are for me! You denied Yourself a life of physical ease and You had no possessions other than the clothes on Your back. But I find it hard to emulate You. You called attention to a nameless widow who gave to the Kingdom not out of her abundance, but out of her poverty. I find it hard to emulate her. I sing ‘I surrender all’. I sing ‘Jesus is Lord of all my possessions’. Yet my actions and lifestyle belie my words. You told me that where my treasure is, there my heart will be. Lord, I want my heart to be in Your Kingdom. But I seem to have more worldly treasure than spiritual treasure. Forgive me my lack of faith and my selfishness. Make me as a little child who sees clearly the wonders of life, eager to share and grow. You tell me that faith without works is dead. Help me to clothe my faith with charity for all who have been less fortunate that I may become clothed in splendor. Lord, global calamities remind me that I who have been spared should have compassion and minister to those in need. And even as I observe storms of discord and doubt assail my world, remind me that You have the power to command ‘Peace. Be still!’ All creation must obey Your voice. Lord, grant me wholeness physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually ...that I may ably carry Your standard in these troubling times. Give me vision as to how I may best serve Your cause. For someday I will indeed stand before You and give an account of my life. On that day, may I not be ashamed of my answers.




(92) O Eternal Spirit Who Remodels and Renovates,

Even as I contemplate the need to remodel my physical dwelling, may I also reflect on the need for my spiritual dwelling to be remodeled and renovated. I indeed need remodeling, a restructuring of my life. For I am not growing in spiritual grace. Indeed, my lack of a close faith relationship with You has made me fearful and distressed. May my mustard-seed faith be sufficient to forever change the direction in which I have been heading ...that I may form a relationship with You that is rock-solid and free of anxiety. I need renovating ...a restoration of the faith of my youth. I was once excited about my relationship with You, but the cares of the world have usurped my time and choked my faith. Uproot all that is unclean in my life, that my spiritual roots may deepen and I may produce fruit suitable for Thy Kingdom. Debris always accompanies remodeling. Clean me of all debris, that what You accomplish in my life may be beautiful and holy. And even as my home remodeling is aimed at maximizing my physical resources, may my spiritual remodeling maximize the gifts and abilities that I offer You today. For my desire is to honor You and to bring You glory. Use me to authenticate the life and work of Thy Son Jesus ...through healing the sick, helping the blind to see, preaching the gospel to the poor, enabling the lame to walk. For many are physically and spiritually sick. I need reminding of my commitment to discipleship. I have not been totally circumspect in my spiritual walk. Master Builder, remodel me today into the form and likeness of my Savior Jesus Christ, that those who marvel at my remodeled home may also find cause to marvel at my remodeled life.



(93) O God of Grace and God of Beauty,

Whose love is beyond my imagining, yet present in this very moment to caress my soul and heal my wounds, hear my prayer of gratitude and praise. In my daily struggle you look with compassion, with eyes that seeing me still love me. May I be one who is quick to give thanks and eager to share my bounty with others. Week by week I bow my knee to be reminded and to experience anew life freely given. As You fill my heart with wonder and my hands with abundance, send me forth to give that which is needed to those who are thirsty for Living Water, those whose lives are empty, those who are searching for the Bread of Life. This day I give thanks for Your Kingdom. You have entrusted me with an awesome calling ...to represent You to a world in need. Bless my efforts to serve in Your Name. Call me to ever greater faithfulness in my community that I might have the courage to reach beyond what I have dreamed to glorify Your Name and enhance Your Kingdom. Comfort and heal with your gracious touch all those who long to know Your presence in time of need. Help me to see beyond faces to know the deep needs of your people, my brothers and sisters. Open my eyes to see how I might serve. Give me Your peace. Surround me with Your love. Lead me forward on a journey of caring that never ends and never gives up. Create in me the mind and heart that was in Christ Jesus my Lord. It is my desire to honor His life that compels me to speak my soul's desires. I offer thanks this special day for all nurturing parents who embody Your nature in their sacrificial lifestyles. Undergird family values, that the family structure in this world might be healthy in following Your guidelines for child-rearing.




(94) My Holy Father,

To One Who is omnipotent (all-powerful), I ask for strength and courage to accomplish the tasks before me. To One Who is omniscient (all-knowing), I pray for wisdom to discern truth, beauty, and goodness. To One Who is the fullness of love, grant that the good that lies in my heart prevails over my selfish desires. To the Three-In-One, help me to more clearly see that which unifies me, not that which fractures me. To the One Who is sovereign over time and space, grant that I may seek sovereignty over my own evils and weaknesses, not over other people. To the One Who Creates and demands accountability, I pledge my life and my resources toward accomplishing Your Will on this earth. To the One Who offers me community through a common spirit and a common faith, give me grace to celebrate the industry, integrity, and uniqueness of other believers. Father, this day ...even this hour ...is pregnant with opportunities. Opportunities to bless others ...to be kind ...to intercede in prayer ...to encourage. I give thanks for these opportunities, and pray that my actions bring glory to Your Name. Great Physician, I look at my life and the life of loved ones and it is easy for me to grow fearful. I am challenged by the deterioration in life ...the deterioration of my physical body, the deterioration of my mind, the deterioration of my morals, the deterioration of my spiritual walk. I ask for health ...for wholeness ...for purity ...for faith. But when it becomes apparent that I must drink of a bitter cup, grant me the comfort of Your Presence ...a Shoulder to lean on, Hands to support, a comforting Voice ...peace for today and hope for the future. For I are confident of Your Love and long for Your Kingdom.




(95) My Heavenly Father,

You have asked me to sing songs of praise even when I find myself in a strange land. Yet it is difficult. I find myself dwelling in a frightening land of disease and illness, aging and death, a frightening land of vocational instability, of difficult decisions about loved ones, of social acceptance, of exponential changes in technology and bureaucracy. Father, how can I rejoice while in exile from all that is comfortable ...all that gives me a sense of security ? Yet in hope I can rejoice, for You have provided the means of my salvation. You are ever-present and available throughout all the storms of life. And You also minister to me through Your people of the Kingdom. You have resources beyond my imagination. So, Father, I am striving to follow Your servant Paul’s admonition to ‘rejoice in all circumstances’. For no matter the present situation, You have taught me that the pain and suffering of this life is of little consequence when compared to the glory of eternity in Your Kingdom. I am comforted not only by Your promises, but also by the demonstrated love of fellow believers. Father, bless these who seek to alleviate the sufferings of others. Bless these who not only bear their own burdens, but seek to shoulder the burdens of others. Bless these who have learned to grace the life of others, even as they have been graced by You. Father, I rejoice in Who You are ...in Your wisdom, Your love, Your plans for my future. Grant me fortitude and courage for these days, temporal though they be. For I do find it difficult to grasp eternity’s glory while struggling with the cares of today. Grant healing, for many have physical problems. For my spiritual and social well-being, I pray.




(96) My God and my Father,

I am sobered by the ongoing conflict between Jew and Arab. Even though we are created in Your image, it seems that we seldom reflect Your holiness or love. Moslems and Jews both claim you as their god, yet they dishonor You when they allow hatred, vengeance, and fear to control their actions. And I am reminded again about how vulnerable this world is to terrorists. But international conflict are only examples of what is happening in my own life. I confess that I seldom seek Your will in my decisions, and so I allow hatred and fear and vengeance to hold sway over my life. I claim You as my God because I want salvation, but I don’t really want to make You Lord of my life. I want heaven, but I don’t want to be held accountable for my sins of omission and commission. Forgive me for my failures. Create a holy fire in my heart that will burn out all sin, and ignite my life in service for You and Your Kingdom. Rekindle my love for Thee, that my life may honor Thee, that Your influence may spread onward and outward to the far reaches of this globe. For the earth is also Your creation, and all creation longs to break forth in song to You. Allowing the troubles of my times to stifle my song, I ask for You to sing it anew for me, that the melody may resonate throughout my being and light may overcome the darkness. My Father, I especially pray today for the younger generation. Give them a vision worth living and dying for. May they experience You with all of their being, that their hope may bear fruit and their purpose may rise ever before them. Help those of us who are older to be wise in our advice and guidance. Grant that the legacy I leave may be of joy in service, of loving community, of cherishing the worth of each life. Grant that I may glorify Thy Name in all that I do.




(97) My Father,

Heal my nation, for I live in a house divided. When half of the people do not accept the elected leadership, little progress can be achieved. Give us grace, I pray, to swallow our pride and work for the common good of mankind. For You have allowed us to be a world leader with much responsibility and opportunity beyond our borders. And we dare not ignore the needs of the world through infighting. Heal my nation. Eternal Physician, already You bring healing to my life in many ways. My life has been touched by Your healing of my spirit, Your healing of my relationships, Your healing of my mind and memories, Your healing of my body. Father and Sustainer, to whom can I turn when life knocks the props out from under me? When I have to face the loss of someone I love, to whom do I turn for hope? When my body refuses to function as it once did, who can give me courage to face an uncertain future? When my theology doesn’t seem to cover all the bases and religious institutions shed more doubt than light, who can bolster my faith? When I daily face a world where ‘bearing false witness’ appears to be the rule instead of the exception, who can teach me to love truth? In a life where betrayal and desertion within families bring so much pain, who is there that will teach me about loyalty and fidelity? When I am taught that selfishness is good ...when I am taught to place my own desires above the needs of others, who will teach me to be selfless? In a world where pain is feared and suffering is avoided, who is there to reveal to me the lessons to be learned from that which brings pain to me? Oh God, You alone are able and willing to answer my questions ...You alone have the resources to meet my needs. Thank you for being ever available. Again, bring healing and health to my life, to my loved ones, to my nation, to my world.



(98) My Wonderful Lord and Savior,

As nature virtually blossoms before my eyes, I celebrate Your creation. You have taken the spark of life that sleeps in winter and fanned it into a glorious blaze of color and health. Even so, take the spark of life that sleeps in me and nourish it with vision, with hope, with love ...that I may be clothed in the splendor of Your grace and walk humbly in Your Presence. Lord, the power of Your faith was tempered only by Your submission to the Father’s will. Even so, strengthen my faith today within the boundaries of Your purpose. Lord, You found contentment and serenity even when deprived of the comforts of life. Even so, may I learn to rejoice in what You have placed at my disposal. Grant that I may not covet that which belongs to my neighbor, regardless of whether those blessings are spiritual, physical, mental, or social. For to covet is to overlook my own blessings, and You have graced me even beyond my comprehension. Lord, I honor You today for Your willingness to be incarnated for my sake ...for Your exemplary life ...for the cross You bore daily ...for Your wonderful teachings that continue to instruct me in the ways of Your Kingdom. I confess my ineptness at applying Your Word to my life. For I sometimes allow worry to rob me of my happiness. I sometimes allow my tongue to slay my enemies and others whom I dislike. I sometimes allow the doomsayers to rob me of hope. I sometimes allow those who know You not to cast doubt on my faith relationship with You. How appropriate that You have named me Your sheep, for I so need a Good Shepherd to tend me. As sheep are wont to wander, so I wander. Yet I do recognize Your voice when I hear it. So speak my name today, that I may draw near to You and be comforted. Provide me with the necessities of life, heal my body and spirit, and lead me ever onward and upward into the glories of Thy Kingdom.


(99) My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

Your solitary life has become the focal point of mankind’s history. Even as You once changed water into wine, Your Presence has changed civilization on this planet. I cannot honor You enough. For You give meaning to my past, courage to my present, and hope to my future. My desire is to glorify Your Name through loving others as You have loved me. May it be so! Lord, even as I am busy with the many hats I wear daily, grant that I may not forget to wear the hat called ‘Christian’. Grant that I may testify openly and honestly about the hope of my salvation when given the opportunity. For my highest calling is to be ‘a fisher of men’. Forgive my failures in the past, and challenge me anew to demonstrate my love for You. You love me even with my imperfections. I need not label myself as “Perfect’ in order to represent You. I need only to label myself as ‘Forgiven’. And may my simple testimony to others of what You mean to me bear fruit beyond my expectations. For I know You to be diligently at work to gather lost sheep into Your fold. Lord, I pray today for a renewed sense of confidence. For I have lost confidence in myself, in others. And, sometimes, even in my God. When I find life frightening and each new day hard to face, give me confidence. When I dare not become transparent with other people, give me confidence. When I become cynical about world governments and the future of my planet, give me confidence. And when my faith is found lacking, help Thou my unbelief. Grant me a new vision of Your love and leadership, that I may trust You as a child trusts a loving parent. Grant me the needs I lack …whether physical, mental, social, or spiritual, that I may be healthy as an emissary of Your Kingdom. Bless me with energy, purpose, and strength for the tasks before me.



(100) Lord Jesus, Lord of Love and Lord of Light,

Week by week I pause in worship to be reminded and to experience anew the glory of Your Kingdom. I am reminded that You care for me, so I come before You with my pain, my fear, my hope, and my sense of helplessness. I am experiencing physical pain, social pain, and spiritual pain. Touch me that I may give You the glory for my wholeness. Lord, I also bring before You my fear ...fear of failure, fear of loneliness, fear of growing older, fear of disrespect, fear of change. Strengthen my faith that my fears may dissolve as morning fog before the rising sun. Strengthen my faith that Your Name might be glorified through courageous example. Strengthen my faith so that fear may no longer trouble my sleep. Lord, I bring before You my hope ...hope for a world at peace, hope for a more Christ-like attitude exemplified through loving my enemies, be they Arab or Jew, black or white, Catholic or Protestant, male or female, young or old. For, assuredly, if 'an eye for an eye' is my motto, I am not walking in step with You. And I also feel a sense of helplessness. Lord, I am concerned about the state of affairs in my world ...especially the Middle East. It seems that the most able diplomats in my time cannot resolve the age-old enmities of that region. It must sadden You to see Your created children manifest such hatred. Yet You have given us all freedom to bless or to curse, to heal or to abuse. So I am not entirely helpless. If we who call ourselves Your People would humble ourselves and pray, surely we could make a difference. Surely millions of Believers praying can bring healing power to bear on my world. Even today, may I begin the healing process through prayer and through making myself a willing vessel for Your service.





