Let's Pray by Susan Barclay

Like this vice, circumstances can crush us

I’ve always believed in prayer,  though I haven’t always “put my  money where my mouth is.” That  is to say, even though I believe  prayer “works,” I’ve had seasons  where my prayer life has been dry or I’ve felt too busy to pray. Maybe you’ve had those seasons too. But the reality is, if we’re not on our knees now—when we don’t feel like it, when we already have a lot on our plates—we’ll be on our knees eventually. At some point, life is going to hand us something we can’t handle, something too big for us, something that may even have the power to crush us. And then, we’ll respond one of two ways: we’ll walk away from God or we’ll turn toward Him.

It’s been five years since our son informed us that he no longer believed in God or was sure that there was one. Three years since our daughter made a similar declaration. The last few years have also held various eldercare challenges with regard to my mom. Any thought of doing without a prayer life has gone out the proverbial window. Together and individually my husband and I have wept over our prodigals, cried out to God for their healing as well as for my mother’s, and cast all of our cares at His feet, knowing He cares for us (I Peter 5:7). I read a lot about prayer, I participate in prayer groups, but the most important thing I do is to actually spend time in God’s presence. 

Whether or not we think we need God, we do. Whether or not we think we need to pray, we do. The person who wants it the least, likely needs it the most.

God cares about wandering sheep and so should we

Other than feeling the world closing in, why pray? We pray because Jesus did and He’s our model for how to live. He prioritized prayer and left behind multitudes of people with needs both great and small to spend time with His Father. He got up early in the morning to be alone with Him. These hours were essential to His ministry. They filled His “cup.” It was during these conversations (talking and listening) and meditation periods that He received His instructions, wisdom, and guidance. It was in prayer that He was refreshed, renewed, and restored. If Jesus needed to pray, how much more do we?

Getting alone with God is the most important "thing" we can do

Jesus’s prayer times were so inspiring and anointed that the disciples asked Him to teach them to pray.

In Matthew 6, verses 9 to 13, we learn some things from what is commonly known as The Lord’s Prayer (TLP). First, prayer involves relationship. The very first line describes the connection between us and God: He’s our Father. In fact, this is what gives us the right, the authorization, to approach His throne of love, grace, mercy, and justice. He’s not a stranger, not an acquaintance, not someone we’ve heard about from someone else. We’re His kids, and He cares about us. He wants to us to come to Him; He wants to hear from us. He longs to give us good gifts, and He wants us to share what’s on our hearts. “You do not have because you do not ask,” says James 4:2. “Ask and you shall receive,” it says in several other places.

We also learn that we must come to prayer with the right attitude. “Hallowed be Your name,” Jesus says. We recognize that God is holy, He is pure, He is far above us in all of His ways. We approach Him boldly in the sense that He is our Father, but we also come humbly, knowing He is God, Creator of all things and vastly superior to us.

Because of who He is (omniscient, knowing what is best, seeing the big picture), we pray His will, not our own—“Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (italics mine). The scriptures that advise us to ask God also talk about praying with right motives (James 4:3) and praying in agreement with God’s heart. Ours is not a prosperity gospel, seeking wealth, comfort, and ease. In John 16:33, Jesus assures us that in this world we will have trouble. Instead, we’re to seek God’s best, for every person, in every situation. “Rejoice always,” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 tells us; “pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (vv. 17-18).

Some requests that line up with God’s heart are spelled out in TLP: praying for the meeting of physical needs (“daily bread.” Other examples might be shelter, rest, employment, even breath); praying for forgiveness of sin and for the ability to forgive others; and praying for protection and deliverance from evil. And of course, we can never go wrong when we pray for the salvation of others. It’s not God’s desire that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9), but did it ever occur to you that their salvation may depend on prayer? I think of that sometimes when I pray for random people I pass on the street (a form of praying without ceasing). I may be the only person who has ever prayed for them. Won’t it be something if I meet them in heaven one day and discover they are there because of my prayer? It’s not impossible!

I invite you to join me in prayer today, worshipping our awesome God, seeking His wisdom and guidance, praying for the needs of others as well as your own. Don't wait for life to put you in its chokehold before beginning. Through the groups in which I participate, I bear witness to the power of the One to whom we pray. He is working, always working (John 5:17), and although His ways and timing are not according to our preferences, they are better than all we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). He turns our mourning into dancing (Psalm 30:11) and puts a new song on our lips. Then many will see and revere and trust in the Lord (Psalm 40:3). Let it be so!

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For more about Susan Barclay and her writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

365.24 Days of Lent - Bruce Atchison

To me, Lent is my year-round practice. Being one of those who esteems every day more or less the same, I try to avoid all the things which Christ and the apostles told us to eschew. Colossians 3:8-10 (BBE) is a partial list of what we must avoid, even unintentionally. "But now it is right for you to put away all these things; wrath, passion, bad feeling, curses, unclean talk; Do not make false statements to one another; because you have put away the old man with all his doings, And have put on the new man, which has become new in knowledge after the image of his maker;"

Even so, I sometimes slip, Railing at politicians and stupid people. My computer takes the brunt of my curses as well. I'm amazed that the paint on it hasn't blistered yet.

