Prayer: Wings of Refuge

Worthy are You, my Lord and my God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things and by Your will they existed and were created. Surely, O Lord, You are in this place! How awesome is this place! The Oregon coast declares Your majesty, power, and beauty. I listen to Your Voice. Here I will remain. I take shelter, O Lord, under Your wings of refuge. Amen

Genesis 28.16-17; Ruth 2.8, 12; Revelation 4.11

Prayer: Standing in the Fields of Moab

Father God, like Naomi, for years I was in a far country working and toiling, only to have it blown away like so much chaff. Standing in the fields of Moab, the rumor comes that You have visited Your people and given them food. Have You but one blessing, my Father? Bless me, even me also, O my Father!

I am encouraged by Your Word that even as clay that has been marred in the Potter's hand, I can be reshaped into a vessel the Potter can use. Remake me, reshape me, O Lord.

I have had the reputation of being alive, but really I am dead. Awaken me, O Lord, to Your voice, to Your Kingdom. Call to mind by Your Holy Spirit all that I have seen and heard. Set before me an open door which no one is able to shut. I have little power to open it myself, but I have kept Your Word and have not denied Your Name. Grant me gold that has been refined by fire, garments of white, salve to open my eyes to see things from Your perspective. I know You only discipline those whom You love, may I be zealous for Your love and repent. I hear Your Voice; I open the Door. Come in, Lord Jesus, bless me and make me a blessing to others. Amen

Genesis 27.38; Ruth 1.6; Jeremiah 18.4-6; Revelation 3

Prayer: By Streams of Living Waters

I am a sojourner in this land, just passing through this world below. You, O Lord, are with me. You bless me and my offspring. Let others see plainly that You have been with us all throughout this journey.

I trust in You, my Lord and my God. Plant me by Your streams of Living Water. I sink my roots down deep in You so I do not fear the heat when it comes; my leaf remains green and I do not cease to bear fruit.

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed. Save me, O Lord, and I shall be saved. You, my Beloved, are my Praise. Grant to me patient conquering endurance so I may eat of the Tree of Life. O taste and see that the Lord is good! You, O Lord, are the God of my Praise. Amen

Genesis 26.3,28-29; Jeremiah 17.7-8, 14; Revelation 2.7

Prayer: The Patient Endurance that is in Christ

Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for loving us, for freeing us from our sins by Your blood and for making us a Kingdom, priests to Your God and Father. Forgive us for being like Esau; we eat and drink and rise up and go on our own way, thus despising our birthright that You secured for us. Our iniquities and sins are ever before us. We have forsaken Your Kingdom and have gone after other gods and have served and worshipped them. We have done worse in Your eyes than our fathers by following our own stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to You. Forgive us, O Lord. To You be glory and dominion forever and ever. Grant us the patient endurance that is in Christ. Help us hold fast to our birthright for which You paid so dearly. May we truly become people of Your Kingdom. Amen

Genesis 25.34; Jeremiah 16.10-12; Revelation 1.5, 6, 9

Prayer: A Joy & the Delight of My Heart

O Lord God, please grant me success today and show me Your steadfast love. Lead me in the Way You would have me go. Your Word is a joy and the delight of my heart. Thank You for calling me by Your Name, O Lord of Hosts, and for bringing me daily to Your precious Word. May I be built up in Your most holy faith, praying in Your Holy Spirit, kept by Your Love, waiting for the mercy of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ which leads to eternal life. Amen.

Genesis 24.12,27; Jeremiah 15.16; Jude 20, 21

Prayer: What is That Between You and Me?

