Daily Prayer

Written prayers have been part of the church since the prayers of Jesus were recorded by the apostles. Because of the warning of Jesus against rote prayers and the abuses of written prayers in the past, many within the evangelical church have little experience with praying written prayers. There is a danger with written prayers becoming rote, just like there is a danger of singing a hymn and just voicing the words, but that doesn’t stop us from singing hymns. I believe there is a place for written prayers in our private worship of God, to help focus and communicate clearly what we truly want to say to God. There are many prayers of ancient saints that can be meaningfully used, but I think it is also a useful spiritual exercise to write out our own, what we personally want to express to God. It can be just adoration or just petition or a combination. Here is a written prayer that had its beginning in my prayer life about ten years ago, and has changed and grown as I have. It’s in my palm pilot for ready access (no, I haven’t memorized it!). I share it to help perhaps to spark some others to consider writing out what is within their heart to God for their own prayer time:

Father,

Holy and righteous,
Strong and just,
Loving and merciful,
Hear my prayer.

I worship You, Father, & I love You.
Father, I love to draw near to You,
to gaze on Your glory, to commune with You, to receive Your love & joy.

Father, Increase my thirst for You,
Inflame my passion for You .
Let me see Your glory & beauty
And treasure it above all else.
Let the fire of my love for You burn white hot with ever-increasing heat.
Let it burn away all the dross in my heart and stoke the furnace of my strength and devotion.

Father, protect me from treasuring or desiring anything above You.
Father,
incline my heart,
open my heart,
unite my heart,
satisfy my heart.
Fill me with Your love & joy.
I abandon myself to You.

Father, thank You for creating me.
Father, thank You for loving me.
Father, thank You for choosing me
to be a son, a saint, a steward, a sage, a soldier, a servant & a shepherd for Your kingdom. Father, thank You for singing over me with delight. Today, help me live as Your son to bring You glory.

Jesus, I love You.
Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross to save & set me free from sin.
Jesus, thank You for clothing me
with Your perfect righteousness.
Jesus, You are the true vine,
and I am Your branch– I want to abide in You as You abide in me.
Jesus, You are my shepherd.

Jesus, I want to be your doulos more than anything else in the world. Every gift, every desire, everything I have
I lay at your feet. Jesus, help me to know You clearer, love You deeper, and follow You closer today . Jesus, protect me from letting guilt, frustration or discouragement distract me from Your Presence.

Spirit, I love You. Thank You for regenerating, indwelling, teaching, comforting. Thank You I’m not alone.
Spirit, I am Your temple.
Fill me, deeply, fully, powerfully.
I want Your strength and wisdom
and not my own.
I want You like a fountain to be pouring out of my deepest being.

Spirit, search me and know me.
Show me my flesh—the pride,
the lust, the self-centeredness.
Spirit, I repent. Forgive me of my sins. Help me crucify, reject, abandon, mortify this flesh today. Cleanse me, renew me.
Bathe me in Your Presence.
Immerse me in You.

Help me to grow strong & solid
Like a mighty tree firmly planted
By Your living waters,
able to stand against the storms,
Giving shelter to those under me.
Help me to be the man You have intended—humble, honest, brave, selfless, holy, strong, trustworthy, passionate, patient, wise, and deep.

Help me to accept everything
that You bring to me today–
gratitude in blessing, longsuffering in trial, as from Your hand. Let me redeem every moment today as precious. Father, I trust You. You know best what You need for the kingdom & what will mold me into the man You want me to become.

Father, thank You for my body
and the health You have granted me.
Thank You for the knowledge, skills & ministry You have entrusted to me. Help me use them for Your glory.
Thank You for Gail my wife,
Andrew, Lily, and Michael.
Help me to lead them, bless them,
& care for them today.

May I be sober & vigilant against the enemy. May I gird myself with truth, put on the breastplate of
righteousness & the shoes of the gospel. May I always hold firm the shield of faith, knowing I am protected by the helmet of salvation. May I wield the sword of the Spirit as a warrior for You.

May I worship, work, & rest in Your presence every moment this day.
Let the words of my mouth,
the meditations of my heart,
every thought and deed,
Be acceptable and well pleasing in Your sight, O Lord,
my strength and my Redeemer.
With the passion & wisdom of Christ,
I now move into Your world.