Prayer: Your love for me is deep

Lord, you are a loving God. Your love for me is deep. Your love holds strong even as I struggle for truth, gamble on other paths, and ready myself to give in to temptation. I invite you to walk with me on my journey. Help me to see beyond the flashy, the smooth pitch, and the quick fix. Help me today to keep my eyes focused on Jesus, who knew temptation, disappointment, and pain. In the midst of temptation, he remained faithful to his heavenly Father. Help me to remember that you, Father, are always working for my good. Hold me in your grace, tender God, and help me to move beyond myself so that I can live and serve, as did Jesus. Amen.

Prayer: Too often I live in the shadows

Lord, you are light and truth. Yet, I confess that too often I live my life in the shadow of darkness.

• I pray that your love and light would shine on all those who suffer, giving hope to those whose lives war, persecution, and slavery have obscured. Help them to know the power of your life-giving light.
• Guide all the leaders of this world to govern with compassion and justice.
• I pray for all whom stress and fear weigh them down. They attempt to muddle through their days relying on themselves instead of you. Turn their faces toward you, so that in their times of difficulty you are the beacon that guides them.
• Shine your healing light on those who suffer the darkness and loneliness of depression. Vanquish the demons that wreak havoc in their lives and restore them to wholeness.
• Bring healing to those who live under a cloud of pain and suffering, flooding their pain with the warmth of your light.
• Comfort those who walk in the valley of the shadow of death, that whatever the number of their days, you will bathe them in your glow.
• Fill me with your Spirit so that all who encounter me se the light of your love shining in my face. 

I pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. Amen.

Prayer: Give me a steadfast heart

Lord, give me a steadfast heart so that an unworthy thought will not drag me downward. Give me an unconquered heart that no difficulty or suffering can sear out. Give me an upright heart that an unworthy purpose may not tempt me to turn aside. Bestow upon me also an understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you. I pray these things through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.[1]

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[1] -Inspired by Thomas Aquinas.

Prayer: You have given me faithful framework

Read Exodus 20:1-20 and the Ten Commandments

Lord, you have given me a faithful framework to live a faithful and godly life. Yet, I fail to keep your commandments. I do not always put you first. I often worship any number of other gods and idols. I get so busy, I forget that you command me to rest and renew myself. I do not always tell the truth. I do not honor those in authority, especially those close to me. I have impure thoughts. I often covet what someone else has. Forgive me for not keeping your commandments, whether in thought or deed. Place your commandments in my heart, so that I might follow you faithfully. Amen.

Prayer: Thank you for the gift of free will

Lord, you are gracious and loving. One of the greatest gifts you have given me is the gift of free will. You have not forced yourself upon me. You have allowed me to choose whether I will surrender to you and follow Jesus. I know that this choice is a daily one. Will I today choose my own desires or your desires? Will I run after worldly pleasure, or the true joy of knowing Christ? Give me a heart that wants to choose you and desire your leading above all else. I am so thankful that you have called me to follow you, and today I choose to obey. I find my freedom in choosing you. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

Prayer: Lord, I bring my broken, sinful, and weak self

Lord, I bring myself before you, just as I am. I am broken, sinful, and weak. I confess that I am fickle. I say one thing and do another. Forgive me, for I have sinned. I say that I want to follow you, but I turn around and walk the other way. I say that I love you, and yet, I do not love my brothers and sisters. For these reasons, and many more I could name, I find myself amazed at your grace, compassion, and slowness to anger. I humbly thank you. I know that you are here, ready to hear my prayer of confession and to help me to turn from my sinfulness. You have forgiven me repeatedly. Thank you for not treating me as my sins deserve. For the divine qualities of love and forgiveness, I worship you today. Amen.

Prayer: You are gracious to hear me today

Lord, you are gracious to hear me today. I am in need of your grace and forgiveness, today and every day. Your graciousness allows me to be honest in prayer. You offer manna in the desert (Exodus 15). You nourish a hungry crowd with loaves and fishes (Matthew 14). Yet, I find it difficult to trust your abundance. I hoard what I have because it makes me feel secure. I keep score within my relationships by keeping tallies of my good works and the shortcomings of others. I follow Jesus, but only to a point. The gospel confronts me and challenges my complacency, and my response is to make excuses. Forgive me, gracious Lord. Help me to trust a divine grace that defies logic. Help me to live in the extravagance of your love and boundless mercy. Give me the will to live all of my life in service to you, my strength and redeemer. Amen.