(101) My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

Today, I acknowledge that You are worthy to be worshiped. I acknowledge that a symbiotic relationship with You is to be desired above all other relationships. I seek your will and guidance in discerning direction for my life. Help me to see the glorious possibilities that You open for me. Challenge me to be a beacon of light to my friends, my neighbors, my community. Help me to believe that I can be a force opposed to hunger, poverty, injustice, and oppression ...a force willing to be used by You as Your instrument. Help me to believe that I can be a force for peace and goodness and love. Save me from giving up when times are tough. Save me from selling myself to false dreams of prestige and power. Set me free from selfish ambitions, from the desire that all men should think well of me. Give me instead a faith in You and Your Kingdom, a faith on which I can build my individual life ...a faith on which I can build my home and family. And I would ask that you give me a spirit of adventure. Prepare me to go where I have never been, ready to risk anything for Your Kingdom’s sake. Prepare me even to pass through the deep dark valley of uncertainty and loss in order to be found faithful to Your call and to hear Your commendation ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’


(102) Magnificent and All-powerful Creator,

I stand before You as before no other. My masks are of no benefit to me, for You know me more intimately than I know myself. My masks may help me to masquerade from others and from myself, but it is foolish for me to try to hide from Thee. The eloquence of my prayers are of no benefit to me, for Your hearing plumbs the depths of my soul... and my soul can only speak truth to You. Neither my standing in the community nor my wealth impress You ...for all are equally worthy in Thy sight. And frantically involving myself in religious activities is of no benefit ...for the Pharisees were so involved. Father, it seems that I am a slow learner...for I have not done a good job of learning the lessons from scripture. When I do something sacrificial for Your church, I want other people to know about it and to praise me. When I pray or fast or give money, I want to be recognized of men, even though You said that You hear my silent prayers ...You honor my heart’s compassion ...You value the widow’s mite. Father, deliver me from trying to impress the world and confront me with the reality of eternal values. It is difficult to be far-sighted, but only through having far-sighted vision can I conquer my fear of growing old and weak. Only through being far-sighted can I have the courage to stand alone for what is right. Only through being far-sighted can I celebrate my uniqueness and give up trying to be someone I’m not. Today, I stand before You as before no other ...grateful that You desire me in Your family. Forgive me my selfishness and fear. Forgive me my childish masquerades. Forgive me my rigidity. Give me health for the doing of Your will, and bless me with power to enhance Your Kingdom. Enable me to bless my family, my community, my city. For I am truly powerless without You, but with Your help ...I am more than a conqueror.



(103) Father, You Who are my Oasis in the desert of life.

As a wounded deer seeks refuge from the hunt, so I pause with my wounds and seek You. Who else knows my pain and my sorrow? Who else knows my fears and concerns? Who else can I turn to when life deals a crippling blow or dreams become nightmares? Who else loves me for who I am rather than what I do? You comfort me as a hen comforts her chicks ...and I find peace in Your Presence. Father, it is difficult to walk by faith. I tend to place my trust more in things visible rather than things invisible. Yet I earnestly confess, ‘I believe. Help Thou my unbelief.’ Open my spiritual eyes and ears that I may see the pathway of righteousness and hear Your guidance. Father, my desire is to connect with You today ...to replenish my spirit and realign my direction ...to seek forgiveness for wrongs done and to learn how to love ...to worship You as You deserve. Touch me and heal me for Thy Kingdom’s sake ...that I may join with You in transforming this world from darkness to light ...from despair to joy ...from hatred to love. Lead me into new avenues of service ...where my charity envelops not only those whom I like, but also those whom I dislike. Give me a sense of expectation about how I may be used by You to accomplish Your purposes. Above all, strengthen my commitment to doing Your will, that I may withstand the choking thorns of juvenile prejudice, stagnant creedalism, meaningless ritual, and lazy complacency. And may my commitment always follow my Savior’s example where He prayed, “Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.”




(104) My Father,

I shed my shoes and bow my knee before You, for You are holy and to meet You by faith is to stand on holy ground. When I experience Your Presence, You enable me to forget my cares for the moment and bask in Your love. And yet You bid me to be in the world but not of the world, and so I leave hallowed ground to take up my burdens and try to follow Your way. Much like my Savior as He stumbled while carrying His cross, I sometimes stumble and fall. Perhaps I am striving to obstinately carry my burdens alone. Perhaps I am too proud to ask for Your help or the help of caring friends. Perhaps I stumble over some obstacle in my path ...pride, prejudice, fear. Perhaps the way has become hazardous because I have taken a wrong turn ...I have failed to ask You for directions. Or perhaps I stumble because, like my Savior, I am bone-weary. Father, when I stumble, grant that my faith be sufficient. Grant me humility for my journey. Grant me light for my path. Grant me forgiveness for my sins. For I am in the world ...and I do stumble. I give thanks for the Kingdom resources at hand ...Your ever-present availability, the inspired written Word, the example of my Lord, a community of like-minded believers, the Holy Spirit to guide, comfort and correct. Grant that I also may be a Kingdom resource. May I follow my Good Shepherd’s lead in seeking the lost sheep of the fold. Grant me insight into creative ways of sharing the good news of salvation with my neighbor. Father, I give thanks for the good that has been done and continues to be done in Your Name. Yet the race is not finished. Give me discernment to see the needs of my neighbor. And where I have resources, loosen my compassion to meet those needs as my Lord exemplified for me. Energize me through Your Spirit. Enlighten me with Your wisdom. Enable me through Your grace. Grant healing and health to those in need according to Your will.


(105) My Father, Sustainer, and Teacher,

Through whose love the whole world took shape and form; in whose love I was born and live and die; before whose love I dare come with all that I am, grant to me the deep silence of the heart that enables me to commune with You. Grant that I may never be separated from the love that created me, the love that urges me to be more than I am, the love that urges me to grow. Bring me fully into Your holy Presence and immerse me with Your healing Spirit. Father, You have placed before me life and death, and you bid me choose life. Forgive me when I choose death, when I mistake death for life, when I consciously and unconsciously make decisions that rob me and others of life. I acknowledge the terrible power for life or death that we as a nation and people hold over so much of the world. We have the economic and political power to control the destiny of other nations; we have the military might to destroy life itself. But we also possess the means and methods to bring life, to eliminate hunger, to combat disease, to eradicate poverty, to advance justice, to build peace. Grant us the wisdom and the courage to be people who choose life not only for ourselves, but also for our neighbors. Father, as a new school year has begun, I voice my concerns. I ask that You bring Your resources to bear that educational environments might be free from conflict and abuse ...that those designated to teach may be pure in heart and capable in knowledge ...that administrators may be wise in judgment and careful in planning. And even as my Savior Jesus Christ grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man, so may I emulate His example. Grant healing to the sick, comfort to those who grieve, direction to those who seek. Father, my need is great, but You are greater than my need ...and I give thanks that Your love is sufficient.



(106) Lord Jesus,

I long for Your Presence like a flower yearns for water, and I open the petals of my life to receive nourishment from You, the Water of Life. I do not hold You accountable for all that I am, for the worldly part of who I am is of my own making. But I do acknowledge my debt to You for the good that is in me, and it is my intent to place all of my possessions at Your disposal. My worldly goods bring me no fulfillment. I am only at peace when I bask in Your love and Your grace. Sometimes, like Mary at the tomb, I just want to cling to You. But You bid me go and spread the news that You are alive. May my words and deeds this week indeed witness to Your sovereignty. But I find the world to be unreceptive at times. I fear rejection and ridicule. Yet You were rejected and ridiculed. But You do not ask me to be successful, only to be faithful. Give me a portion of Your Spirit today that I may face the world with wisdom and courage. Give me a portion of Your Spirit that I find serenity in the midst of conflict and doubt. Give me a portion of Your Spirit that I may find the compassion to touch the unlovely, listen to children, and honor the elderly. Lord, I confess my weakness and seek Your strength. Touch me today, I pray. In arrogance I expect to live in comfort, yet You were ‘homeless’. In arrogance I expect suffering to pass me by, yet You bore Your cross with no complaint. In arrogance, I expect long healthy life yet Your lifespan was very short compared to ours. Forgive me. May my heart be thankful for what I have, not bitter for what I lack. Indeed, in this short earthly sojourn, may I deem every obstacle as an opportunity to grow in character and grace ...an opportunity to reveal my submissiveness to Your Lordship ...an opportunity to proclaim a Living Savior to a lost world. For the troubles of this world are as nothing compared to the glories of Your eternal Kingdom.



(107) O Thou Who spans the ages and yet can touch me in this moment,

I ask for Your touch in this hour. When I contemplate Your holiness ...Your righteousness, like Isaiah I confess that I have unclean lips and dwell in the midst of a people with unclean lips. Yet Your touch can cleanse me. May my desire today be to worship You…to bring You honor ...to love You more fully. But talk is often empty so I commit myself to walk in the footsteps of Your Son Jesus. May You find delight in the way I treat others ...the way I care for others ...the way I love others. Smile on my efforts to forgive and to pray for those who abuse me. Father, my world is in turmoil and it seems that nothing short of the Second Coming can straighten us out. Yet I do have immediate help in alleviating the turmoil in my individual life. For You have invited me to draw near to You and to seek Your comfort ...to seek Your direction ...to seek Your healing. I seek rest for my spirit and light for my thought. I bring my work to be sanctified, my wounds to be healed, my sins to be forgiven, my hopes to be renewed. When my skills fail me and my efforts prove ineffective, lift me up, give me a hug, and encourage me to bear my responsibilities for Thy Kingdom’s sake. For Your Kingdom does make a difference in this world, and I would do my part to enhance Her influence. Father, thank you for new visions of how I may serve You better. And lead me to discern how I may retain the best of tradition as I strive to be relevant to a changing culture. Give me a vision of what I may become through Your grace.



(108) My Father,

Today, I come before You with joy in my heart. Even in the midst of trials and tribulations, I celebrate the growth of Your Kingdom, for the things of this world will pass away, but Your Kingdom will last forever! Father, I have a knack for magnifying that which I find to be imperfect in this life. I criticize the government, school systems, and religious institutions. I find fault with those in authority, my society, my community, and my family. I even have a tough time saying anything positive about myself. Grant me eyes to see the blessings of life …to eliminate my Scrooge attitude through celebrating the good. Help me to look at my neighbor who carries difficult burdens with a light heart and a cheerful countenance …that I may learn the secret of being content in all circumstances. And I do give thanks that there are those in my midst who do live exemplary Christian lives …for I allow the cares of the world to trouble me unseemly. Father, I give thanks for those who spend untold hours in ministering to the hungry, the lonely, the infirm, the sick, and those who grieve. Bless their efforts for the sake of Your Kingdom. Father, I confess that at times I prioritize the needs of the flesh over the needs of the spirit. Yet You have plainly stated that the flesh is temporal while the spirit is eternal. Help me to get my priorities straight that I may find joy in serving You even in the poorest of circumstances. May I ever acknowledge that my relationship with You is more important than all worldly possessions. And may I honor You as the giver of all good gifts in my life. I again ask for Your healing mercies over my loved ones. Help me to forgive those who abuse me. Give me faith to walk through the open doors You place in my life …for to stagnate is to die.




(109) My Lord and My Savior,

For the seasons of the year and the seasons of my life, I give You thanks. Even as cooler weather has entered my life, and cool rain has soaked the land, may Your Spirit prevail in soothing my mind and judgment in these turbulent times. Lord, I would speak with You today of fallen leaders. I do not speak of titles, for the ground at the foot of Your cross is indeed level, and You have made it plain that I am to be ‘no respecter of persons’. A part of me is angry that my trust has been betrayed. May I come to acknowledge the frailty of human nature and determine to place my trust in You, the only One who will not disappoint me. Some are glad to see leaders in disgrace. May they be confronted with mirrors that reflects their own character flaws. A part of me is sad to see fellow strugglers waste an opportunity to lead the world in meaningful ways. And perhaps You are sad. Even as You were sad and wept at Jerusalem’s failure to acknowledge You ...even as You were sad at the eagerness of people to stone a woman caught in adultery ...even as You were sad at being betrayed by those You loved ...even as You were sad at the brutality of those who were killing You. Lord, You asked the Father to forgive them for, from eternity’s perspective, they really didn’t know what they were doing. Even as I do not really know what I am really doing when I attack others without mercy. Lord, for the grace to forgive, for the grace to be introspective, for the grace to temper justice with mercy, I give thanks. May I ever learn that my own feeling of being forgiven hinges on my willingness to forgive others. And, Lord, I am indeed thankful that I can be ‘in the world, but not of the world’. I am thankful that the glories of eternity far outshine the trials and tribulations of this present age. I am thankful that my hope is not in the kingdoms of this world, but in Your everlasting Kingdom.




(110) Father of Creation,

Not unlike the lives of Your people, the created order at times is chaotic. Yet when I vent from my pent up emotions, only a few lives are affected. But when a volcano vents, when a tornado hits, when floodwaters cover the land, the lives of thousands are thrown into turmoil. For the survivors who are bewildered and in shock over the sudden loss of family, homes, and livelihood, I ask Your intervention. Give them guidance and hope. And ever lead those of us who have plenty to share of our resources with those in need. Guide the decisions of world leaders ...that peacemaking may be prioritized ...that accountability may be tendered with mercy ...that power may be tempered by humility. For there will be a time of reckoning when every knee shall bow to You and give an account of their stewardship. Father, I give thanks for those leaders who have been an example in how to accomplish Your will through non-violence. It is natural for me to strike out against abuse ...to render an eye for an eye. Yet You have taught me that I am to take the Calvary road ...I am to strive to conquer my enemies through love. Father, You ask me to do a hard thing. It is even difficult for me to love my fellow believer when my expectations are not met. How am I to find it within me to love my enemies? Help me. Remove the arrogance and pride from my heart so that Your will might be done. Let not evil find a home in my tongue. And wherever I find abusive behavior, whether in government or business or religion or family, give me the courage and the wisdom to reveal Your Face in such a way that conviction and restoration may be nurtured. For my desire is to partner with You in bringing the righteousness of Your Kingdom to this earth.



