7 Prayers That Work

  Lord God, It's another glorious day   that could've slipped past me without me noticing or thanking you for it. Another sunrise I almost missed . But you whispered, "Come see me" as I lay in bed. So I came to the quiet place to meet you. Thank you. Then an hour flew by in worship and contemplation , just because I took the time to watch you paint a sunrise.  It peeked over the horizon and hung itself in the bright blue sky. I've taken off two days because I knew that my soul needed you more than I needed to get things done. It took me a whole day just to make peace with doing nothing but listen . Forgive me. I'm sorry I let myself get out of touch with you. How often I miss you because I'm too busy serving you! In a flurry to do good and make a difference, I limit you from making a difference in me because I'm not fully present with you. And no matter how many times I realize that I do this-- no matter how many times I ask forgiveness for not spendi...

  Lord God of heaven, Thank you for Christmas. Thank you for breathing on us the Word of Life, for pouring out your Spirit on Mary, for empowering Joseph, for transforming shepherds and wise men. Christmas is a heavenly gift with global proportions. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth to save me. Thank you for humbling yourself to be born as a helpless infant (see Philippians 2 ) a human with frailties and limitations so I could trust that you understand me. So that you could take my place before God as a sinner who needs salvation ( 1 Peter 2:24 ). You created me with love in your heart-- Thank you for designing me for a purpose. And not just me: you've made and loved every person throughout human history, regardless of their response to your love. You offer everyone the hope of heaven. Thank you for fulfilling your own promises on Christmas Day, for living and dying for, for rising again in power over death--also for me. Thank you for forgiving my sins and interceding before ...

God promised Adam and Eve that a Savior would come. David, Hosea, Malachi, and Isaiah (and others) prophesied about his birth and his life. All the Old Testament pointed to his coming. People waited for thousands of years for him. They waited for the Messiah--the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, and the Prince of Peace. God in flesh, Emmanuel. Mary and Joseph waited for Jesus' birth and then for his revelation. Jesus' followers waited for him to take action. The church waited for him to return.  We wait for Jesus to answer our prayers. We wait for circumstances to change. We think he doesn't move fast enough, but he has never stopped moving. Christmas proves that.  We wait. We expect . We hope . We trust . Oh, God of heaven and earth,  I praise you for your gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Thank you for sending him to save us from our sins over 2000 Christmases ago. Your generosity astounds me! Thank you for always fulfilling your promises. You are never late ...

  Did you know that many of the key characters in the Christmas story left  prayers for us to read ? They were overwhelmed, amazed, frightened, and thankful. They were like us, really. They witnessed Emmanuel "God with us," just like we do. They had to stop in their stress and anxiety and notice God's wonder. And let that experience change them. Below are 7 prayers from that first Christmas.  Plus one from me.  They all address the issues we feel on a regular basis. The first 7 prayers are by the Christmas story characters themselves. Read their stories. Pray the prayers. Then watch and wait--God will fill you with wonder. I just know it! He really does wonder well. Prayer #1:  Mary--"How is this possible?"--a request for understanding ( Lk. 1:21-28 ) Prayer #2:  Mary--"Glory to God!"--a song of praise ( Lk. 1:21-55 ) Prayer #3:  Joseph--"What should I do?"--a prayer of grief and confusion ( Mtt. 1:18-20 ) Prayer #4:  Wisemen--"Where is ...

Oh, Lord, My spirit is so heavy .  I feel sad, even while I look around at your beautiful world and thank you for your provision. You have given me so much. Your love and grace isn't lost on me. And yet... I'm human. Circumstances are often painful. People are often cruel. The future doesn't always look bright. So how can I keep my mind in a state of thankfulness and hope? I will praise you. I will count my blessings . I will remember how you have never failed me, how you have protected me, blessed me, and called me. That gives me hope, and that drives out sadness and discouragement. You alone are great and powerful. Nothing in this world can interfere with your blessing and calling on my life. Thank you. In Jesus' name, Amen. "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." ( Psalm 43:5 )

Lord, God of heaven,  Raise up a generation who speaks of your glorious acts, who tells of your mighty power, who proclaims your mighty deeds, who defies the enemies of truth, who wages war against their own human natures, and who loves their neighbors like you love us. Change a generation to commend your works to the young, who models righteous living, who defends the fatherless and the widow, who walks in the law of the Lord, who promotes the welfare of the young, who plows the path for them and sets them up to succeed. Then we will glorify your name in all the earth! The lost will see you through us and seek your face. You are good and gracious to all. You are compassionate to all you have made  You are patient with us who fail. All you have made will praise you; we will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak your might. Your kingdom is everlasting. You are faithful and loving toward us. In Jesus' name, Amen. Psalm 145 Related Prayers: A prayer for youth group A prayer...

