…I kneel before the Father from whom every family on heaven and on earth is named. I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all of the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us – to Him be glory in the church, and in Christ Jesus through all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21
Praise
Lord, this prayer must have been a sweet aroma filling the heavens. I imagine Your sons and angels, dancing and singing around this prayer, adorning it with strands of light, arraying it with stardust wings to float and soar through the heavens, showering You with adoration in every heavenly language. That’s what I imagine. I imagine Michael, the archangel, clad in armor with a flaming sword raised high, shouting Your praises which are echoed by Your vast armies who delight in battling the forces of evil in Your name. That’s what I imagine. All of heaven thunders Your praise so that the very foundations of heaven are shaken. And then… silence. Every creature is prostrate, lifting silent words of exultation before You, but they cannot be silenced long. Hymns of praise rise in perfect harmony, their lyrics so beautiful that the heavenly hosts cry with joy. That’s what I imagine. But what thrills my anemic imagination the most is that I know that it will never adequately capture the glory of heaven, the glory of You. I will just have to wait and experience it for myself some day.
Prayer for me
Lord, I think about You a lot. I dwell and meditate on Your word which feeds my comprehension and my imagination. But as long as I am confined in my skin, I will never know the full dimensions of Your love. But lately, I have grown restless with my limited knowledge. So, my prayer for me is this: loosen the cables that restrict my mind and my heart so that my spirit may be strengthened, and I may better comprehend Your fullness.
Thank You
Thank You, God, for my imagination. I have always known it is a gift from You. The ability to create scenes in my mind about You, about Your creation, about heaven brings me immense joy. It’s both mind-bending and fun to think beyond what I see every day. The other day I imagined a cloud filled with rain, a rain that heals anyone it touches. Those standing under that cloud do not use an umbrella. They just tip their faces to the cloud and waited for the rain to fall. Healing rain makes me smile. Thank You.
More praise
Lord, You are able to do above and beyond all that I ask or imagine, and I can imagine quite a bit! You are the giver of abundant life – life founded on love, filled with peace, overflowing with joy. What a blessing to have You within me. What a humbling, staggering blessing.
Some people were bringing little children to Jesus so He might touch them, but His disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me. Don’t stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you: Whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” After taking them in His arms, He laid His hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16
My words…
Praise
Jesus, I wonder…do you look upon this scene as one of Your favorites while You labored as a man on earth? Such a precious scene. Mothers intent on bringing their children close to You, close enough for You to touch them and speak a heavenly blessing on them. But, of course, You went beyond what they expected. You gathered each child in Your loving arms. You knew each one so well: the poor, waif of a girl who couldn’t take her eyes off You, the squirmy boy who couldn’t sit still and made You laugh. You knew how each would grow and what each would become. You felt at home with them because their tender hearts, their pliable wills, their spotless faith is what makes up Your kingdom. They allowed themselves to be wrapped in Your blessing with no whisper of rebellion or hint of pride. And when each one had been perfectly blessed, You turned back toward the world and stepped away from the comfort of their presence. You returned to Your task toward death so every one of Your children, even me, could be gathered into Your loving arms someday.
Prayer for children
I bring the children of the world at the foot of Your throne. I seek a blessing for each one. You know them by name. You know their deepest struggle and their highest joy. Some of them know You personally and seek You daily. Others are intent on keeping You at arm’s length. And others have never heard Your name spoken in their language. Protect them as they grow and stumble. Comfort them when they weep. Open Your arms wide, gather them into Your embrace, and bless them.
Say among the nations: “The Lord reigns. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken. He judges the peoples fairly.” Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound. Let the fields and everything in them exult. Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy before the Lord, for He is coming – for He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with His faithfulness. Psalm 96:10-13
A Prayer of Praise
How blessed is the day You suspended the earth in space. You threw open Your arms and filled the world with symbols of Your beauty and imagination. The oceans – dense and powerful, dangerous yet beautiful – crash against the shore, cymbals of praise. The fish that swim in graceful motion cry in anthems to their maker, “The Lord, He is coming!” Then the swaying grasses and hymns of birds join the anthem, singing, “The Great Judge is coming! The leaves of the oak rustle praise toward the heavens. “He is coming!” they shout. The elm and the cedar join in exultation. Even the seedlings know their creator and worship You. All nature proclaims Your majesty! You are the Judge of the world – the only righteous Judge.