(111) Lord Jesus,

I come today acknowledging that I am unworthy of Your love and sacrifice. Too often I seek security in my own resourcefulness. Too often I misplace my priorities as I fail to seek the Father’s will in making decisions. Too often I allow worldly values to direct my paths. I treat You shabbily. I am unworthy of You. Forgive me my past so that I may commit myself anew to You and Your Way. Lord, it seems that my struggles are many, and I am battered by disappointments, misunderstandings, and tragedies. My failures also are many, for too often I allow selfishness, laziness, and fear to affect my decisions. So I offer you my battered life, fraught with failures, hoping for acceptance ...and becoming delighted by Your embrace. Your celebration of who and what I am overwhelms me, and sometimes tears of gratitude are the only appropriate response. Jesus, I name You physician, for you bring healing to my life in many ways. My life has been touched by Your healing of my spirit, Your healing of my relationships, Your healing of my mind and memories, Your healing of my body. Today I ask intercessory healing for those who are on my heart, that Your healing grace may bring health to the life of Your people. Yet You know what is ultimately best and I look thru a glass darkly, and so I pray that Your will be done and that I be given the grace to patiently carry the cross I sometimes must bear. I am thankful that You bore Your cross for me, and that You will not forsake me as I struggle with my cross. May Your Kingdom be known as a place of the cross, a place where burdens can be laid at your feet and a place where the responsibilities of discipleship are taken seriously. Grant that I find a place of service there. Grant that I may honor you through word and deed, that Your Kingdom here on earth may more perfectly reflect Your heavenly Kingdom.



(112) Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

Even as I see evidence in nature that Autumn is just around the corner, heighten my awareness to the seasons of my physical life. I have reached Autumn. And even as mighty oaks shed leaves in autumn, I am in the process of shedding relationships and power and mobility. Give me eyes to see that strong oaks do not wither in the wintertime. Even as a tree's deep roots are not reached by the frost, so may my spiritual roots be touched not by fear. Lord, deepen my relationship with You that times of crisis may find me strong and not weak. Thank you for encouraging me to celebrate life ...to have an attitude of greeting each day with a smile. Sometimes I allow the cares of the world to weigh me down and color my perspective. Give me courage and wisdom to learn from others the secret of finding good soil in which to deepen my roots. Lord, I confess that I have allowed the world to define meaning in life. I have allowed success to be defined in terms of materialism rather than spirituality. I have bought into the idea that happiness is dependent on things extrinsic, not intrinsic ...on the external, not the internal. I have not listened carefully to Your Voice ...to Your Words as presented in the gospels. I still allow fear to dictate my actions. I still allow money to provide my basis for security, for I still prioritize the physical life over the spiritual life. Forgive me my fear ...my rigidity ...my childish masquerades. Give me health, I pray, for the doing of Your will. Enable me to be a blessing to my family, my community, my country. For I am truly powerless without You.




(113) O Faithful and Holy Father,

I dwell in a time and place where the fragments of broken promises clutter places of business, courthouses, churches, offices, schools, and homes …the debris of shattered trust, evidence of character flaws. In all creation, You alone are truly worthy of trust. You faithfully keep Your promises to me even when I carelessly break Your Heart, even when I crucify my Lord anew through breaking faith and abandoning responsibility. Forgive me when I have failed to match Your example …when I have failed to live up to the trust placed in me. Heal whatever hurt I have caused. Give me grace to bring about reconciliation in broken relationships. Give me courage and wisdom to initiate and foster community where none exists. Convict me that faithfulness to You deserves first priority. May the roots of my commitment grow deep as I honor You through service and worship. Anchored by my faith in You, bless the commitments I have made to family, friends, clients, community, and country. Help husbands and wives to remain faithful to one another in mind and spirit as well as body. Help fathers and mothers to fulfill the covenant they made when they brought children into this world. Help sons and daughters to honor and obey their parents. Help me to treat my peers with respect and dignity. Help me to minister to needs with compassion and integrity. May I be found worthy of the trust others place in me …that I may reflect Your glory and love and faithfulness. Father, I further ask that You touch my life with divine healing …that my life may be strong and sure in Your service. Above all, reveal to me Your will and grant me the grace to abide by it.



(114) My Father,

Indeed, order my steps through the leadership of Your Spirit. Breathe Yourself into me, that I may ever have Your Light to lead me onto paths of righteousness. Infill me, that I may know the Truth, and the Truth shall make me free. Breathe direction into my soul that I may not lose my way and end up in the far countries of life. Breathe perseverance into me that I may endure to the end and be saved. Order my vision, Father, that I may never choose the tawdry and the temporary in place of the precious and the permanent. Give me grace to walk in the steps of my neighbor that I may not judge hastily or harshly. Grant me courage to choose the road less traveled ...the narrow way ...the hard way rather than the easy way. Breathe into me a health and hardiness that will withstand the ravages of this world and provide strength for the tasks before me. Order my sense of stewardship, Father, that I may prioritize the needs of Your Kingdom above my own selfish desires ...that I may not forget that grace is not cheap, for I must lose my worldly life in order to find my eternal life. Breathe into me Your compassion that I may love others as You have loved me. Breathe into me, Father, that I may experience Your Presence and know the excitement of worshiping the One true God, the Eternal Creator.




(115) Lord Jesus,

I seek the comfort of Your Presence. Only You can alleviate the stress I live under. Only You can enlighten my path and sharpen my vision. Only You can provide the salve I need for my hurt and pain. You are a present and available leader in troubled times. Help me to see the glorious possibilities that You open for me. Help me to be a source for people to be healed of sorrows and loneliness and despair. Help me to stand opposed to hunger, poverty, injustice, and oppression ...willing to be used by You as Your instrument. Help me to be a person of peace and goodness and love. Save me from giving up when times are tough. Save me from selling myself to false dreams of prestige and power. Set me free from selfish ambitions, from the desire that all men should think well of me. Give me instead a faith in You and Your Kingdom, a faith on which I can build my individual life... a faith on which I can build my home and family. And I ask that you give me a spirit of adventure. Prepare me to go where I have never been, ready to risk anything for Your Kingdom’s sake. Prepare me even to pass through the deep dark valley of uncertainty and loss in order to be found faithful to your call. Envelop me with Your holiness in this hour, that I may be cleansed of my sin and confronted with my duty. Lord, I love You and seek how I may be of service. Show me how I may prove my devotion. I desire for Your will to be done on this earth. Give me a compassion for those who are struggling. Give me grace to accept help and the courage to voice my need. My Savior, I also pray for those who are wounded emotionally or socially ...for those who are recovering from illness or a doctor’s care ...for those who feel powerless to face the pressures of everyday life ...for those who are bewildered by the choices of life ...for those who are lonely...for those who are grieving over loss. Bless us all in Your service for Thy Kingdom’s sake.


(116) Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace,

I praise You today for life ...even the abundant life. How can I honor You for what You have done and are doing? How miserable I would be without Your words and example! Even so, I still struggle with the ways of the flesh. I confess. You can still call me ‘O ye of little faith’. I find that Your words are easier to believe than to live out. You tell me that true security comes from a relationship with You, yet I still worry about bank accounts and defensive strategies. You tell me that ‘why’ I give is more important than ‘what’ I give, yet I still tend to honor the gift, not the heart. You tell me that the only way to transform an enemy into a friend is through love, yet I still prefer a show of force. You tell me to be a peacemaker, yet I tacitly support the ways of war. O Shepherd of Love, it is sometimes hard to believe that You can really have as much patience as I need. Truly, You stand at the door of my life and knock ...and knock ...and knock. You want to fellowship with me, but I am too busy with the ways of the world. Oh, to have the faith, the courage, the vision to fling that door open wide. Savior, grant my request. Lord, I pray for Your Kingdom to come. I pray for Kingdom growth ...not that attendances will grow, not that building complexes will grow, not that bank accounts will grow. Rather, I pray that our obedience will grow. I pray that our sensitivity to needs will grow. I ask that our hearts will grow. For You told me that success in Your Kingdom is not measured by the number of people who attend worship services. Success in Your Kingdom is not measured in the number of beautiful buildings we own. Success in Your Kingdom is not measured by the size of bank accounts. For the Kingdom is of the spirit, and we who desire to dwell there must do so in spirit and in truth. May my hope overshadow my fear. May my compassion overshadow my greed. May my love overshadow my prejudice. For I desire to honor You.


(117) My Lord Jesus,

As I gird myself for a new year and contemplate the past, I pause to Thank You for my blessings. Of a truth, sometimes I have difficulty feeling blessed. Sometimes I don’t truly feel thankful. I only say so because it is expected of me. I have a tendency to magnify the trials of life and resent the obstacles that come my way. I have a tough time realizing that those trials and obstacles are opportunities for me to grow in character toward becoming like You. Help me to examine Your life more fully, that I may see that You encountered trials and obstacles at every bend. Help me to turn to You for understanding and patience and perseverance in this life. Lord, times are sometimes difficult. I am overly busy from juggling too many relationships. Sometimes I am lonely and long for lost relationships. I strive hard to please those whom I love and feel like I fall short. I feel unloved and unwanted. I struggle with the ‘little deaths‘ of life ...misunderstandings, disagreements, unfulfilled expectations. I am devastated by the ‘larger deaths’ of loved ones, livelihood, and health. Yet, amidst all of the ups and downs of life, I pause in thankfulness. Truly this life would be much more frightening to me outside of a relationship with You. I still become frightened at times, even though I have experienced Your love and grace. Sometimes I grow frightened for the sake of those whom I love. I feel impotent to protect them from pain and uncertainty, and I am frustrated. Sometimes I grow frightened because I feel weak, insecure, or lonely. Perhaps You don’t truly understand these feelings, yet You love me anyway. And You offer a relationship that abolishes fear and provides comfort, even though I may ‘walk through the valley of the shadow of death’. Lord, when I am afraid ...when I need comforting, draw me into Your embrace that I may know the joy of my salvation and enlighten the paths of those who still walk in darkness.


(118) My Father,

As around me nature prepares for the sparsity of winter, may I not forget that Your Kingdom is ever in Springtime. Give me eyes to see the bloom in laughing children. Give me ears to hear the valid concerns of parents. Give me a voice to comfort the sick, the bereaved, the lonely, the powerless. Even as nature sleeps, may I be vigilant to walk and work alongside You in a world of need. Eternal Creator, I open my heart to You this day. Cleanse me of all impurity. And I invite You to take Your rightful place above other claims for deity in my life. It is not what I own, but to Whom I belong, that provides eternal security. Father, I acknowledge my finitude ...Your ways are far above my understanding. It is folly for the creation to challenge the Creator. Yet, even with my limited capacity to experience and know Thee, I have come to love Thee. And through knowing Your Son Jesus Christ, I do feel a kinship to You as Father. Thank You for allowing the intimacy that encourages me to come to You for guidance, nurturing, and fellowship. And, Father, I am thankful for those who serve in positions of leadership in Your Kingdom. Grant them wisdom to discern the best from the good. Grant them courage to honor righteousness above convenience and power. Grant them fellowship with Thee and with others who seek to follow Thy will, that they not despair in isolation. And I end my prayer with gratitude for the faithful service of leaders past. May their efforts to serve You bear eternal fruition.


(119) My Father God,

Giver and Preserver of all life, by whose power I was created, and by whose providence I have been sustained to this hour, look upon me with tenderness and mercy. Grant that I may not have been created in vain, but that I may accept Your offer of eternal companionship. May I so repent me of my sins and order my life that when I am called to give an account, I may do so in confidence ...having experienced Your Son Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Grant me strength to be diligent in my vocational endeavors; grant me purity of thoughts, words, and actions; grant me a desire to study and honor Your Word. May my efforts at worship bring glory to Your Name. May my affection for You be evident in every song and prayer. Deliver and preserve me from vain pursuits. Guide my steps as I seek to know and do Your Will. And guide the nations of this world into Thy paths of justice and truth, that peace may prevail and mankind’s kingdoms become conformed to Your Kingdom. Deliver them and me from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and may the future find us all standing before You through Jesus Christ our Lord. Father, fill me with Your Spirit. Where I lack love, confront me; where I lack leadership, direct me; where I bring dishonor to Your Name, forgive me. Where I am right, strengthen me; where I am in want, provide for me. Father, grant me mercy and understanding to minister to those whose increasing years bring them weakness, distress, or isolation. Provide for them homes of dignity and peace; give them understanding helpers, and the willingness to accept help; and, as their strength diminishes, increase their faith and their assurance of your love. Grant health for the tasks and the opportunities that are set before me. And if the granting of health be not Your will, then grant me perseverance and hope for the future. For I know that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared to the glories of eternity.


(120) My Lord and my Savior,

Thou art worthy to receive all praise and honor and glory. For You humbled Yourself to become a servant. I can hardly comprehend the love You have for me …to empty Yourself of the power and position inherent in Your divinity to live a virtually powerless and positionless life among mankind. You owned no castle …employed no bodyguards …carried no weapons. You labored with integrity as a carpenter, but accepted the charity of others during Your preaching ministry. How unlike You I am! You forgave Your enemies …ever searching for ways to confront them with truth. You washed the feet of those who called You Master, and commanded them to do likewise. Yet I have difficulty serving even my neighbor in need. How unlike You I am! I may readily sacrifice for my children and loved ones, but I grow cautious when challenged to sacrifice for You. How unworthy I am! Yet, Lord, I do love You at times. Sometimes, when I contemplate Your life, I overflow with gratitude and my tears flow freely. Sometimes I do give sacrificially …sometimes I do love my enemies …sometimes I do walk by faith …sometimes I do lovingly serve others. Grant that those times may be more frequent. Grant me perseverance to undergo difficult times. Grant me wisdom to know Your will and to act accordingly. Grant me the vision to see my blessings and to be thankful. Grant me an inclusive attitude that encourages unity without uniformity. Give comfort to those who are bereaved. Grant me a sense of compassion that willingly shares of my resources to those who are in real need. And grant me health. For I desire to be an asset and not a liability to Your Kingdom here.