  Dear Lord, I praise you for your faithfulness to me. You are faithful when I falter. You are faithful when I doubt . You are faithful when I fail. You are faithful when I question . You are faithful when I run from you. You are always faithful, true, and holy. Your love is everlasting. Lord, teach me your faithfulness. I want to trust you in difficult circumstances, in grief , pain, discouragement , fear , and uncertainty . I want to be as faithful to your name as you are to me. Always. Whether I understand what you're doing or not. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Your love,  Lord , reaches to the heavens, your  faithfulness  to the skies. ( Psalm 36:5 ) For I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your  faithfulness . ( Psalm 23:6 ) I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your  faithfulness  and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your  faithfulness  from the great ass...

Oh, my Lord, Do you see me , even when people ignore me? You value me, even when someone overlooks me. You elevate me, even when someone puts me down. You lead me , even when no one invites me to follow them. You dream for me, even when I can't dream for myself. You're pleased with me, even when I feel guilty, ashamed, and unworthy. You forgive me , even when my actions are unpardonable. You love me just the way I am and regardless of what I do. You aren't swayed by people's perception of me or even my perspective of myself. You know me because you formed me . And you have something unique for me to do that nobody else can do like I could (in your power). You look deep inside me every day. Every thought. Every fear . Every worry. Every secret. And you invite me to tell it all to you. Thank you, Lord,  for loving me and seeing me. In Jesus' name, Amen. “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast  and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may fo...

  Oh, Lord, I bless you name and your promises. You are great, and you act justly in my life. You don't withhold good things from me, and you lead me in the path that you want me to take. You bless me abundantly. I don't deserve your grace ,  but you give it freely. I will praise you to everyone. When I go to sleep praising you, I wake up praising you. May you always be on my heart and mind-- when I'm working, struggling, relaxing, worrying. When I praise you, I am aware of how much you give me! How enormous is the sum of your blessings on my life! They are more vast than the stars in the sky. I cannot count them all. Give me the perspective and grace to bless my family , my church, my government, and even my enemies . Fill me with your magnitude of your presence, and may I always sit in awe of you and the astonishing actions you perform on my behalf! In Jesus' name, Amen. "I will bless the  Lord  who guides me;  even at night my heart instructs me." ( Psalm...

THE GOD WHO SEES ME.  Lahai Roi, This amazing name which Hagar used to describe you has changed me forever.  You see me. You see me when I can't see myself. You see me when I rejoice, when I despair, when I feel lonely , inadequate , afraid , angry . You see me when I'm lost. You see me when I think I'm not. When I want you and when I don't. You see me and you love me. You welcome me always. I belong to you and with you. Thank you for seeing me. In Jesus' name, Amen. Watch this incredible music video by Nicole C. Mullen and Kathie Lee Gifford. The other video is an interview of them describing the spiritual process of writing, recording, and filming this piece. The Song & Film: "The God Who Sees" The making of "The God Who Sees"

  Psalm 66 tells us 8 things God wants us to know when life is hard. When my world is melting, sliding out of my control, sometimes I wonder what he's doing. So I usually go to Psalms. God always reminds me that he is busy, and he is triumphant already.  So stop panicking. Here's my paraphrase and prayer of  Psalm 66 , bullet-pointed for clarity: 1. Praise God first, regardless of what's happening Shout for joy, everyone! Give  God credit for his miraculous works! 2. God is in control because he is the Creator Oh, Lord, You fill me with awe. Your enemies cringe at your name. They rebel and slander and revolt, yet the earth itself follows your commands and bows itself in reverent obedience. The orbits rotate, the earth shakes and spews, the animal kingdom continues its circle of life, the wind and waves take their predictable paths. 3. God directs and uses the world for his glory You can alter the world's state at any moment. You can send fire, part waters, stop upr...

A prayer of praise and justice from Psalm 98 Shout to the Lord, everyone! Break out your instruments and singing! Your worship is a beautiful symphony to God's ears. Everything on the earth should shout the praises of the Lord. Even the rivers, the ocean, the hills, and the animals praise the Lord through their creation. Why do we withhold our faith and our worship? Because we see the unfairness of this world? Because we harbor ambition, hate , and envy in our hearts? We distrust the plans of the Lord. His way is good, and He does good. He j udges the wickedness of the world in his own time. He will bring justice and mercy according to his nature. All the nations will know that he is the Lord, and there is none other. Praise the Lord, the Savior of the nations! In Jesus' name, Amen.

This is what the Lord says-- your Redeemer who has made all things,  who formed you in the womb:  I am the Lord who has made all things,  who alone stretched out the heavens,  who spread out the earth by myself..." (Isaiah 44:24) Lord, Jehovah, I worship you. You have made all things, including me, and you can do anything. You are a God of life . You foil the attempts of the wicked to discredit you, You reveal yourself to the unbelieving, You rebuild people and cities that are broken down, You restore inheritance to the poor, You place the lonely in families, You use both the ungodly and the godly to accomplish your will, You water the earth and display your creative genius, You heal diseases and raise the dead. You cannot be delayed. You cannot be surprised. You cannot be overcome. You made all things. You restore all things. You use all things You make all things new. I love you. Amen. Isaiah 44 Psalm 68:5-7

Lord God, I've been upset about something for awhile and I've prayed for clarity and wisdom. I have not been able to figure out what to do or why something has happened. You gave me clarity. You sorted the mess with me. I inquired of you, I sought counsel, and I opened myself up to the possibility  that I was mistaken and defensive, that my conclusions were incorrect. You helped me humble myself. You gave me insight. You spoke. I wonder how many times I miss what you're saying because I'm so sure that I'm right? Instead of seeking wisdom and perspective, I look for someone to agree with me. I seek validation. I seek vindication. I see a mess even though you've drawn a clear path to knowing you better. I am so proud. I wonder at your willingness to forgive and direct me. Thank you. I am awed by your mercy and grace, as well as your forgiveness and your continued pursuit to use me. Every time I learn something new about myself, I l...