Prayer for me
I sift through the words I know, the meager, deficient list. I find none worthy enough to send to You in praise. How can my limited mind adequately praise what is limitless? How can my bound thoughts comprehend what is boundless? I cannot praise you like the mighty seas or the regal oak. But I can do this: I lift my heart and mind to You and profess, “The Lord who reigns is coming!” And I know Your Spirit, the One who knows the thoughts and intents of my heart, will take my barren words and empower them. He will weave them through the crash of the waves, the cry of the fish, the hymns of the birds, and the shouts of the trees. Then my praise will be worthy enough to touch the hem of Your robe. And that is enough for me.
But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you pray, don’t babble like the idolaters, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. Don’t be like them because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him. Matthew 6:6-8
My words…
Praise
Father, You consider the orbit of the earth while surveying the orbit of an electron. There is no place where You are not. I could speak to You from the top of Everest or from the depths of the Pacific, and You will hear me. Jesus implores me to find You in a private place, a place where I can shut myself in with You. And so we meet in a place that is secret; no one may enter except the two of us. What happens in that secret place, the pleading, laughing, crying, questioning, cannot happen while waiting in line at the grocery, standing in the subway, or sitting in a restaurant. A voice of gentle silence – a sound of gentle stillness – that is what I find in secret. It doesn’t matter that millions of Your children are crying out to You at the exact time we meet. You are omnipotent. You hear each word of every appeal. I have Your full attention and so does everyone else – just part of Your boundless, fortifying, tender nature.
Prayer for me
Lord, I have never heard Your voice in my ears. I have not experienced a “burning bush” encounter with You. But I hear many of Your followers say they have heard Your voice. Then I wonder, Am I doing something wrong? I read Your word and meditate on it, and Your voice of gentle silence directs my thoughts. That is how You speak to me. I know it’s You because these reflections are outside of my intuition; I could not have derived them on my own. The moments of purest joy are those when Your Spirit is guiding my spirit. I only have to wait and listen.
Forgive me
When we are shut in together, forgive me when I do not act as if I am in the presence of the One who cradles the earth in His hands. Forgive me for giving in to the temptation to look at the clock or check my messages. How foolish of Your daughter to squander our precious minutes together.
Prayer for others
Father, there are so many friends and loved ones in my life who suffer from melancholy. Their spirits are shrouded in darkness, their thoughts cloaked in hopelessness. I am at a loss as to how to encourage them. Wave Your gentle hand over their souls and minds and waft away the gloom. Shine Your light into their dark world. You are Hope. Show Yourself to them.
Thank You
Thank You for hearing my praise, my intercessions, my confessions, and my petitions. I know You hear each word. You are hearing me now, and I am so grateful.
More praise
Pondering Your omniscience brings me such joy! You know what I need before I figure it out myself. You know what I need when I have no idea myself. All glory and praise to the provider of all my needs!
For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up success for the upright; He is a shield for those who live with integrity so that He may guard the paths of justice and protect the way of His loyal followers. Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and integrity – every good path. For wisdom will enter your mind, and knowledge will delight your heart. Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you, rescuing you from the way of evil – from the one who says perverse things, from those who abandon the right paths to walk in ways of darkness, from those who enjoy doing evil and celebrate perversion, whose paths are crooked, and whose ways are devious. So follow the way of good people, and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will inhabit the land, and those of integrity will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous uprooted from it. Proverbs 2:6-15, 21-22
Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my adversaries; make Your way straight before me. Psalm 5:8
My words…
Praise
Lord, Your way of thinking is the most excellent way to think. Your paths of righteousness are the most delightful paths to follow. You forged these paths along a straight line, so Your children would see You on the path – leading, following, or walking alongside. Your glory lights the way. Your path does not bend or twist, obscuring what lies ahead. You protect me as I sojourn, so I have no need to fear. You are my Shield, my Rear Guard. It is only on this path that I grow in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. It’s Your path. It’s my path. It’s the very best place to be.
Prayer for me
We have walked the path together, You and I, for many years. Sometimes the path grows rocky, and I stumble. “Why can’t this path be perfectly smooth and easy, lined with flower petals and songbirds?” I ask. Even in spite of my griping, You make known to me Your wisdom as we walk together. I have learned so much from You. I have so much more to learn. Be patient with me, and don’t let go of my hand.
Forgive me
Forgive me when I neglect to invite others to join me on the path of righteousness. It was made for all of Your children, yet so few have found it. Forgive me for wrapping myself up in my own journey without thinking of those desperately seeking Your path.