Ah, Lord God, may I go about my day in peace, knowing my journey is under the eye of the Lord God Almighty. May I listen carefully to what people are really saying, so I may respond in wisdom. Grant good health, O Lord, even as my soul prospers and takes joy in the journey. I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in Your truth. Act in their hearts and lives for Your Name's sake, Lord God Almighty. Amen

Genesis 23.15-16; Judges 18.6; Jeremiah 14.7; 3 John 2,4

Prayer: On the Twilight Mountains

Ah, Lord God, this day and age is not so very different from the time of the judges; everyone does what is right in his own eyes. We have become so "caught up" in this life, we have forgotten You and trusted in the lies being offered up so readily by the world around us. Forgive us, O Lord. May Your people be roused from their torpor and turn toward You. May we rise up and sojourn where we may find a place to worship, walk in Your love and listen to Your Voice once again. We have given Your glory to hundreds of little gods and have been brought into darkness. Our feet stumble on the twilight mountains and while we look for light, it turns into gloom and deep darkness. Awaken us to the light of Your love and the truth and sensibility of Your commands. Set us back on Your path, O Light of the nations.

Genesis 22.12-18; Jeremiah 13.15-16, 25; 2 John 6

Prayer: The Grass of Every Field Withers

Righteous are you, O Lord, the Everlasting God. We bring the case of several countries before You and ask for mercy and justice. We plead for Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Niger Togo, Burundi, Sudan, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, the Balkan states, the Middle East, North Korea, China, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Venezuela Brazil, Central America, Philippines, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Chechnya and on it goes; country after country, nation after nation.

O Lord, why do the wicked prosper? Why do the treacherous thrive? How long will these lands mourn and the grass of the field wither? The evil of those who rule these countries have made the lands and people desolate. These countries mourn, but no one lays it to heart. O Lord, remember Your people. O Lord, rise and act on their behalf! O Lord, remember Your Name and attributes: Redeemer, Savior, Friend, Repairer of the Breach, One Who makes all things new. Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly! Remember all of these your sheep, O Gentle Shepherd.

Genesis 21.53; Judges 16.28; Jeremiah 12.1-2, 4, 11; 1 John 5.3,14-15

Prayer: As Flax That Has Caught Fire

Ah, Lord of Hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and mind, to You I have committed the cause of those suffering persecution for their faith. Let Your Spirit of Truth rush upon them, and may the ropes that bind their arms become as flax that has caught fire, and may their bonds melt off their hands. Vindicate these innocents in the eyes of all those around them. May the watching world see and know they are Yours and are upheld by You, O Lord God Almighty, and may they tremble.

Genesis 20.16; Judges 15.14; Jeremiah 11.20; 1 John 4.6

Prayer: But He Lingered

Ah, Lord God, I am called a child of God simply because I am Yours.

You sought me, You bought me, You lead me on.

Teach me to love, not just in word but in both deed and truth.

It is not in me to direct my steps.

Forgive me, O Lord, for choosing to linger when You call me on.

Take my hand and lead me in Your Way, for Your Kingdom's sake. Amen

Genesis 19.16; Jeremiah 10.23; 1 John 3.1, 18

Prayer: Come...Stay Awhile...

O Lord God, if I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass me by.
Stay awhile. Abide with me.
Anoint me with Your steadfast love, justice and righteousness.
Delight in me as I delight in coming to know You. Teach me Your Way.
Perfect me in Your love so I may walk as You walked, O Lord.
I delight in knowing You appeared to Abram as he sat as the door of his tent in the heat of the day.
I delight in knowing You appeared to Manoah's wife as she sat in the field.
Delight me by allowing me to see You in the midst of the ordinary.
May my only boast in this life be that I know You.
Come...stay awhile, sweet Jesus. Amen

Genesis 18.1, 3; Judges 13.9; Jeremiah 9.3, 6, 23-24; 1 John 2.3-6; 27-29

Prayer: A View Too Small

All around the world today many call for peace, but no good comes.
They look for a time of reconciliation and healing, but find only terror.
God Almighty, is there no Balm in Gilead?
Is there no Physician for all these people who live day after weary day without hope?

May those of us who are called by Your Name hear Your call to walk before You and be blameless; to be Life made manifest in this weary, sin-sick world. May we walk in the Light and bring Light and Life, and healing to those around us.