(121) My Father,

I give You thanks that I have benefitted from the witness of others about Who and What You are. Not only the biblical witnesses, but also the witnesses of the saints of the Kingdom, some of whom are alive today. They have testified of Your glory, Your power, Your mercy, Your love for me. They have prioritized Your will above their own, and Your Kingdom above the kingdoms of this world. May I learn from their example. For You are worthy of my worship and adulation. Father, my life is akin to the seasons…spring, summer, fall, and winter. Wherever I find myself, may I seek Your guidance in all worthwhile decisions. May I seek Your companionship in tough times and good times… to lean on You when life knocks my feet out from under me and to sing love songs to You when life’s beauty overwhelms me. When I suffer from ill health, grant me healing in accordance with Your Will. And grant me the courage and fortitude to bear my cross as need be. When my cup overflows, guide me to the needy that I may share of my abundance. Father, I confess that sometimes I am tempted beyond my endurance. I abuse others and myself. I poison myself with impure thoughts. Sometimes I attack the character of those with whom I disagree. I refuse to pray for those whom I dislike. I have a tough time making Jesus Lord of my life. Forgive me. I have no excuse. I ask for help. May Your Holy Spirit fall upon me like manna from heaven, remaking me into the image of my Savior. Grant that my love for others be so evident that You will be glorified. Grant me a vision of Your purpose for me in this hour ...for I would learn what it means to be Your disciple.




(122) My Father,

As I enter a season of political inundation, I acknowledge my ultimate allegiance to only You. As Daniel and his friends gave evidence, You alone deserve my servitude. To You belong all realms, all power, all glory. Yet You delegate the power of temporal leadership to Your creatures. In this nation, I am thankful that You have given me the freedom to work toward establishing representative government, to oversee the welfare of the land and the many people it supports. Today, I pray for those whom I helped to choose and You my God have allowed to lead. It is not easy for them to lead such a diverse people, whose many desires cannot all be satisfied. It is not easy to see which actions will produce the most good for the greatest number. It is not easy to withstand the many personal temptations that come with power. It is not easy to bear the extraordinary pressures of the complex, self-serving world of politics. So I ask for You to grant my leaders the stamina and the integrity to fight for what is right and honorable in Your sight. Grant my nation leaders who will do justice, love mercy and walk humbly before You. Protect them from the mire of greedy partisanship. Grant them the character and vision to work for the good of all people, for You withhold Your love from none. Give me the grace to be a good citizen. Moderate my passion with self-control and civility.



(123) Father,

Sometimes I wonder why such a loving God allows so much pain …so much burden in the life of His created children. Sometimes I wonder why You did not create a perfect world. Do You place obstacles in my path in order for me to grow? Is it to foster courage that You allow hardship and disappointment? Is it to encourage me to serve others that You allow social inequalities? Is it to generate hope that You allow insecurity and uncertainty? Is it to give birth to faith that You do not reveal Yourself more fully? Is it to foster the love of truth that You allow lies and deceit. Is it so that I will desire perfection and holiness that You allow the imperfect and the unholy to exist? Is it to promote loyalty that You allow betrayal and desertion? Is it to learn the blessing of unselfish love that You gave me a selfish nature? Is it to value peace and patience that You allow suffering? Perhaps You have placed me in an environment of adversity in order that I may gain in character to become like You. For Your Son told me, ‘Be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.’ Grant that I may see the difficulties of life as opportunities, and not curses. Forgive me my weakness of character that finds me abusing my neighbors, shirking my responsibilities, and hiding from my fears. Forgive my failure to stand for what is right, no matter the consequences. Grant that I may become a better steward of what You have placed before me. Grant that I may feed my mind and soul with that which will enable me to help others and myself. Grant that I may use my talents and gifts to enhance the work of Your Kingdom. Convict me of that which is unhealthy and lead me to that which makes me whole. I pray for those who are grieving over loss. I pray for those who are suffering ill health. I pray for those who are lonely and over-burdened. Empower me as Your servant to be an instrument of Your peace to those whose lives are in turmoil.


(124) My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

It is beyond my comprehension that You could live a perfect life ...a life where You never sinned against Your Heavenly Father or against Your neighbor or against Yourself. Truthfully, I have difficulty with all three areas. I often fail to give the Father the honor He deserves ...I often fail to love my neighbor as I love myself ...I often abuse my body through neglect. Yet You did not fail. And You challenge me to be like You ...to follow Your example. How I enjoy worshiping You and extolling Your virtues! I love to sing praises! But You tell me that I honor You most by loving others as You loved. Having compassion for those in need. Interceding for the weak. Forgiving those who abuse me. Bringing health to those who are sick. Befriending the lonely. Bearing my cross daily. Lord, I believe that You loved me enough to die for me ...and that You love me still. And I love You. But, not unlike Your closest disciples, my flesh is weak. Not unlike the apostle Paul, I do things of which I are ashamed ...and fail to do those things that are beneficial. Forgive me, I pray. Encourage my efforts at becoming righteous. Give me wisdom for the day, and strengthen my faith that my fears may not rob me of the joy of my salvation. Lead me to that which is edifying for my journey. And ever as I draw nearer to Thee, may I courageously witness to Thy grace. For, indeed, through helping my neighbor to acknowledge Your Lordship, I bask in the radiance of Your smile. And until I stand before Thee face-to-face, knowing that I may cause Thee to smile shall be my reward. Bless my effort to worship, to witness, to fellowship, and to minister.





(125) Eternal Light,

You Who are Father to those of us who choose to honor You, and Creator of all; how blessed I am to not only have a God Who listens to me, but Who also cares! Yet in spite of Your holiness and love, in spite of Your guidance through the Spirit and the Word made flesh, I often choose to go my own way ...down paths of indolence and selfishness, paths that are unhealthy and unrighteous. I dare to call myself ‘Christian’ not so much to indicate who I have become but who I am becoming. For I am ‘in process’ ...I am incomplete ...I humbly bow and ask for Your help in completing my pilgrimage. Father, I look at where I am as Your sheep and I see room for growth. To whom much is given, much is required. And I have been given much. Yet I stand silent and stagger under the guilt of tolerating unprincipled technology, unethical politics, undisciplined wealth, unrestrained lust, unbridled power, blind knowledge, and immoral industry. I bend my knee to the stock exchange, to Congress, to Hollywood, to Las Vegas. I seek my security through overpowering my neighbor, not through a relationship with You. Indeed, I struggle mightily with what it means to be in the world but not of the world. Yet I know that being physically in the world presents challenges to my faith. As a nation and as an individual, it is not an act of love to allow my neighbor to abuse others unrestrained. And so I struggle with how best to deal with those who call themselves my enemies. And I look to the life and words of my Savior as I seek to know how best to proceed. Father, at this special time, I do pray for those in the military who are committed to defending freedom. For those who must make tough decisions, give them discernment and wisdom. For the many who are in harms way through following orders, give them courage and a sense of Your Presence and purpose that supersedes life-and-death struggles.



(126) My Father,

I am Your child, but sometimes I don’t feel much kindred. I call You omnipotent ...all-powerful. Yet I am all too aware of my own weaknesses. I call You omniscient ...all-knowing. Yet I am reminded daily of how ignorant I am. I call You omni-present ...not limited by time or space. Yet when I try to be in only two places at once, I am frustrated. And I call You loving and gracious, whereas my predisposition is to be selfish. I tend to think more in physical terms than in spiritual. Even though I am taught that the physical is temporal and the spiritual is eternal, I still tend to rely more on the outward than the inward. I seem more concerned about my physical appearance than my spiritual appearance. And so I struggle with life ...I struggle with relationships, self-esteem, failures, disappointments, fears, betrayals, handicaps, illnesses, and deaths. And sometimes I become depleted ...I come to the end of my rope. Sometimes I hit bottom. When the pain of life gets unbearable, You give me a choice ...I can allow pity to become cynicism and hatred, or I can give up and give in. Give up trying to be my own god ...and give in to Your leadership ...and Your inexhaustible resources. Father, I don’t fully understand the benefits of suffering. I don’t understand why life is sometimes so hard. But I do believe that You care. When I am hurting, hold my hand. When my face tear-flows, give me a hug. When my eyesight grows dim, guide me. When I long for a kind voice, whisper that You love me. For the ways of the world cannot quench my thirst, but You are the ‘living water’ that can meet my needs. Prepare my heart to always be receptive to Your coming into my life.



(127) My Father,

As I reflect on the events of this past week, I have much for which I offer thanks ...and I have much for which I ask guidance. In the loss of life by natural disasters, by accidents, and by attrition ...I am reminded of my finitude ...that my physical body inhabits secure space only through grace ...that life is to be lived out fully moment by moment, for there is no assurance that this tent in which I dwell will survive another day. And so I recommit myself to walking by faith ...to trusting you for my security. False gods offer me their security... I am told that security lies in wealth ...in power ...in knowledge ...in beauty. Yet, when I face death, and we all do, these false gods cannot deliver me. Only you can give me a peace that confounds mankind’s understanding. So even as compassion demands that I respond in love to the essential needs of those who are devastated by the calamities of life, may I also commit myself to sharing my faith with those who are not of your eternal Kingdom, that they may share my joy for the present and my hope for the future. Father, I am thankful for the outpouring of aid for those who have been unfortunate. I am thankful for those who have offered time, money, goods, and prayers on behalf of those who suffer. Lead me to be Your hands and arms and voice to those in need. Give me wisdom in how best to proceed. You have taught me that when a need exists and I have the resources to meet that need, then I have a responsibility to meet that need. Help me to distinguish ‘wants’ from ‘needs’, and make me aware of the resources at my disposal. And even as I see that misfortune can drive people to their knees, may I be ever on my knees in worship, in supplication, in intercession, in confession, and in commitment. For I love You and want to become like You. Bring wholeness to my body ...to my mind ...to my relationships. I give thanks that You love me even in my brokenness.


(128) Gracious Father,

I turn to You in my times of shock, grief, bewilderment, sadness, and anxiety. I sometimes forget how vulnerable I am to the forces in this world, especially to the forces of evil and destruction. Comfort those who are victims of senseless ideological struggles, those who are victims of the criminal mindset, those who are victims of a struggling economy. In troubled times, remind me that in life and death I belong to You. Scripture affirms that You are a very present help in times of trouble ...that there is no place where I can flee from Your Presence ...that when I call to You from my despair, You hold me and guide me. Father, Your holiness convicts me. You hold me accountable for how I treat You ...for how I treat my neighbor ...for how I treat myself. I pray that the certainty of Your righteous judgment imprint itself on the leaders of my world, that all significant decisions may be submitted to You for revision and approval. Give my leaders courage, wisdom, and strength to face these turbulent times. May the leadership of Your Holy Spirit be evident in the lives of those of us who dare to call ourselves Christians. For if I will but listen and obey, I can manifest Your love in mighty ways, overcoming fear and prejudice. Fill me with a new determination to work for peace ...to work toward that day when there will be no winners and losers, victors and defeated, or terrorists and victims. May I work toward and pray for the time when the brotherhood of all mankind may be celebrated and Your Fatherhood exalted! Creator of time, sometimes I forget that tomorrow is not promised…that all physical life hangs by a thread. And so, help me this day to declare my love for family and friends ...and help me to demonstrate my love for You. Help me this day to minister to the needy, befriend the lonely, encourage the downhearted, pray for the sick, and share the good news with those who search.


(129) My Father,

This special day I give thanks for my heritage. My heritage as a nation is rooted in the sacrifices of many who poured out their lives to defend me from aggression. Part of that sacrificial heritage is the freedom to vote my conscience when electing governing officials. This week, give me wisdom and discernment that I may honor You and follow Your will in my decision-making. And give me the grace to abide by the will of the majority, even when I find myself in the minority. May my remembrance be not only of my heritage as a nation blessed, but also my heritage as a family blessed. For without babies and children to enlighten my life, I am soon overcome by the cares of the world. Father, I am thankful to enjoy freedoms that many around the world cannot claim. May my thankfulness be accompanied by a concern and commitment to work toward the civil rights of all humankind. For You have told me that You are no respecter of persons ...that all have equal worth in Your sight ...that it is Your desire that no one should perish outside Your Kingdom. And in a time when there is little respect for many who serve in public office, may I lead the way in praying for those who are in positions of leadership. I pray that Your spirit will lead them onto paths of righteousness, that You will convict them of what is right and give them the courage to do the right thing when given a choice, that You will humble the proud and lift up the meek for the sake of Your kingdom. Father, even as You have loved me with all of my failings, I proclaim my love for my country even with all of her failings. And even as You call for Your people to move toward holiness ...to move toward righteousness, so may I challenge my nation to become more righteous and more holy in actions both within and without. Grant healing mercies for the ill. For my desire is to honor You through doing my part to increase Your Kingdom. I love You.


(130) Creator and Father,

Worthy are You to be praised! At this Thanks-Giving season, I am reminded that Your blessings descend upon me daily as manna from above, empowering me to perform Your will and execute Your bidding. I petition You to give me, moment by moment, day by day, that which promotes and sustains my health. Refresh me with the Living Waters of Thy Spirit. Step by step, lead me out of darkness and into the enlightenment of Thy divine Presence. Clear my mind and give me far-sighted vision. And when this spacesuit that I inhabit shall finally wear out and cease to function, receive me to Yourself and crown me according to my faithful service. But while I yet live in this present world, love and concern compel me to pray for family and friends. Make Your Spirit present in their life in such a way that they become healthier and more cognizant of Your love. And, Father, I pray for the leaders in my world ...that reason will ever prevail over insanity, charity over greed, civility over hate. And I pray for my enemies ...for those who abuse me and despitefully use me. I pray for their well-being ...that You would conform them to the image of Your Son and my Savior Jesus Christ.