Prayer for others
I pray for those who have abandoned the well-lit straight paths and have wandered onto crooked, darkened paths. These children of Yours were once faithful – they can quote scripture and have memorized spiritual songs. But the path grew too restrictive, too confined. Now they wander around in a maze that leads nowhere. They are deceived in thinking they are free. Some are those I love. Snatch them, Lord! Lead them back to the well-lit path.
Thank You
Thank You for the “good people” who walk the path with me. Each has a different faith-story, but we’re all on the path together. What a blessing! What a gift!
More praise
My spirit’s eyes see Your path as one through a forest, shaded with trees. The straight, leafy path leads to a perfect cottage, flowering vines framing the door. It’s my cottage. You built it for me. It stands in the distance, always in the distance. I know I will walk through the flower-draped door one day, and I will be home. Then I will have no need to look back at the path, for You and I will dwell together in the cottage You built for me. Yet the one thing that makes me so joyful, is that what You have in store for me is so infinitely better than the cottage I imagine. For now, I will keep to the path. It’s the very best place to be.
When a man presents a fellowship sacrifice to the Lord to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or flock, it has to be unblemished to be acceptable; there must be no defect in it. Leviticus 22:21
For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was chosen before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the times for you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:18-21
My words…
Praise
Before the beginning, before You said, “Let there be light,” therewas the Lamb. Of all the examples from creation, You chose to liken Your Son to a young, pure, meek animal that heeds the voice of His master. Who isn’t drawn to a lamb? This Lamb was set apart for a righteous, unfair purpose – He would be slaughtered to pay a debt. Not His debt. My debt. I am grossly blemished therefore unable to be used as a sacrifice, for how can filth stand in the presence of the Holy Father, Creator of all? The Lamb was reviled, ignored, ridiculed, yet He remained unblemished. He was frustrated, incensed, angered, yet he remained pure. He was tempted, tempted, tempted, yet He remained undefiled. He was tortured and crucified, yet He remained perfect. He was without blemish. He is without blemish still because that is the only way to get to You. The Lamb was Your plan all along. All praise, glory and honor to the Lamb of God!
Prayer for me
I pray that Your Spirit lead me to a deeper understanding of You, Your ways, and Your love. I know it’s like asking You to drain the vastness of space into a sugar spoon. Perhaps just one grain? That would be enough for the rest of my life.
Forgive me
Father, You know me better than I know myself. You know why I question. You know when I doubt. You see my pride problem. So I ask You to forgive me wholly. Today, tomorrow and forever.
Prayer for others
I pray again for those who continue to revile the Lamb. They refuse to believe that He is Your Son, that He is the only Redeemer, that He is unblemished. I pray that Your kingdom will grow. I long to see the revilers redeemed and the unbelievers saved. You are the Redeemer and the Savior!
Thank You
It is because of You and Your unblemished Son that I see the world through love lenses. Every beautiful scene my eyes and ears behold is a gift from You because You love me. Laughter, blue birds, sunshine, honeysuckle, and milk chocolate (to name a few) are gifts from You. I open a gift from You each day. Thank You!
More praise
The unbending will of man attempted to mar the Lamb by beating, spitting, whipping, cutting, piercing, and slicing. But through it all, He remained unblemished. And all for me. It’s wonderful and convicting. It’s marvelous and undeserving. It’s beautiful and bloody. It’s You and no one else. No one else could love like that.
Your words… Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a jubilant cry. For Yahweh, the Most High, is awe-inspiring, a great King over all the earth. He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet. He chooses for us our inheritance – the pride of Jacob, whom He loves. God ascends among shouts of joy, the Lord, among the sound of trumpets. Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our King, sing praise! Sing a song of wisdom, for God is King of all the earth. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. Psalm 47
My words…
Praise
All praise to Yahweh, King over every nation! Your throne is the universe. You wear a crown of wisdom and hold a scepter of love. Justice and truth stream from the folds of Your robe. The rulers of this world, the presidents, prime ministers, dictators and senators, do not hold the true power. Only the Most High who reigns from His holy throne. You exalt the humble, the servant who trusts in You. And You bring down the haughty, the one who rules according to his own desires. In the past, You ruled the ancient powers, the Hebrews, Edomites, Canaanites, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. No kingdom or dynasty existed away from Your watchful eye. Your reign is never-ending. You hold each nation in the palm of your hands, nations of every continent. I praise You as the true and only ruler of my nation.
