I have received prayer requests the past few days from dear friends. When I don't know how to pray specifically, I allow the Holy Spirit to lead me in prayer based on my quiet time.
I have a couple of dear, old devotional books I use each day in my quiet time: My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers, and God Calling Journal by Two Listeners. I then read four different chapters in the Bible (three from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament). As I do these readings, I make note of what the Holy Spirit points out to me -- phrases that were especially meaningful, verses that seemed to "jump off the page". I then compose a prayer based on those phrases / verses. I have been doing this for years in journals - there is a whole plastic bin full of old journals in the store room! Since I have been receiving requests for prayer, I am contemplating turning my blog into the repository of my new prayer for each day. I had an urgent request for prayer yesterday, so will include yesterday's prayer from my journal with this post.
I must confess that I am so comfortable with my journaling, I am not too sure how this will go! I tend to write prayers in first person, so please feel free to change them to fit your prayer need. By the way, in the reading of the Bible in the pattern outlined above, you will get through the Old Testament in about nine months, and the New Testament in about six months -- just keep going -- it is always fresh, always new, always applicable!
Prayer: Mirroring Your Image to a Watching World
Lord God, May I learn to behold You with an open face so that I might be changed into Your image. May I be so filled with Your Spirit and Your transforming power that I perfectly mirror You to the watching world around me. Forgive me for those times when I sully Your image, Your name, by reflecting my own agenda, ideas, feelings, emotions. May I more and more come to realize that I am accepted by You and this is all that matters -- may this surety, this confidence affect all my behaviors and attitude. Keep my mind on You so that I exude Your peace and love, Your grace and compassion, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. May I truly walk in newness of life, dead to all my old passions and desires, but now alive -- fully alive -- to You. Amen. (2 Cor. 3.18, Isaiah 26, Romans 6.3-4)
1 comment:
OK... this is classic Susan. And what does that mean? Excellent. Thoughtful. Deep. Spiritually refreshing. Applicable to my (and to anyone's) life. Thank you, Suz. I wouldn't have expected less from you. (I still miss you!) Keep writing. You're a gift.
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