(131) My Father,

Deliver me from that which robs me of my peace. I confess that fear often overcomes my faith. I think more in physical rather than spiritual terms. I see change as an enemy to be overcome rather than a life-long teacher. Father, You have made change a part of my life ...my body changes, my relationships change, my world changes. But I sometimes fear change. When shadowy enemies threaten the life of those whom I love dearly, my anxiety mounts and my spirits are troubled. It is almost as if I have been carried away into captivity and I yearn for the security and freedom of past days. Yet You have challenged me to walk by faith and to sing new songs of celebration. Teach me to celebrate the caring relationships that make life meaningful ...teach me to celebrate the opportunities I have to see, hear, and speak love ...teach me to celebrate the provisions for livelihood that I enjoy...teach me to celebrate You. You have offered to guide me, comfort me, heal me, sustain me in my valley of despair. You are ever present and available. Your forgiveness and love are unmerited. Thank you, Father, for placing such worth on my life. Teach me that, even in captivity, babies are born ...children need guidance ...and loved ones die. Help me to be far-sighted enough to heal my world of animosities, yet near-sighted enough to hold the hand of a sick friend. Help me to be far-sighted enough to extend the boundaries of Your Kingdom to include the whole earth, yet near-sighted enough to prayerfully reconcile my differences with my neighbor. For Your arms are wide enough to hug the world, yet You touch each of us tenderly and uniquely. Grant vision and wisdom in this hour, Father. Grant healing for the infirm, solace for those in pain, charity for those in need, comfort for those who grieve, and serenity for the anxious. May my requests and thoughts be in accord with Your will. For my deepest desire is to commune with You.


(132) O God, Creator by Fiat and Father by Choice,

My emotions still run rampant as I seek protection for those whom I love in a world where there are no safe harbors. Give me peace, and enable me to be a peacemaker. My flesh argues that a strong military force will bring me safety. My spirit responds that I may be in the world, but I am not to be of the world. What did my Lord mean when He said to fear not that which can destroy the body. Am I making decisions based on seeking security for the body as opposed to security for the spirit? Are there any flags in heaven? What do I mean when I ask You to bless America? Am I selfishly asking for preferential treatment? Do You love the American people more than You love the people of China, Africa, Russia, Iran, Iraq? Do I seek world peace or just American peace? Do I pray only for America’s leaders and military? Could the Good Samaritan be someone from the Middle East? Father, what does it say about my sense of family when I value American life above all other nationalities? Do I really believe that only American Christians occupy Your Kingdom? What does it mean to pray for my enemies ...for those who abuse me? My Savior was no doormat, Father. He stood regally tall in confronting His enemies with truth. Yet He loved His enemies. Sometimes love compels me to bend ...sometimes love compels me to confront. Give me wisdom. But even to pray amiss is better than not to pray at all. For by putting myself by faith in Your Presence, I benefit greatly. Even though You do not grant selfish prayers, time spent in Your Presence will encourage me to pray less selfishly. And, Father, help me to know that it was the way of my Savior to pray in solitude. The Pharisees sought public approval through public prayer, but that is not to be my way. May I never be ashamed to be counted among the Christians, but may I never trivialize my Lord’s example.



(133) Gracious Father,

This season is supposed to be one of giving thanks, but it is difficult for me to be thankful when my relationships are not harmonious. It is difficult to be thankful when my health is failing. It is difficult to be thankful when I fear for my physical and financial safety from those who would prey upon others. It is difficult to be thankful when it seems that You are not actually in control ...that You have abandoned me to my own devices. Father, to be really thankful, I need to feel Your presence ...I need to know the reality of Your concern for my well-being. Sometimes I avoid talking with You and so I miss out on the assurance that comes from being in Your presence. Perhaps I am tired of playing a charade ...pretending to be someone I’m not, so I avoid an encounter with You out of shame. Perhaps I feel that I am just talking to the wind, and I hope that the wind is You ...but I just don’t know. Perhaps, out of fear and insecurity, I focus so much on myself that I am just not aware of Your Presence. Perhaps I am angry or disappointed in You because You did not meet some unreal expectation ...after all, if You really loved me, would I have so much pain in my life?! Yet Your son Jesus experienced pain of all kinds, and He never blamed You. Father, may I learn the secret of His serenity. May I learn to focus more on You and less on myself. May I by faith sit in Your lap and catch a glimpse of eternity from Your perspective. Father, when I by faith contemplate the Kingdom’s journey that You have planned for me - that this physical sojourn on Earth is just the beginning of an eternity with You -I joyfully bow down before You at the majesty and glory of Your Name. And even as I extend an invitation for You to come and dwell in my presence, may I be aware that You have invited me to come and dwell in Your presence. Hallelujah.



(134) Creator of Life and Keeper of All that is Holy,

By Your Will and Grace, I live on both a physical and a spiritual plane. Yet I know that You are a Spiritual Being and that my eternal essence is spiritual. But the battles between flesh and spirit remain in my life. The world nourishes my flesh. I pray for You to nourish my spirit. I pray for a spiritual cloudburst ...a soaking of Your Spirit ...to quench the parched land of my soul. Bring life to dead bones. Invigorate me with a new vision and purpose. Open my eyes to the opportunities I have to join forces with You in ministry and mission ...wherever You lead. For many kinds of crops are ready to be harvested. And I would be Your laborer. Perhaps some would say to me, ‘Physician, heal thyself!’ I do confess my need for healing ...for I have relationships that need mending ...wrong attitudes; I have broken dreams and a broken body ... failing resolve and a failing mind. And I struggle with many kinds of burdens… the burden of knowing Your will regarding unresolved issues…the burden of knowing when to submit and when to confront. Father, I don’t ask that my pilgrimage be without conflict and suffering ...for I am mindful not only of my Lord’s suffering but that suffering may build character. I do ask that You grant me enough health to be productive in Your service. May I demonstrate love through example ...through community involvement ...through diligent prayer ...through thoughtful encouragement to those in need. Grant that I may not give place to fear and anxiety, wondering what trouble tomorrow may bring. May my relationship to You take precedent over dreading the loss of possessions, of health, or of mind. Grant me faith to face life with serenity, knowing You to be Lord of all tomorrows and sufficient for any needs. Truly give me the courage to change the things that need to be changed, the resolve to accept those things that cannot be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference.




(135) My Savior Jesus Christ, Lord of Labor,

You know what it means to work. Your hands must have been calloused from carpentry work, and your work surely demonstrated excellence as You became known as a carpenter. It seems that I am supposed to find fulfillment through my work, but too often I view work as a necessary evil. I must work to survive. Some have jobs that stimulate and satisfy. Others hate their jobs. Still others would be thankful for any work but can’t seem to find gainful employment. For the unemployed, self-respect takes a beating and daily survival becomes a real concern. Meanwhile, others are underemployed. They have skills and enthusiasm that are unrequited and in need of expression, leaving them frustrated and angry. Some are retired, delighted to be out of the rat-race, but wondering what to do now. Still others labor in homes, perhaps working harder there than if they were gainfully employed. Whatever my work situation, help me to find meaning and purpose in it. I need more than just a paycheck. Perhaps I strive too much to please others rather than to please You. Perhaps I do not allow You the opportunity to recharge my batteries through rest and recreation. Lord, give me a balance between work and play, that I may be healthy in Your service. Open my eyes to see the value of work, that whatever I find for my hands to do, I may do it with excellence. When I go about my tasks this week, remind me that it is for You that I work ...that I may pull my share of the load and not be an unnecessary burden on others. Remind me that sloppy work is lazy, and that laziness is a character flaw. Remind me that opportunities abound in the work place to serve You through loving my co-workers. Remind me that my ultimate security comes from my relationship with You, not from work. For all of my labors will be worth it all when I hear You say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’




(136) My Lord and Savior,

As a favored child, I struggle with how to share of my abundance with those in need. If there can be no lasting peace in my world without sacrifice on my part, then show me the sacrifices that need to be made. For I seek peace both in my individual life and in my world. Stretch forth Your hand to those who have no peace ...the anxious, the frightened, the unforgiving, the neglected. Comfort the people of other nations and the people of the United States ...for any whose way of life has been wrecked by war and senseless tragedy. Grant hope to those who have been deprived of home, livelihood, and health ...whose families have been torn apart by the insensitive brutality of others. Lord, even as You once faced down a crowd who wanted to stone a woman, give me courage to stand for righteousness and love in the face of opposition. May I seek approval for my thoughts and actions from You, not from my neighbor. Grant me wisdom to understand that concepts like Infinite Justice can only fall under Your job description. For the kingdoms of mankind are temporal at best, but Your Kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting. Bless Your church with power and vision to change communities, nations, and the world through the transforming love of the Cross. Even as Nebuchadnezzar was made to realize that man’s power and prestige is as nothing compared to the Father’s glory, convict the present world leaders of their accountability to You. And even as the obstacles to peace seem insurmountable, may I do my part to bring peace into my world. Begin with me. May I follow Your example in loving and forgiving my neighbor. May I follow Your example in ministering to others in times of need. May I follow Your example in bearing my cross daily for the sake of Your Kingdom. And grant me health as I strive to know and do Your will.



(137) My Lord and My Savior,

I have named You the Great Physician because You can heal pain and sickness where science fails. And pain and sickness are too often my companions in this life. If relief from my pain is not to be granted, then give me patience and endurance to bear my cross with grace. Some are quietly battling disease and the deterioration of bodies. Perhaps not even closest friends know the extent of the illness ...but You know. Grant courage to share what needs to be shared ...for You sometimes love best through the words and touches of those who care. Some are outwardly the picture of health…but inside are crippled. Perhaps from a past tragedy…perhaps from a great disappointment…perhaps from rejection…perhaps from loneliness. Heal us from that which cripples us, Lord, that we may be whole in body, mind, and spirit. Others are struggling with the illness of loved ones ...and perhaps that pain is the hardest to bear. Even as You wept for Lazarus but not for Yourself, watching life’s vitality ebb in one whom I love calls forth unbearable grief. Strengthen my faith ... lift my spirit ...maintain my hope in an eternal Kingdom where loved ones are reunited and whole. And, Lord, there is a sickness of spirit in the world that terrorizes the innocent. Perhaps I have turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to this sickness as it has ravaged other lands. To my sorrow, I realize that this sickness recognizes no national boundaries. Guide me to become alert and informed, that evil may not be given leave to abuse the innocent. Empower me to render harmless those who would abuse others ...for Your desire for me is a world of light and life and love, not darkness and death and hatred. I give thanks for the blessings of life. Too often I complain about my lot. My expectations are blind and unfounded. Forgive my presumptions. May You be glorified through my efforts at worship.




(138) Our Father,

As I enjoy the cooler weather of Autumn, I am reminded that You have created the seasons of the year and the seasons of my life. I have learned to find something positive and exciting about each season of the year. Even so, may I learn to find something positive and exciting about each season of my life. Spring-summer-autumn-winter ...wherever I find myself to be, may I invite You to be my companion as I discern new things about life and about myself. In the Spring of my life, may I use my vitality and strength to aid the weak. May I seek Your sanction on my dreams and ambitions, that my life goals be established according to Your will. May I seek Your Face ...to know You as a caring father, for the pain and suffering of life visits all seasons. In the Summer of my life, may I learn to control my tongue, to uplift and not berate, to affirm and not shame, to bless and not curse. May I learn to celebrate diversity ...to allow others the freedom to be different. May I acknowledge my need for Your guidance as decisions and possibilities overwhelm me. In the Autumn of my life, may I learn to temper power with compassion. May I learn to balance work and rest, community and solitude, receiving and giving. May I learn the value of dignity and bestow that gift on others. In the Winter of my life, give me grace to face my physical weaknesses with courage and hope. Give me a sense of humor, that I may laugh at myself and at life. Give me gratitude for the good times, for caring friends and family, for faith in the future. Give me grace to accept those things that I cannot change, and to know that I never need walk alone when facing uncertain times. Father, grant me grace to find something positive and exciting about each season of my life. And now bless my health, that my sense of fraternity grow ever stronger, that my worship reflect adoration and sincerity, that my infirmities be healed ...that I may have strength and energy to follow Your light.



(139) God of Grace and God of Glory,

I am mystified that You, the timeless Creator of universes, take note of my thoughts and actions. You have honored me by creating me in Your Image ... with the possibility and hope of becoming holy and perfect like You. Yet my failures are many. Forgive me, I pray. For my silence and complacency lend power to those who do not seek Your will. When I neglect to stand up for righteousness, I covertly support those in power who abuse the weak. Forgive me for not allowing You to use me as Your voice of love and reconciliation. Forgive me for the hate and vengeance that I find in my own heart toward those who have abused me or threatened my physical security. I seem to allow fear and laziness to overshadow love and courage. May I ever look to my Lord’s example to direct my path. His love, courage, and forgiveness not only manifested itself on the cross, they illuminated His daily walk. How I long to be more like Him as I struggle with the issues of the day, as I seek guidance, as I look to the health of myself and my loved ones. Father, I have allowed success to be defined in terms of materialism rather than spirituality. I have bought into the idea that happiness is dependent on things external, not internal. I have not listened carefully to Your Spirit or Your Word. I still allow money to provide my basis for security. I still prioritize the physical life over the spiritual. Forgive me my fear ...my rigidity ...my childish masquerades. Enable me to be a blessing to my family, my church, my community, my city. For I am truly powerless without You.