Prayer for me
Lord, help me submit my will to You as my King. I am a citizen of a very independent nation, one that threw off the yoke of monarchy centuries ago. We refused to be the subjects of a king. We pride ourselves on our accomplishments, our technology, our resiliency, and especially our independence. Remind me, through Your Spirit, that my allegiance is to You, my King.
Forgive me
Forgive me when I lose sight of who holds the power over nations. Elections are held and governmental positions are filled, but the true ruler does not dwell in white houses or legislative halls or court buildings. Forgive me when I put my hope in worldly leaders and not in You.
Prayer for others
Father, I pray for the leaders of the world. Many neglect to seek Your guidance before they determine borders, build walls, pronounce judgment, create laws, or sign treaties. Others refuse to believe You exist, assuming they hold the power. But there are those who proclaim You as their King. Strengthen them Lord! Anoint them with wisdom from You so that their words and actions will be righteousness-driven.
Thank You
How blessed I am to be a child of the King! My inheritance is greater than all of the world’s wealth. I am invited to Your court continually to be in Your presence. And there is no other place that I would rather be.
More praise
I long to join the heavenly hosts in praising You, shouting for joy to the sound of trumpets. There is no sound more perfect on earth or in heaven than Your children lifting their voices in praise to You. My language and intellect fail me when I grasp for words worthy of Your majesty. My talents fall short as a gift worthy of Your love. You are a perfect King. Accept my imperfect praise.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise – dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9
My words…
Praise
I praise You as the creator of the human brain – what a mystery! What a gift! Through Your boundless creativity, Father, You endowed me the opportunity to learn, to create, to discern, to judge…to think. And because You know the power of the mind, You provided a “think list” proven to clean, order, refresh, and inspire my mind. I consider what is true – Your words, miracles, gravity, heaven; what is commendable – a fifty-year marriage, a martyr, a ceasefire, funerals, anthems; what is just – Your judgment, Your vengeance, freedom; what is pure – fresh snow in a field, an infant’s breath, angels, baptism; what is lovely – forgiveness, a bride, a child’s faith; what is of good report – faith testimonies, prophesies, healings and cures, answered prayer, encouragement. Satan hasn’t the power to capture my thoughts when they are trained on these things. For this is Your remedy against Satan’s schemes to depress, distract, and discourage. You have filled this earth with so many wonderful things on which to dwell, Your love for Your children being the greatest of all.
Prayer for me
Thoughts of what has been, what is before me, and what is yet to crowd my mind, never lined up neatly, but pushing and shoving each other around in demolition derby style. And then my thoughts become captive by someone other than You, and I park my mind in the wrong spot and get stuck in the mud. The more I try to leave, the more I spin my wheels until I am in a self-made rut. Round and round my thoughts spin: the depravity of man, abuse and exploitation, the lost state of the world, the fortunes gained by wickedness, the power of the despot and dictator, the inequity among humankind. Round and round. During these dark times, Lord, remind me to slip into neutral and surrender my thoughts to what builds, not destroys.
Forgive me
Forgive me when I willingly choose to dwell on what is destructive, immoral, trite. Your Spirit teaches me how to think, and there are times when I am a very bad student.
Prayer for others
Lord, today I pray for those who have no control over their thoughts. My friend suffers greatly from post traumatic stress disorder, and she feels powerless to keep painful memories from bursting into the front of her mind and taking charge of her thoughts. I cry out to you to heal her and bring her peace.
Thank You
Lord, I thank You for my mind and all of the memories, ideas, epiphanies, questions, answers, reasons, and reflections it is able to create. My mind is a symbol of You: I know so little of what it can accomplish, and I am in awe of its mystery and power.
More praise
I praise You for being all that is true, commendable, just, pure, lovely and of good report. When I “dwell on these things,” I step into Your presence, and my spirit is restored. I give you all the praise and glory!