It's a good thing therefore that our Lord and Master forgives us when we slip back into old behaviour patterns. In 1 John 1:9 (BBE), we read, "If we say openly that we have done wrong, he is upright and true to his word, giving us forgiveness of sins and making us clean from all evil."

Imagine if a piano teacher tolerated no wrong notes. All the students would fail and the teacher would lose all his or her customers. Though our Lord and Master tolerates no sin, he's ready to forgive any of us who apologize and ask for his pardon.

I also want to be more caring toward people. It's hard for me since I've suffered so much verbal abuse in the past. That's why this part of what people call The Lord's Prayer greatly worries me. Matthew 6:12 (BBE) says, "And make us free of our debts, as we have made those free who are in debt to us." This "debt" is the wrongs which people do to us.

I must admit that there are some bad memories which I still struggle with. But prayer and letting the Lord deal with those miscreants and inconsiderate people who abused me has helped me let go of many bad incidents in my past. Romans 12:19 (BBE) reminds us to, "Do not give punishment for wrongs done to you, dear brothers, but give way to the wrath of God; for it is said in the holy Writings, 'Punishment is mine, I will give reward,' says the Lord."

Of course we still have our human urge to hold onto past hurts. That's like a certain English demolition expert who was called out to a farm because a woman found a stick of dynamite on top of the coal in the shed. When he picked up the stick, one end felt softer than the other. Then he heard a large dog barking from inside the house. He stood there, stunned that he was actually holding onto something the dog left behind. That stick is what our past hurts are like.

May we all let go of the messes of our past and let our heavenly Father deal with those who wounded us.

My Morning Prayers by Sharon Espeseth

If you're like me, you are often writing on the run or jotting down notes as you go about you duties of the day. I don't stop to pray before I get those words down on my notepad. Doing so might cause me to lose the point that came to me while I was folding the laundry. Beginning the day with a morning prayer, however, covers all bases.

I can refresh as the day goes on.






For years, I have prayed The Lord's Prayer in the morning--often before stepping into my slippers, which is when the real action begins. Although we know and love this prayer, here it is as a reminder. Many poster forms of this prayer can be found on the Internet. This one, being a free image, can be copied and literally pasted into a notebook or kept in a plastic sleeve.

Through this prayer, I surrender my will, which includes setting priorities and dealing with distractions according to God's will rather than my own. I ask for daily bread, which, to me, means healthy living and spiritual bread for my life and for my writing.

Asking forgiveness, can clear my mind of any wrong doings of yesterday. "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" like those niggling writerly issues of pride, false humility, lack of confidence, impatience, judgment, biased thinking . . .






In more recent times, and as recommended by one of my friends who is a "cradle Catholic," I have come to appreciate The Morning Offering. For my writing, I can say, "I offer you, Dear Jesus, 'my prayers, my sufferings, my disappointments, my joys and my works.'
Amen."

My research on the Net unearthed wonderful Christian prayers suitable for people in any denomination. Here is one.

My Daily Offering to the Lord

Heavenly God, I offer You all my works and actions for this day for the glory of Your name. I pray that I may sanctify every beat of my heart, every thought in my mind. Every simple work I do, I offer onto You. I wish that all my sins be forgiven as You are a merciful and loving God.

I offer this prayer to those who are dear to me. I pray that they fulfil Your most holy will and that they may accept all sorrows that may come their way. Take all my laughter and my tears, every word, every thought and each deed to help all those who are in need. May this gift of prayer be a unique offering to Jesus Christ, Your son.

He renewed our spirits and guided our eyes to look heavenward. I pray that my soul be united with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray Amen.

Found at prayers-for-special-help.com

Favourite Psalms

"May the favour of the Lord rest on us (today);
establish the work of our hands for us--
yes, establish the work of our hands."                          
Psalm 90:17 (NIV)

"Let this be written for a future generation,
that a people not yet created may praise the Lord."
Psalm 102:18 (NIV)


Here's another thought! Write Your Own Psalm--See Write Your Own Psalm - MarcAlanSchelske.com

Savour a Morning Song

Morning Has Broken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5D3LEjGF8A


Sarach McLachlan and her music students sing Prayer of St. Francis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agPnMxp5Occ




Write Your Own Writer's Prayer

You may have previously read my comments on The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. In the Appendix of her book on page 223, Cameron presents "An Artist's Prayer," which would be suitable for a writing group. Combining her thoughts on our being created by The Creator for creative living, I wrote my personal "Artist's Prayer."

You may pray this with me, or use this as a starting point to write your own "Artist's Prayer."

Dear Creator God,

I am here (at the kitchen table)

In your presence, asking You

To help me become aware

Of the abundance in my life.

May I sense your bounty freely given

Rather than fixating on my own lack.

I offer myself to you as an instrument

Of your peace and your plan.

I open myself to your creativity in my life.

I surrender my old ideas.

In their place, I welcome your new

And more expansive ways and design.

I trust you will lead me

For I know it is safe to follow,

Trusting you will lead me

In the direction that is right for me.

I know that you created me.

I know that creativity is your nature

And therefore my nature

For I am made in your image.

I ask you to unfold my life

According to your plan

Rather than according

To my own sense of self worth

Or the lack thereof.

Help me to understand and believe

That it is not too late for me

And that I am not too small or too flawed

To be healed by you and made whole

So that I may serve you and give you my best.

Amen