(140) Lord Jesus, Savior and Friend,

I offer my praise today for You are worthy. There are many claims for allegiance on my life ...my eyes and ears are daily assailed by those who want my time and money for their particular cause. Though some may have worth, none have stature or merit or value when compared to Your claim on my life. For You willingly sacrificed Your life for my sake. You alone deserve a rightful place on the throne of my heart, and You deserve nothing less than a whole-hearted desire to accomplish Your will in my life. I believe that part of Your will for me is to strengthen Your church to accomplish her mission ...a mission to evangelize the lost, disciple the saved, and minister to the needy. Sometimes I get so pre-occupied with minor skirmishes within the church, I lose sight of my purpose. I have difficulty marshaling my talents to accomplish great things for You, and I ask Your forgiveness and Your help. You deserve better. Many of us are too proud to wash another’s feet. Some are too proud to humble ourselves in order that the greater good might be accomplished. Many are too proud to offer a second chance to those who have erred. Lord of the Second Chance, may we look to Your life to find examples of how we are to relate to each other and to the Father. May You not find my commitment lacking when the Spirit convicts me of how to bring healing and wholeness to Your body. May You find glory in my willingness to bend my knee to You ...and to others as the occasion warrants. And Lord Jesus, I seek Your power and grace in the lives of those who are ill or infirm, those who are struggling with family responsibilities, those who are burdened beyond their capacities. I ask for the grace to bear my own responsibilities with dignity. And when one falls, enlighten others as to how to best be of help. And may Your Name be glorified through my efforts.



(141) My Father,

I welcome You into my life in this season…the beginning of Advent. A part of me enters this holiday season with excitement …excitement inherent in the exchange of gifts, special music, favorite movies, parties, visiting friends, eating good food. And it seems as if we are trying to outshine the Star of Bethlehem with our lighting displays. Billions and billions of lights lit nightly during this season. Our efforts are beautiful, but we aren’t comparable to the stars of Heaven. Nor can our displays shine like Jesus, the One who was light in fleshly form. Yet may all of our lights and music reflect adoration, and may the collective lights of Christendom reach into the darkest corners of this planet, that those who do not know You may feel compelled to ask, ‘Why the joyful singing? Why the celebration?’ Father, then I will honor You by sharing my inward light with those who dwell in darkness. Yet another part of me dreads this season, for I am lonely and my spirit aches. I am burdened with responsibilities and need rest for my body and spirit. Help me to see Christmastime as a season of hope. I can hope because of the Advent of Christ. I can hope for a time when sorrows will cease …when joy will overflow …when greed will be unheard of …when I will be lonely no more. Forgive me when I lose sight of the meaning of Advent. Forgive me when I attach strings to giving. Forgive me when I expect too much of myself and others, thereby allowing anger to foment and fester. Forgive me when I choose to bow my knee to materialism rather than to your incarnate Son. Challenge and guide me through Your Christmas Spirit …that my actions may bring glory to you and peace to your children. I offer my prayer in the Name of the One Who came …and is still coming, even my Lord Jesus.





(142) Lord Jesus,

In this time of remembrance of the occasion of your coming into this world, may my desire be to focus on You. Lord, oftentimes I find myself to be like a frantic innkeeper or a busy Martha ...so busy with the cares of life that I find it almost impossible to find the time to notice God in my midst or to sit at Your feet and talk. Somehow I've gotten the idea that the busier I am, the more worth I possess. How is that You never seemed to be in a hurry? Surely You knew that Your time here on earth was limited, yet You possessed a serenity that allowed you to notice people who were hurting ...people who were powerless ...children ...people who were ill ...people who were searching for truth. Lord, thank you for taking the time to notice ...and for still noticing. For sometimes I hurt ...sometimes I feel powerless ...sometimes I am ill ...sometimes I search for answers. Loving Savior, often special pain attends this holiday season when I remember that those who have shared past Christmases are no longer with me. Even as You make yourself available to me, may I be sensitive to comfort, nurture, and embrace my fellow pilgrims who grieve. I hope for a future time when neither death, distance, nor disharmony may hinder fellowship with loved ones. Lord Jesus, ever seeking to justify myself, I tend to compare myself to others with a jaundiced eye ...finding excuses for laziness and fear and selfishness. But when I focus on You and measure my progress by Your Standards, I am humbled I ask forgiveness for being mean-spirited, afraid, lazy, ...for failing to care as You care. I love you, Lord, but I acknowledge that my love is imperfect. Yet I offer You my imperfect love and commit myself to becoming more and more like You. And may my love for You be made manifest in my love for others. May I encourage others along the way, that when they stumble they may not fall ...or falling, they may find willing hands to assist them.


(143) Loving Creator,

Again I pause to reflect on this Advent season. It’s hard to hit a moving target, so please help me to be still long enough for You to get through to me. In the midst of all of my Martha activities and responsibilities, may I allow myself freedom to sit at the feet of Your Son and learn from Him. Father, how is it that Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry about anything? Perhaps I could acquire more of a sense of peace this Christmas if I could borrow His glasses ...see things from His perspective. He was never so busy that He couldn’t see the needs of those around Him. He could distinguish between the meaningful and the meaningless. Help me to perceive the difference between meaningful and meaningless time spent and gifts offered. Help me to learn to give with no strings attached. Help me to realize the value of a kind word ...a thoughtful touch ...a timely hug... a reflective note. And, Father, I would be remiss today if I did not acknowledge how much more holy I find You to be compared to myself. It is difficult for me to realize that You want me and love me despite my prodigal nature. I make myself available to family and friends, but You make Yourself available to the lonely, the sick, the poor, the bereaved, the incarcerated. I cautiously offer my hand to strangers, but You hug the world. God of eternity, honor my desire to become like You, that I may grow to become more loving and righteous in all of my actions. I suppose I can’t become more like You unless I spend time with You. So may I commit myself to really going ‘home’ for the holidays, for my ultimate ‘home’ is Your presence. May I bathe my life in prayer, that honor and glory may be brought to You through a life dedicated to Your service.




(144) Lord Jesus,

It is my desire that I grow to become like You. You wasted no time in complaining, even though You had every right. You didn’t seem overly concerned about where Your next meal was coming from, or worried about future possibilities. You lived in the present, not the past or the future. You were strikingly independent, not shackled by seeking the approval of others. You weren’t rebellious, but You made Your own choices even if those choices conflicted with what everyone else did or believed. You knew how to laugh and how to create laughter. You had an appreciation of the natural world ...You were aware of flowers. You were physically healthy and treated Yourself well when given the option. You were honest and wise ...not evasive with responses unless the questioner had no regard for truth. You were not afraid to fail either in goals or relationships. You had no human heroes or idols and did not shackle Your freedom through identification with organizations or systems. You demonstrated an admirable lack of defensiveness ...You did not resort to shame or blame in order to coerce others into doing Your will. Loving Savior, You have given me a perfect example of how I am to face the trials and tribulations of this world. May I follow Your example, even to the cross if need be.



(145) Creator and Father,

In Whose lap I sometimes climb when life brings pain, on Whose strength I depend when life exposes my weaknesses, to Whom I call out for help in troubled times, I call to Thee in this hour of need. Loving Father, I ask for relief from the pain of this world. Yet if somehow my character benefits from suffering, then may I bear my struggles with patience and assurance. Though legions of issues and problems beset me, grant me the peace that passeth all understanding, that my life may be a beacon for others who are seeking peace. Though now for a season, if need be, I may be burdened with trials, yet comfort me in my sorrow, and give me hope that my sorrow may yet turn to joy, and my sickness into health. Father, I ask that grace, mercy, and wisdom be extended toward national and world leaders. In this season of political instability, I am especially thankful that You are my eternal leader who remains steadfast even though I, Your follower, wax and wane. Keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking gossip. Plant humility in my soul and strengthen my heart with perfect faith in Thee. Help me to be strong in times of temptation and to seek understanding when others wrong me, that I may more readily forgive them. Guide me by the light of Thy word and may I ever seek my security in Thee, Who art my Rock and my salvation. Give me, Father, a committed heart from which no unworthy affection may draw allegiance; give me a stout heart which no suffering can wear out; give me an upright heart which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bless me with perception to know Thee, diligence to seek Thee, wisdom to find Thee, and a faithfulness that will ever draw me to Thee.




(146) O Father Who is the Ground of all Being,

I acknowledge Your awareness of my presence even when I fail to acknowledge Your Presence. Father, I thank You that many are willing to help strangers when a need is made evident. I pray further that You would open my eyes and heart to the many needs in my immediate community. Some of my neighbors have paralyzing physical injuries that limit their abilities to pull their own load. Give me compassion to share of my resources. Some of my neighbors have paralyzing social injuries that inhibit their abilities to trust, to become transparent, to speak the truth in love. Give me understanding and patience. Some of my neighbors have paralyzing spiritual injuries that blind them to Your light and the realities of Your Kingdom. Give me a joy, an assurance, and a faith that will attract all those who search for You. Father, I confess that I failed to meet Your standards this past week. Sometimes I fall short because I allow selfishness and fear to rule my heart and mind. Sometimes I fall short because I am lazy. And sometimes I fall short because I’ve depleted my resources and grown tired. And I have not called to You for help. I ask forgiveness ...and I ask for help. Father, I want to be a true Christian. I want to have victory over stress ...but I still need much guidance. I fear the future ...I become angry too easily ...I have concerns about family relationships ...my daily schedules are too hectic ...I’m anxious about my children ...I am sometimes overcome with sadness over past mistakes ...I have financial needs, difficulties in my relationships, health concerns. I ask for help, believing that You care and that Your resources are sufficient to meet my needs and concerns. Thank You for loving me. May my thoughts and actions this week demonstrate that I also love You.



(147) Creator God,

Today I come before You not only to praise You, but also to honor motherhood. For You have endowed mothers with qualities different from fathers, qualities of nest-building and nurturing and empathy and encouragement without which children would have faced a forbidding world. Thank You for Your family plan ...a plan where men and women covenant together, for better or for worse, to walk side-by-side, hand-in-hand providing healthy homes whereby children may grow and flourish. Thank You for the self-sacrifice evident in so many mothers ...a self-sacrifice anchored in love so like Your love for me, a love that gives without demanding reciprocity ...an unconditional love. Father, regrettably, not all parents follow Your plan. Some selfishly sacrifice children on altars of materialism and power. Some seek to mold children into images for which they were not suited, abusing them in the process. Some seek to vicariously gain a measure of fame through pushing children beyond healthy limits. Forgive these selfish actions. As I reflect, I hope that my true heart’s desire is that all children grow to be happy and healthy people of character who love You and their neighbors. Father, today I especially pray for single mothers, for many of them are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. In accordance with their dependance on You for their needs, provide networks of caring communities to help these women develop and maintain healthy nests for their children. And may I allow You to use me to meet those needs where I can. Father, I also pray for those mothers who have empty nests. You know how they miss their children, for You have made them as they are. Comfort them as only You can. And remind me of my mother’s love, so that I may honor her as opportunity presents. As I honor You today.



(148) My Heavenly Father,

Thank You for loving me into Your kingdom and allowing me to be an emissary of Your grace. And one opportunity whereby I may offer service is through prayer. May I ever be aware that I am to pray for my neighbors ...neighbors who are near and neighbors who are far-flung strangers around my globe. For no-one is a stranger to You. You care for all equally. Father, many of these neighbors live in violent and dangerous communities, fearing for their very life. Many live in abject poverty, not certain of their next meal. Many are in shock from unforeseen floods, tornadoes, fires, earthquakes. I pray for these who are so devastated by tragic circumstances. I also pray for those who are ill ...for the dying, the bereaved, for those in despair. I pray for those who are juggling too many responsibilities and feeling the constant strain. And Father, it is evident that the world is in disharmony. May Your Spirit pervade my world and life in such a way that hatred may change to love, despair to hope, darkness to light, sadness to joy. And I pray for a renewal of faith within the church ...faith that is not afraid of criticism or doubt, faith that is honest and open, faith that sees challenges as opportunities, faith that celebrates diversity as part of Your good creative work. And may unity, not uniformity, ever be my goal.


(149) Father of Eternal Advent,

Even as I reflect on and commemorate the special advent of Your Son where ‘the Word became flesh’, may I also show my gratitude that You are in the business of daily adventing my life with Your Presence. You come to me not only through the love and nurture of friends, but also through the needs of my neighbors. You come to me through the Holy Scriptures. You come to me whenever I bend my knee in prayer. Though I do not demonstrate myself to be worthy of Your attention, yet You have loved and continue to love me with a great love. You seem to place great value on me. Yet I can be such a silly creature at times. I allow swings in the stock market to swing my mood. I allow football scores to affect my mood. I allow the giving and receiving of gifts to alter my mood. I even allow seasonal temperatures to manipulate my mood! I even seem to require a special atmosphere in order to get into the ‘Christmas spirit’. Forgive me for allowing such petty stimuli to control me. I guess I have the attitude that if it doesn’t ‘feel’ like Christmas, then I’m not going to prepare for it. How sad ...how human! Your prophet Moses didn’t feel like confronting Pharoah, did he? Your Son Jesus didn’t feel like going to the cross, did He? Your servant Mary didn’t feel qualified to be the mother of Your Son. Yet she was. Because they all were faithful and obedient to You. What does the stock market or football scores or gifts or the climate have to do with being faithful and obedient? Thank You for my good examples. And thank You for Your steadfastness! Father, help me to be a willing vessel to do Your will as I perceive it. Help me to attune my hearing to Your voice ...to sharpen my eyesight to those in need. May I, as Mary, consider my low estate and be grateful for Your grace and favor. For You have provided my salvation ...You have sought my companionship ...You have forgiven my sins. Alleluia!




(150) Creator and Father,

I turn aside from a world in turmoil to learn from You, seeking rest for my spirit and light for my path. I bring my life and work to be sanctified, for Your blessing means so much to me. I bring my wounds to be healed, physical wounds as well as the wounds of broken relationships and broken promises, for I know You to be a healer Who loves wholeness and health. Father, I bring my sins to be forgiven, for I fall short in my efforts to be like You. I bring my hopes to be renewed, for You are the wellspring that nurtures all hope. Creator and Sustainer, I am often frustrated with my limited vision of how You are doing things. Help me to trust You as a child trusts his parent. Fill me with Your love and Presence so that loneliness and fear shall be strangers to my life. And may my prayer ever be to join You in the tasks of reconciliation. O Thou Whose greatness is beyond my comprehension, lift me above the littleness of spirit that often besets me and send me visions of what I may become through Your grace. I offer to Thee my prayers and intercessions for those who have in any way hurt, grieved, or found fault with me. I pray also for those whom I may have troubled, burdened, or pained by word or deed, knowingly or in ignorance; that You would grant me pardon for my sins and for my offenses. Take away from my heart all suspicion, wrath, anger, and whatever may prevent me from reflecting Your Face. Have mercy on those who crave Thy mercy, give peace to those who stand in need, and mold me into a vessel who may enjoy Thy presence.