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down at once to the potter’s house; there I will reveal My words to you.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, working away at the wheel. But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do. The word of the Lord came to me: “House of Israel, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay?” – this is the Lord’s declaration. “Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, house of Israel. Jeremiah 18:1-6
You have turned things around, as if the potter were the same as the clay. How can what is made say about its maker, “He didn’t make me”? How can what is formed say about the one who formed it, “He doesn’t understand what he’s doing”? Isaiah 29:16
My words…
Praise
I worship You, Lord, as the Master Potter, skillfully touching and molding Your creation. You see the lump of clay on the wheel not as a lump, but as a useful vessel waiting to be formed by the hands of its Creator. Your loving fingers shape the clay into something You can use. You don’t make ornamental statues that sit on a shelf and collect dust. Your pottery collection is made up of bowls, plates, pitchers, urns – pieces used in the service of others. And if the clay contains a defect and does not bend and mold in Your hands, You do not scrape it off the wheel and throw it away. No! You work the clay again because You see the clay as valuable and worth Your effort. Just as the earth spins, so does the Potter’s wheel. The molding and shaping never ceases.
Forgive me
I am the clay. I was made to remain on the wheel and submit to Your hands. Forgive me when I become rigid, unbending to Your will, fighting to be something You do not intend for me. If I am to be a cup, who am I to say that I would rather be a vase?
Prayer for me
Sometimes I feel chipped, cracked. Some days I would like to be set on a shelf and not used. Strengthen my spirit to remember that a chipped, cracked cup in Your service is worth more than a gold, jeweled vase encased in glass.
Prayer for others
I pray today for those who have turned things around and believe they are their own potter. They know of You but refuse to claim You as their maker. They say, “He didn’t make me. He doesn’t know what He’s doing.” You see each of them as a vessel yet to be formed. They remain rigid on the wheel, yet you keep the wheel spinning.
Thank You
Thank You for never giving up on us, Your children. You are not a frustrated potter, throwing clay from the wheel. You are the loving Potter who remains at work, imprinting Your will on our lives.
More praise
Only You, Lord, can mold me into what I was born to be – a vessel made according to Your will. When You use me as Your vessel, I am living the most abundant life possible because that is what You promised me. You fill me – Your vessel – with Your love, with Your Spirit, and I am glorified! And that is abundant life. Oh that every lump of clay would yield to Your loving fingers!
Lord, I seek refuge in You; let me never be disgraced. Save me by Your righteousness. Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly. Be a rock of refuge for me, a mountain fortress to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; You lead and guide me because of Your name. You will free me from the net that is secretly set for me, for You are my refuge. Into Your hand I entrust my spirit; You redeem me, Lord, God of truth. Psalm 31:1-5
My words…
Praise
How precious is Your relationship with David, the shepherd-poet-king. I have learned so much about You through his Spirit-guided words. He knew what it meant to be a refugee – homeless, running for his life, hiding in caves. He knew where to find perfect refuge, and he held the key: He entrusted his spirit to You, and You welcomed him into Your mountain fortress of protection and comfort. The same refuge is open to me, and I, like David, hold the key. When I surrender my spirit to You, I enter into Your protective custody. Satan’s trebuchet, hurling boulders of discouragement, distraction, entitlement, and doubt, is impotent and useless against Your might. The boulders bounce off the walls of Your fortress without dislodging a stone.
Prayer for me
I am not pursued by the same kind of enemy as David. I have never been driven from my home, wrongly accused, or maligned. But I am targeted by the Devil’s arrows. He blurs the lines between what is right and what is wrong. He uses subtlety to poison Your message by awarding credence to godless thinkers. And I fall for it. Strengthen my spirit to recognize and avoid this trap.
Forgive me
Forgive me for the times I refuse to use my key to enter into Your protection. Trusting You completely, surrendering my will to Yours requires strength that sometimes eludes me. I am tempted to believe that I can live outside of Your will and expect Your protection anyway. Pardon my insolence.
Prayer for others
Father, I pray for the countless refugees of this world. They are homeless, running for their lives, hiding in caves. They are huddled together in makeshift towns, oppressed and exploited. Evil ones have cornered them and cut off their way of escape. Families are separated. Innocents are slaughtered. They need a refuge! Many of them profess Your Son as Lord. They pray for release from their tormentors. I know You hear their prayers. I add mine to theirs. Provide a place of safety for them on this earth.
Thank You
Thank You for opening the fortress doors and welcoming all who flee to You for safety. You turn no one away. And thank You for preserving the words of those who proclaim You as their rock, their fortress. Their words are the path which lead me to Your door.
More praise
Your scriptures are filled with metaphor as a way of bringing Your unsearchable character into focus. Although there is no metaphor that comes close to capturing Your full character, You as my refuge is one of my favorite. There is no other stronghold as powerful as You. Into Your hand I entrust my spirit.