I read this passage this morning. It's startling and challenging, and it compelled me to pray. Isaiah 26:3-4 --"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast , because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." Lord God of Heaven, I want peace from stress and anxiety. I want direction for my energy, creativity in my calling, success in my life. You call me to steadfastness : to lean fast, support myself, stand firm, uphold my conception, imagination, purpose, mindfulness. I cannot trust your will without becoming steadfast in what you've already imparted to me. That's how I learn to trust you. Not by getting you to rubber-stamp what I'm doing or what I want to do. Trust comes from watching you be God in my life, not by being god of my own life. Trust is confidence, boldness, security. It's a decision I make, not a promise You make. I want peace in my soul,...

I read Psalm 5 & Psalm 13 t his morning. They are prayers of lament and praise . David feels forgotten and assaulted, so he shares his discouragement, despair, fear, abandonment, and call for justice in his communication with God. He praises God for who He is and believes that God will make all things right in His own way. I am convicted. I turned these two Psalms into the following prayer: Lord God, How long will you forget me? Forever? Do you remember that I'm wrestling with my emotions and thoughts all the time and I can't get clarity on who you are or what you're doing in my life? I feel abandoned and forgotten . Weak . Misunderstood and assaulted. I'm trying to serve you, and always, someone or something is coming for me-- disappointing me, hurting me, rejecting me, discrediting me. Sometimes it's my own thoughts and faithlessness. Many times, I believe it is the enemy. Friends become foes . They secretly enjoy my misfortune...

Oh Lord, You have perfect memory. You remember me, even though you have so many more important things to remember. You don't forget what makes me grieve, feel lonely, ignored, foolish, or embarrassed. You know what makes me fill with pride, shrink in fear, and weep with gratitude. (Click here for a prayer called "Only You.") You made me. You know me. And nothing about me makes you pull away, feel disappointed or annoyed. You have infinite love, patience, and grace. For me. Even when I'm horrible. Even when I think I'm wonderful, but I'm really not. You have designed me, and therefore, you intend to prosper me no matter how much I mess up. (Cick here for a prayer about design: "Thank you for my children's struggles.") Thank you for remembering that I'm so so fallible. Thank you for remembering me enough to die for me. Thank you for everything. In Jesus' wonderful name, Amen. "As a father has co...

Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you for your love  and for demonstrating it through the love of a human family. What a beautiful concept! Thank you for creating each person in this world so carefully. Each is unique in personality and purpose. Thank you for the overwhelming blessing of children, parents, siblings, extended family. Thank you for everything-- for the struggles and the pain that living in community brings. Thank you for the joys and the surprises, the disappointments and the hope. Thank you for all of it because you use all of it to make us better and to prepare us for your purpose. Thank you for the love of my spiritual family, for friends at church, for mentors, teachers, and leaders, for all the people I'll never meet  who preached a sermon or wrote a book, or started a non-profit, or wrote curriculum that formed me and challenged me and changed me. Bless them for their service to me because they loved and obeyed you. I just need your Spirit...

Dear Lord in heaven, I feel weak today. So, so weak. Emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually. I feel insufficient. Not enough. Less-than. I think you call this a strength because I'll to turn to you in my desperation just to survive. In my frustration , I might actually listen on you. Wait on you. Pray to you. Obey you. Trust you. This process makes me stronger because it gives your strength a chance to work in me and change me. You make me enough, just as I am, when I have you. I can do hard things when you're the strength behind my obedience. Thank you. You are so gracious and merciful. You love me, bless me, and guide me. I am in awe of how you work and why you decide to work in me and through me. I praise your name, O Most High. In Jesus' powerful name, Amen. "But he said to me, ' My grace  is sufficient for you, for my power  is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about...

Ahh! Here you are, God. Waiting for me in this quiet place. You've been calling to me all week, whenever I made time to watch the sunset or smelled the freshly-cut grass. When I took pictures of the cherry blossoms and admired the beauty of a lake shimmering blue and crystal under a bright sun, that's where you were. You were waiting in my moments of wakefulness and sleepiness, waiting as my first and last thoughts of every day. There your Spirit whispered prayers for me to the God of heaven. When I felt fatigue, you assured me that you would sustain me. When I felt fear, you whispered that you would protect me. When I felt worry, you promised you would make all things work together for good. All with your quiet, reassuring presence. You were waiting here, on a day I've singled out to meet you. Out here in the sun and the vastness of a quiet setting where I've made time to sit with you and hear what you have to say. And this is what you sa...