(151) My Father,

Sometimes I come to You out of my abundance, and I am grateful for Your providential care. But at other times I come to You out of my need, and I face the day with uncertainty. Sometimes I hurt so much that tears come unbidden, and I have difficulty seeing Your Face or Your blessings. Sometimes I let fear control my actions, and I feel powerless in a world that is strange and turbulent. Sometimes it just seems that my faith is not sufficient. Father, I believe ...help Thou my unbelief. Give me faith. When I allow Your presence to fill me, I am overwhelmed with Your holiness. Overwhelm me today. My desire is that others would see You through and in me, but Your glory reflects imperfectly through me as it did with Moses. Yet, as happened with Moses, I pray that my neighbors may notice that I have encountered the Alpha and Omega of eternity ...and allow me to give an answer for the hope that is in me. I ask that on this day I be given a cleansing portion of Your Spirit, that I may not stray into the evil paths of my imagination and selfishness, and that I will endeavor to seek Your will above my own. Bring healing to those who are physically ill, the lonely, the disenfranchised, the poor, the frightened. And may I be willing to be the instrument of Your grace.



(152) My Father,

I acknowledge that You alone are Creator and Sustainer of my universe. You alone have the means to create meaningful life and You alone can destroy meaningful life. Yet I have difficulty applying those two simple truths to the world in which I live. When 800,000 bodies in Rwanda cease to breath, where are You? When a tornado kills hundreds, where are You? When children are murdered, where are You? Father, I acknowledge that Your ways are not my ways, that Your eternal view is different from my temporal view. Yet I yearn to see ... can good really come from evil? Father, I am frustrated ...I am angry ...I am scared. I sometimes wonder if You knew what You were doing when You gave me the freedom to determine my own destiny ...and the freedom to hurt others. International conflicts have become so complex that it seems that nothing short of direct divine intervention can resolve a solution. We are too selfish, too territorial, too anxious. We seem to have neither the wisdom, the character nor the courage to right the wrongs in our families, our society, our world. We seek deliverance, and I look to You for help. But, perhaps in my laziness, I look to You for that which I should accomplish myself. If it be so, then hear my plea for guidance ...for character ...for courage. May I do all that is within my power to identify the sources of the rage that is so rampant in my world, and promote changes that would alleviate that pain. May I de-glamorize violence in my world. May I work toward harmonious relationships with those who are different from me. May I work toward providing parents with needed training and resources to rear their children to be contributing members of society. And may I do all that is within my power to console the bereaved, heal the sick, empower the disenfranchised, and encourage the down-hearted. For it is my desire to honor the Savior in Whose Name I pray.



(153) My Father,

Most of the time when things are empty, they aren’t worth much. Empty boxes, empty spray cans, empty pocketbooks. Sometimes, though, things that are empty have potential worth. Like empty houses, empty churches, empty life. But once, something that was empty embodied ultimate worth. Today I reflect on Your offering to me of an empty grave and its consequences. Your gift of emptiness represents eternal life ...fulfillment ...wholeness. My empty life represents my identification with the temporal ...with disillusionment ...with brokenness. The empty grave is assurance to me that the way of the cross is worthwhile. And I need that assurance, for I tend to shy away from the pain of bearing my cross. But, Father, if I am to become like Your Son, am I not to bear my cross daily in order to be worthy of Your Son? Am I not to sacrifice my selfish desires daily in order to prioritize Your Kingdom? Am I not to lose my very life for the sake of Christ in order to eternally find salvation? Father, it is so easy for me to lose sight of what is really important and to focus on things of little import. Confront me today with a risen Christ Who not only loves me enough to forgive me and want me to be a part of His Kingdom, but also One Who holds me accountable and demands to be Lord of my life. Father, in the midst of the blessedness of life, I too often find myself in the company of the nine lepers who accepted healing without thankfulness. May I, rather, be like the one who sought the source of his blessing. And may I today seek the source of the blessing of an empty tomb ...a blessing that calls me to be thankful, to be forgiving, to be accountable.



(154) Father,

I enter this special holiday season with excitement ...excitement inherent in the exchange of gifts, special music, favorite movies, parties, visiting friends and relatives, eating good food. And it seems as if I am trying to outshine the Star of Bethlehem with my lighting extravaganzas. It’s beautiful but, sometimes, Father, I confess that I think that I might be a bit wasteful. Yet Judas made an accusation of wastefulness on one occasion, and Your Son rebuked Judas for not recognizing in whose Presence he dwelt. May all of my lights and music reflect that I am aware of Your Presence, and may the collective lights of Christendom reach into the darkest corners of this planet, that those who know You not may feel compelled to ask, ‘Why do you sing so joyfully? Why do you celebrate with such abandon?’ And, Father, then I will honor you by sharing my inward light with those who dwell in darkness. Yet part of me dreads the season, for my loved ones will not be with me and being alone at Christmastime produces an ache in my spirit. Help me to see Christmas as ultimately a season of hope. I can hope because of the advent of Your Son Jesus. I can hope for a time when sorrows will cease ...when joy will overflow ...when greed will be unheard of ...when the ones I love will remain with me. Forgive me when I lose sight of what this season is supposed to be about. Forgive me when I attach strings to giving. Forgive me when I expect too much of others and of myself ...and thereby allow anger to foment and fester. Forgive me when I choose to bow my knee to materialism rather that bowing to Your Incarnate Son. Indeed, may Your Christmas Spirit abide with me throughout this season, bringing glory to You and peace to Your children.



(155) O God Who remembers all,

I give thanks for the lives of the saints who have gone on before me. There are multitudes who have lived sacrificial lives throughout the ages and upon whose foundation I continue to build. May I learn from their mistakes and their success. And, perhaps nearer to my heart, there are within my life span beloved faces I no longer see, voices I no longer hear, and loving arms whose hugs I miss terribly. Comfort comes in knowing that You love these whom I remember far more than I. Peace comes through knowing that Your desire is to have mercy on all. Acceptance comes by the knowledge that they are in a better place; as will I be when I am one day reunited with them. Father, today I give You thanks for lives well lived ...for the inspiration they give me. Thank you for teaching me about Your Kingdom through their eyes. Thank You for speaking Your wisdom through their words. Thank You for supporting me through their arms. This day, their influence lives on in the civility I exhibit, in the wholesome traditions I share, in the shepherding way I view the world, in the way I relate to other people. But they were not perfect people, so let me remember that both they and I are in process ...that sin and imperfections still mar my life. Where others have abused my relationship in any way, help me to forgive them. And may I ask forgiveness where I have been the abuser. Grant me the grace and maturity of my Lord Jesus when He said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ Help me to remember them gently, as one day I myself will want gently to be remembered.




(156) My Lord and Savior,

How do You feel about Your birthday celebration becoming such a commercialized event as what I am experiencing? Feel like running the money-changers out of the temple? I do. After all, You are the reason for the season. So today I recommit myself to making this season a birthday present to You. And since I gift You through honoring others, I look to my relationships in order to determine my gifts. One gift I offer, Lord, is the gift of patience. Patience with rude drivers, patience with sales clerks, patience with noisy children, patience with friends and family who may seem unappreciative of my efforts. Lord, give me patience …that I may gift it to others. I offer the gift of inclusiveness. You have gifted me by including me in Your Kingdom. I have not earned that gift. Yet, my own little kingdoms are often exclusive. Lengthen my arms that I may include more people within the circle of my hugs. Sharpen my eyesight that I may notice those who are disenfranchised and lonely. Help me to open my pocketbooks to include the needs of children and others who have not been blessed with needful resources. And as I pray for Your blessings, may I learn more and more to include Your world, not just these United States. Lord, a third gift I offer today is the gift of gratitude. Even as I express my gratitude to You for Your incarnation and exemplary life, may I express gratitude for the friendships I enjoy, for those who work faithfully in Your Kingdom. Loosen my tongue that I may be an encouragement to these who serve You. And, Lord Jesus, this final gift I offer especially for You. I commit myself to look for You in the days to come. Perhaps I will hear You in the music, perhaps I will see You in nature, perhaps I will feel You in the hug of a special friend, perhaps I will hear You in the delighted laughter of a child. Open my eyes and ears to spiritual awareness. May You find my gifts acceptable and pleasing. Thank You for Your grace.


(157) Father,

You ask me to love others as much as I love myself ...but it is difficult to even love myself. You ask me to reach out in support of others when I myself am falling. You ask me to give others hope when I am close to despair. You ask me to forgive others even when they are unwilling to forgive me. Father, it is hard to do some of the things you ask. It is hard to help when I need help; hard to encourage when I am discouraged. Yet my Lord Jesus is my example. And He loved those who hated Him. He forgave those who crucified Him. He was poor in material possessions, yet He gave of all that He had and was. It is to faith in Him that I am called, not faith in myself. I am not asked to chart a new path, but to walk the path that He walked. He has been set before me as my guide towards eternal life. I celebrate His victory over the world and His Lordship over my life. So, Father, with this assurance I commit myself to love others as your Son has loved me, and to give them life and hope whatever the cost. It is my desire to represent you to the ill and the dying, to the lonely and the bereaved, to the hungry and the homeless, to those who are weary and depressed. Prove your love through mine, that those who do not know you may come to know you and love you. Forever.



(158) Lord Jesus, Lord of Creation.

It’s Christmastime ...and all should be well with the world ...but it isn’t. Prince of Peace, I live in a world that seems to know little about what makes for peace. Partisan politics seem to hold sway in my nation’s capital. And self-serving leaders hold sway around the world. Without doubt, all leaders hold office only within Your permissive will. Yet they seem to care little for what Your will might be. My nation appears to be threatened from both within and without. Lord, I pray for both national and world leaders ...that Your light illumine their paths, that they be given the courage to do righteousness, that they learn the true meaning of servanthood. Two thousand years ago, You taught and exemplified for me both grace and accountability ...justice and compassion. And it seems that You expected those who were forgiven to ‘go and sin no more’. On the other hand, You readily accepted and celebrated anyone who truly repented of their errors. You taught me a personal ethic of ‘turn the other cheek’ and a societal ethic of ‘an eye for an eye’. Give me discernment to view my world through Your eyes and heart, that my judgment and decisions be in accord with Your will. Lord, grant that I who deign to call myself Christian may not be guilty of allowing the cares of the world to choke my spiritual growth. I as an American citizen have been blessed with opportunities to participate in my government through many avenues. But, Lord, if I don’t truly seek Your will and pray for wisdom, my efforts may all be in vain. No one knows better than You whether or not our national interests are in line with Your will. No one knows better than You whether or not our way of life is being threatened from without or from within. I grow weary of the arguing ...the endless debates. Lord, grant me peace this Christmas. Prince of Peace, mold me into a vessel that will hold Your blessing. For I yearn to be blessed with peace ...I need to be blessed with Your peace.




(159) O Divine Savior,

How pleasant it is to reflect on Your goodness and mercy! Sometimes I envy the apostles and others who dwelt in such close proximity to You. How I would like to sit down and talk with You face to face! Perhaps You would explain to me why nations feel like they need to ‘posture’ with each other, daring one another to ‘knock a chip off of the shoulder’? Could You tell me how You could handle ultimate power and retain a sense of servanthood, and yet politicians seem to have such a difficult time being good stewards of the power that I allow them? Could You share with me why I profess to believe that my physical body is just a ‘tent’ ...a temporary dwelling place, and yet I am anxious for my life as if this life is all there is? If I were talking with You face to face, would You ask me how I am faring with my responsibility to share my light with those who walk in darkness? Lord, upon reflection, I guess that there are questions that I would like to ask You, but I would rather not answer any of Your questions. For I fall short of the standard that You ask of me. Forgive me. Grace me with courage and wisdom. Grant that the priorities of the Kingdom may become my priorities. Grant me wholeness physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually ...that I may ably carry Your standard in these troubling times. Give me a vision of how I may best serve Your cause. For someday I will indeed stand before You and give an account of my life. May I not be ashamed of my answers.



(160) My Lord and My Savior,

I sometimes wonder how You feel about Your birthday celebration becoming such a commercialized event. For Christians, You are the reason for the season. So today I recommit myself to making this season a birthday present to You. One gift I offer, Lord, is the gift of patience. Patience with rude drivers, patience with sales clerks, patience with noisy children, patience with friends and family who may seem unappreciative of my efforts. Lord, You are patient with me …may I gift it to others. I offer the gift of inclusiveness. You have gifted me by including me in Your Kingdom. I have not earned that gift. Yet, my own little kingdoms are often exclusive. Lengthen my arms that I may include more people within the circle of my hugs. Sharpen my eyesight that I may notice those who are disenfranchised and lonely. Help me to open my pocketbook to include the needs of others who have not been blessed with adequate resources. Lord, a third gift I offer today is the gift of gratitude. Even as I express my gratitude to You for Your incarnation and exemplary life, may I express gratitude for the friendships I enjoy, for those who work faithfully to proclaim Your Word in voice and deed. Loosen my tongue that I may be an encouragement to my fellow pilgrims. And, Lord Jesus, a final gift especially for You. I would commit myself to daily seek Your Face in the coming weeks. I will hear You in the music, see You in nature, feel You in the hug of a special friend, hear You in the delighted laughter of a child. Open my eyes that I may truly be spiritually aware. Bless me with spiritual health, with mental health, with social health, with physical health. May You find my gifts acceptable and pleasing. Thank You for Your grace.




