Kind Lord of the Eternal Kingdom:
Hear us, Sovereign of our lives,
We plead for mercy, make for safety;
You know our needs at every turn,
Before ourselves perceive or feel. Continue reading “Crawling Toward Your Fullest Glory”
Beyond My Ken
O God who gives beyond our needs:
What time and cost we spend on non-essentials!
With bread and drink let us be content,
With simple clothes to cover us.
Keep us from worry over the vanities of life,
Over things beyond our control.
I strive, O Lord, not to occupy myself
With things that are beyond my ken,
Nor do I have great aspirations.
Keep me from pride and arrogance,
O God who is exalted above all.
I humble myself before your throne;
The Kingdom and the power and the glory
Belong to you, and in your hand
Are the fortunes and destinies of all man.
In your care I am content.
To attain the marvelous goal of faith —
Salvation for my soul — and to help
Another reach it as well, by example
And teaching, is the greatest work of all.
Protect me, O Father, to reach your glory.
Why Me?
To you all praise for your marvelous plan,
Such love that saves the spirit of man,
Of whom am I a humble one! —
To be lost forever you want none.
Why me? So many ask about
Their suffering — here I have no doubt.
I ask, Why me? as a thankful soul,
Since cleansing Blood has made me whole.
Why did the Gospel reach my ear,
With billions who have yet to hear?
What act of grace reached down to me
That set this simple creature free?
How was I chosen by Mercy’s hand,
So that I now in your presence stand?
Why me, O Lord, by what Decision
Plucked me from death in the great Division?
Such thoughts for me are much too great,
But praise I give for the narrow gate.
The answer to why, O Father, I know:
To the world with Jesus I must go.
Please share this prayer with your friends.
The God of All
God of all comfort,
You are the God of all grace, of all power, of all knowledge,
the God of omni’s, the God of the little man squeezed out.
You are the God of the fallen, the broken, and the silenced,
the God who picks up the pieces and gives voice to pain.
You are the God of the forgotten, the doubtful, the confused,
the God of those who cannot look back for fear of the past.
You are the God of those without a future, without a hope,
the God who loves the loveless, among whom I am one.
For Jesus came for me. Amen.
My Heart’s Not Proud
Psalm 131
O Lord, my heart’s not proud,
And I’ve no haughty face;
My goals do not sound loud,
Nor go beyond my place.
My spirit rests composed,
Quiet, content and still;
A young child enclosed
By a mother’s protective will.
O People! Let hope soar
Both now and evermore.
So Many Needs
So many needs have I, O Lord,
Not merely two or three.
Of all of these, I can’t afford
To lack humility.
I’d be like you, the Sorrowed Man,
Who bore my sins away.
Remind me how my life began:
I’m but unworthy clay.
I glory in your eternal Name,
In me no good resides.
Let me your holy promise claim,
To find a life that abides.
Ten requests to God in prayer
- Blanket your people with peace, O Lord, that we may live in quiet submission and glad thanksgiving.
- Remove from us those earthly and material things upon which we rely, so that we might depend wholly upon your grace and power.
- Bring us low in humility, as Jesus himself humbled himself, in order to be useful to the Kingdom.
- Jolt us from our comfortable routines and throw us out into the world of need.
- Fix before our eyes the single task of proclaiming Christ to a condemned mankind.
- Stir up our zeal for the truth of the gospel that we might know the Scriptures and guard your word in our hearts.
- Steer us away from sin and produce in us the holiness that permits us to see your face.
- Pour out your Spirit into our hearts that we might produce that holy and righteous fruit of all good things.
- Swell the ranks of reapers in the field of salvation, so that those who are ready to hear might have a message to respond to.
- Expose the lies of the evil one, so that the God who does not lie might be seen as the Savior and Sovereign of all.
How Charming the Humble Heart
What beauty surrounds me, O God, in creation —
In faith, where blood can cleanse a soul!
How charming the humble heart that serves —
More than fragrant flowers on the tree.
In my own life create such splendor,
That lovely patience, that quiet spirit —
Mature fruit from years of study
Of the Christ who daily shines ever brighter.
Let my teaching be incisive
- Help me, Father, to put people face to face with your Word.
- Make me a faithful proclaimer of the Good News.
- May I be an example, not a stumbling block, to others.
- Show through my life the blessed state of life in Christ.
- Keep me from speaking in generalities.
- Let my teaching be incisive, addressing directly people’s needs.
- Put people in my path to be reached by your grace.
- Prevent me from getting in the way of the working of your power.
- Give me a humble attitude, while showing certainty of my faith.
- Thank you for making me a part of your plan to save others.
The humility of Jesus humbles me
Psalm 131; Philippians 2
Heavenly Father, the humility of the Lord Jesus humbles me. His condescension to low estate flattens me. He was willing to descend to earth, to take on our nature, to live a common life, to experience all of human thought, emotion, and suffering. All the while, we seek to become someone important. Using education, wealth, associations, position, or talents, we strive to rise in the opinion of others.
Father, I renounce all these attempts. I repent of my self-importance. I seek my worth and value in you. Let me be content to occupy the seat of the least of your family.
Let not my heart be proud. Keep me from the haughty look. Trim back my great aspirations. Let me not concern myself with subjects that are beyond my comprehension. Help me to be content with what you have revealed.
Make me composed and quiet, like a young child carried by its mother. Let my hope and aspiration be centered in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.