We confess our self-centeredness, our "too small" view of the world and our perceived inability to impact circumstances and events around us. Forgive us, cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and send us out as Your lightbearers into this dark and hurting world. Amen.

Genesis 17.1; Jeremiah 8.15, 22; 1 John 1

Prayer: Continuing This Forward Journey

You are, O Lord God, the God who sees me; the One who looks after me as I journey in the Way. You are a Witness to all that transpires between myself and others. Open my ear to Your Voice, O my God, so that I walk in Your Way always. I choose to incline my ear toward You rather than follow the dictates of my own heart. I confess that when I have chosen to trust in the counsels of my heart in the past I have gone backward and not forward in this Journey toward You. I sincerely want to be a godly person, a woman after Your own heart. Stir up my heart and mind to obedience by bringing Your Word to mind. May I continue this forward Journey, growing in grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Judges 11.10; Jeremiah 27.23-24; 2 Peter 3.1,13

Prayer: A Shield About Me, The Lifter of My Head

Ah, Lord God, You alone know how to rescue the godly from trials. So many places around the globe, O Lord, where Your people suffer under the hand of persecution; be a Shield about them, be the Lifter of their head. In some of these places there is nothing but oppression all around. As a well keeps its water fresh, so she keeps fresh her evil; violence and destruction are heard within; sickness and wounds are ever before You, O Lord.

O Lord, Your Word is to them an object of scorn, they take no instruction or pleasure from it. Everyone is greedy for unjust gain and everyone in government, in commerce, in religious authority deals falsely with Your people. They heal the wounds of Your people slightly by saying, "Peace, peace" when there is no peace. May Your people stand and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good Way is and may they walk in the light of Your Truth and find rest for their souls. Amen.

Genesis 15.1-6; Jeremiah 6.6-7, 10, 13-14, 16; 2 Peter 2.9

Musing: Excuses, Excuses! or...Confession is Good for the Soul

Perhaps you've noticed that I haven't posted a prayer since November 6th. That is the day I left for my whirlwind trip:
First stop: Catching up with my son in Chicago;
Second stop: Visiting London and Amersham in the UK (sightseeing and assisting my sister-in-law in her search for the Mills family relatives);
Third stop: Visiting my daughter and her family in Durham, UK (with a little sightseeing thrown in);
Fourth stop: Back to London to visit the other side of the Mills family relatives.

Upon returning to the states, Rob had been given a reduction-in-force notice by Salem Hospital and the decision was made to officially retire. This necessitated us selling furniture, packing up "stuff", cleaning and moving out of the Salem residence by December 15th. The next trick was to fit all that "stuff" into the Seal Rock house. Final assessment? Too much "stuff"! So, then...sorting through all the "stuff" and determining what to put in the upcoming church Rummage sale.

The next event was our church secretary resigning her job near the end of December. I was asked to come in and help out, which involved more cleaning, sorting and tossing of "stuff" at the church office. This was followed by a re-vamp and publication of their monthly newsletter.

Now during all this I have continued to have my quiet time and to write prayers each day in my handwritten prayer journal...I just hadn't taken the time to post any of those prayers on my blogsite. One day stretched into two...then...before I knew it a month...then even more days had gone by. I thought, "Well, no one has even noticed that I haven't been posting. No one has even mentioned it, so it isn't a big deal." Of course, the next day I had two different phone conversations where the question was asked, "When are you going to start posting your prayers again?!" Then, a questioning e-mail. Ah, me! Now the question is whether I just post from this day forward, or go back and enter all those other prayers. Still haven't decided...guess you will just have to continue to check, hmmmm?! ;) Today's prayer is posted below...

Prayer: Become Partakers of the Divine Nature

Lord God Almighty, may I choose to participate in that which proceeds directly from You.
Be Thou the Creative, Controlling Force in my life.
Fill me with Your excellence, knowledge, self-control, godliness, brotherly affection and love.
May all these qualities become my very essence.
Thank You for revealing that these qualities will keep me from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ and in Your Kingdom.
Amen

2 Peter 1.4-8