(161) Lord Jesus,

Truly I need You, so I am calling on Your Name. There’s a sickness in Your world today. There is even a sickness in Your Church ...and I believe that You are saddened by it. Sad about the sickness of soul that pervades society... and is making inroads into Your Church. It’s the kind of sickness that encouraged a lynch mob to yell ’crucify Him’ ... the kind of sickness that says ‘guilty until proven innocent’... the kind of sickness that delights when people in high places fall. The kind of sickness that fosters incivility and mistrust even of a fellow believer. Lord, we have trouble following Your example. You want us to be a family of believers under Your leadership. You want us to work together toward a common goal of enhancing Your Kingdom here on earth. You want us to take delight in forgiving people who truly repent when they are confronted with their sin. Lord Jesus, help me to be like You. Help me to have an attitude of love that encourages people to come to me for forgiveness, knowing that I will stretch forth my hand to them and lift them from their despair. Lord, I confess that I have not the right to throw the first stone. For I sometimes slander reputations with impunity ...I sometimes resist the good in favor of the comfortable ...I sometimes allow cynicism to overshadow my compassion ...I sometimes give the impression that I alone have ears to hear Your Voice. Forgive me my sin ...in the same measure as I am willing to forgive the sins of others. And, Lord, even as sickness invades my life, I look to You for my healing. Heal my world, my nation, my church, my family. Heal my body, that I may be an instrument of Your peace. May I replace hatred with love. May I replace vengeance with compassion. May I replace darkness with light, and replace despair with hope. For, surely, it is in giving that I receive. It is in forgiving others that I feel forgiven. And it is in dying to my own selfishness that I receive my eternal salvation.



(162) O God of Memories,

Especially at Christmastime, my mind and heart are flooded with memories of seasons past. As a child, I remember the wonderful serendipity of gifts. And, Father, You bless the child-part of who I am when You bring wonderful people and events into my life. At this season, the parent in me tends to remember the excitement of preparation ...preparation for parties and holiday traffic and Christmas morning. Father, help the parent in me to see preparation as an opportunity for fellowship, not a test of perfection. And, Father, the grand-parent in me tends to remember the laughter and smiles of those whom I love ...the hugs and the sharing. You were there at those gladsome times ...and You are with me now. But some of my friends and family will be with me this season as memories only. And my heart is saddened as I yearn for yesteryear. Strengthen my hope and faith ...that my memories may undergird my pilgrimage and lighten my step. Give me faith to live in the present looking toward a future where relationships will thrive in the light of Your love. But even as I encourage others to daily walk confidently, may I be sensitive to the unbidden grief that memories call forth at Christmastime. And, Father, I am thankful for the gift of Your Son ...a gift with eternal significance. Yet Jesus did weep at a graveside. And He did grieve over lost relationships. And so I ask You to understand if I intersperse this season of celebration with moments of sorrow lost in reflection.



(163) Holy and Eternal Father,

I acknowledge Your omniscience and Your good-will towards Your children. You know the paths of righteousness. This day guide and direct my journey. I sometimes have difficulty discerning the best from the good. Without Your guidance, I sometimes even do that which is evil. Guide me and convict me. Forgive me my failings and teach me to be more forgiving of others. Fill me with wisdom and invigorate me for Your service. Father, sometimes I feel alone ...even when surrounded by those who love me. Inspire me with a knowledge of Your presence ...convict me through Your sacred writings ...comfort me with a consciousness of angelic help. Guide me ever upwards in paths of light, that I may be justified on the day of my reckoning. With hope I look forward to that time when You will receive me into Your eternal service. And, Father, even though I am incapable of knowing You fully, I ask that You reveal as much of Your Character to me as I am able to bear. Help me to recognize Your Face ...that I may not pass You by as I hurry about my tasks. Guide me from unthinkingly straying into paths of darkness and evil. And even as I am quick to voice my concerns to You, may I be quick to listen for Your advice. Even as I seek to become One in spirit and purpose, I seek Your power and grace in the lives of those who are ill or infirm, those who are struggling with family responsibility, those who are burdened beyond their capacities. I ask for the grace to bear my own burdens with dignity. And when I stumble, enlighten me as to how I may best find support. For I understand it is a privilege and duty to affirm and support fellow believers in accord with Your Word. And may Your Name ever be glorified through my efforts.



(164) My Father,

At this time of special remembrance, I offer my gratitude for Your providential care. You sent a Savior. If my greatest need had been information or technology or money or pleasure, You would have sent me educators or scientists or economists or entertainers. But the greatest need was forgiveness and guidance, so You sent a Savior. And what a Savior! Father, it seemed good in Your sight to have Your Son to live a life similar to the one in which I find myself. Truly, not many can claim to have been born in more humble dwellings. Not many can claim that I have experienced more pain or more loneliness than did Your Son. And yet He demonstrated a majesty and serenity that awed His followers and confounded His enemies. Father, what a Savior You sent! You gave a healer, a teacher, a preacher, a prophet, a brother, and a friend ...all rolled into one. I express my thanks to You through music and through words. But ultimately my thanks must be expressed through deeds ...through loving my neighbor ...even my enemies ...as You have loved me. And, Father, even as Mary and Joseph were used of You to provide a safe haven whereby Jesus could grow physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually; even so may I offer my services to provide a haven where the good news is preached, where the lonely are befriended, where children and youth are spiritually nurtured, where praise and adoration are uppermost in minds and hearts. And, Father, I intercede for those who find this season to be sad because of their loneliness or grief. Give them hope and comfort. I intercede for those who have physical needs, that they may find wholeness and health in Your service. May my joy in celebrating the coming of my Savior be so infectious that evil will be overcome by good and hatred overcome by love. And that is my gift to You today ...the joy of celebrating Your Son.




(165) My Gracious and Loving Savior,

I join with angels in acclaiming Your worth. Look into my heart today and find those qualities that are needful to enhance my prayers. May You find me to be unselfish in my petitions ...believing in Your goodness ...sincere in my desire to emulate You ...submissive to Your will. May I be active in showing mercy that I may receive mercy. May You find me at Your doorstep not only in times of trouble, but also in times of gratitude and blessing. Cleanse my heart, Lord, that Your Spirit may find holy dwelling. May You be my honored guest to every conversation and thought this week. Be a gentle reminder to me that no act is hidden from Your eyes ...and no words are muted from Your ears. Enlarge my spiritual capacity that I may receive more of Your indwelling Presence. Loving Savior, dispel fear from my life, but reserve a sense of awe for the things of the Kingdom. Protect me from using violence or giving place to anger ...that my energies may be used toward accomplishing Your will. In my work and in my relationships, give me fertile ground for seeds of righteousness to grow. I ask not for preferential treatment over my neighbor. Irregardless of race, nationality, or religion. Rather, I ask that whatever my lot may be, grant me peace of mind, serenity, courage, self-discipline, and the joy of my salvation. Remove unmindful suffering in my life, but help me to learn the lessons that suffering would teach. Grant me patience in discerning Your will and a willingness to live within the given boundaries of my existence. If within Your will, heal my physical infirmities. Lord, thank You for Your availability, Your love, Your guidance. Guide me this hour as I seek to define who I am and how You would have me to serve.



(166) Lord of Life,

On this Christmas eve, I wish for You a ‘Happy Birthday’. I pause before You in honor of who You are ...what You have done, and what You are doing. I still have much to do before I sleep, yet I know that nothing I do is more important than worshiping You. I exchange gifts and pleasantries with others, sometimes wondering if who I am will be found acceptable in the recipient’s sight. But I don’t have to wonder whether or not You will accept me. You welcome me to talk with You ...to share my life with You. And with no strings attached. You came to me as a babe because You loved me unconditionally. You lived a life of suffering servanthood because You loved me unconditionally. You died an unjust, painful, lonely death because You loved me unconditionally. And You patiently wait for me to finish my Martha activities so that I can allow the Mary part of who I am to sit at Your feet and fellowship. Because You love me unconditionally. Teach me to be patient with others, as You are patient with me. Teach me to understand that each gift and card I receive is an invitation to community ...to family ...to sharing my life with others ...to love. For You have taught me that the most important gift I can give You is to love others as You love me. Lord, my desire is that I honor You by extending love toward others.



(167) My Lord Jesus,

As I recuperate from a hectic Christmas week of preparation, I pause to Thank You for my blessings, and to express my hope that You feel truly worshiped and appreciated. Of a truth, sometimes I have difficulty feeling blessed. And so I don’t truly feel thankful. I only say so because it is expected of me. I have a tendency to magnify the trials of life and resent the obstacles that impede my progress. I have a tough time realizing that those trials and obstacles are opportunities for me to grow in character toward becoming like You. Help me to examine Your life more fully, that I may see that You encountered trials and obstacles at every bend. Help me to turn to You for understanding and patience and perseverance in this life. Lord, this week has been difficult for me in many ways. At times, I seek solitude from juggling many relationships. At other times, I am lonely and long for the relationships of my past. I strive hard to please those whom I love and feel like I may have fallen short. I feel unloved and unwanted. Yet, amidst all of the ups and downs of my relationships with others, I pause to offer thanks for Your birth. Truly this life would be much more frightening to me outside of a relationship with You. Yes, even though I have experienced Your love and grace, I still become frightened at times. Sometimes I grow frightened for the sake of those whom I love. I feel impotent to protect them from pain and uncertainty, and I am frustrated. Sometimes I grow frightened because I feel weak, insecure, or lonely. Perhaps You don’t truly understand those feelings, yet You love me anyway. And You offer a relationship that abolishes fear and provides comfort, even though I may ‘walk through the valley of the shadow of death’. Lord, when I am afraid ...when I need comforting, draw me into Your embrace that I may know the joy of my salvation and enlighten the paths of those who still walk in darkness.



(168) Eternal Father,

Kindle a flame in me that will comfort and guide me through the coming week, predisposing me to treat others with kindness, speak the truth in love, fulfil my duties with graciousness, and relish opportunities to give from my abundance. In this holiday season of overkill activity, may I focus my heart and mind on improving my relationships with You and with others. Father, thank You for the good memories of past Christmases ...of laughter and friendships and love. Thank You for the opportunities of this Christmas to laugh with friends and demonstrate my affection. Thank You for my future hopes. Forgive me when I lose sight of the eternal while overly concerned with that which is temporal. Forgive me when I allow fear to dictate my actions. Father, I am especially mindful of children at this season. I delight in their simple faith, their pure love, their unbridled honesty, their ready smiles. May I become more and more like a child in ways that please You. Father, help me with my priorities. What do I gain, if I gain the whole world and lose my own soul? Would I exchange my soul for youth? For prestige? For power? For money? For security? For physical intimacy? For physical health? I bombarded daily in the media with just such enticements. Father, You have told me to be in the world, but not of the world. In Your wisdom, You have cautioned me against vanity. Teach me the true meaning of humility. May I learn to empty myself of self-importance even as my Savior emptied Himself for my sake. Lead me this week to those relationships and activities that are needful in my life in order for me to grow in grace and truth. Father, show me Your Face this week in nature ...in the kindness of friends ...in the beauty of Your scriptures ...in the peaceful solitude of prayer. For I love You and seek to know more of You. And Father, in accordance with Your will, bring light to those who dwell in darkness, healing to those who are unhealthy, and encouragement to the fallen.


(169) Lord Jesus,

As I worship today, accept my attempts to honor You even as You accepted the widow’s mite ...looking to my heart to learn of my love for You. And may You find my heart full of thankfulness for who You are. Lord, my world is still beset by wars and rumors of wars. But I recall that You have the power to say ‘Peace. Be still.’ And, someday, it will be so. Until then, enable me as Your emissary to do and say the things that make for peace ...within my family, within my church, within my world. May I have the serenity to face my cross as You faced Yours. May I have the willingness to bear my cross as You bore Yours. And may I have the grace to look to the needs of others as I face death, even as You did. Lord, I ask for Your help as I confront the ways of the world. Hold my hands and calm me when I allow fear to rob me of my self-control. And walk with me awhile when darkness surrounds me. For I know that You care for me and will aid me when I stumble. Lord, my nation is involved in a peace-keeping mission that affects millions of life and has world-wide consequences. Yet there can never be peace where hatred and revenge dominate the mind. I earnestly pray for Your will to prevail, and that all mankind may learn what You meant when You said to love your enemies. Confront all world leaders with the reality of Who You Are, that they may know without doubt that we are all ultimately accountable to You, our Higher Power.



(170) My Father,

I cannot comprehend your complexity. Your ways are far above my ways. As are the stars in the sky, so are the intricacies of Your will. Your Son Jesus told me that doing Your will was more important to Him than eating food. And I seek to do Your will, but what seems right to me is often challenged ...and I struggle. How am I to know the best child-rearing techniques ...the best vocation ... the right mate... the worthwhile investment... the worthy use of my leisure time ...the best medical care ...how to prepare for my last days? You’ve given me the Bible, but scholars differ as to meanings and applications. You’ve given me the church ...yet churches disagree as to Your will and direction. You’ve given me the Holy Spirit, a true and available guide. Yet I confess that sometimes my ears are not attuned to hear that still, small voice amidst the clamor of the world. Father, I struggle to know the right way ...the right decisions. Perhaps that is what it means to walk by faith ...to not know. And so I strive to do what is right and I pray that my desire to please You will, in fact, please You and be sufficient. Father, thank you for understanding and providing for my needs. For You do offer rest to me whenever I by faith enter Your Presence and spend time with You. My time with You enables me to forget earthly fears and experience needed spiritual tranquility. Thank you for Your availability. And, Father, I give thanks that there is a remnant in Your church who refuse to bow to other gods. There is a remnant who seek Your Face ...who strive to honor You. Work with that remnant to build Your Kingdom ...to change the face of this world that light, life, and love may become our guiding principles. Examine my heart today and find in me a desire to be a part of Your remnant. Find in me an attitude that is pleasing to You. Bless me with health ...health for my body, my mind, my spirit. Bless me with health for the sake of Your Kingdom. For I love You and desire to honor You.