A Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for all that You are. Thank You for Your steadfast love, for Your unfailing kindness. For Your mercies that are new every morning. 

Thank You for each moment of life that You give to us - for each breath of air we take in. For every morning we are privileged to awaken and delight in, that we might have another day to discover more of You. For every footstep we walk in Your safety. Not one thing should we take for granted, Lord, for it is only because of Your kindness and Your goodness alone that we receive our moments. May we realize this, and forever give thanks and praise to You.

Thank you, Jesus, that we are able to come boldly to the throne room of our Father God. That Your greatness doesn't overpower us so that we are far away from You - that our sin no longer keeps us worlds away from Your heart. Thank you, Father, that because of Your Son that You take our filthy rags and see only the perfection of Christ. Thank You that You forget our sins when we confess them to You - that they are considered no more in Your sight and are not held against us.

Thank You for your grace. Forgive us when we strive and do things to try to pay You for the favor that we already have in You. Forgive us for our foolishness, our waywardness, and our ignorance. Please release us from the things that grieve Your Holy Spirit - that keep us from being the sons and daughters that You want us to be - that you intended us to be from the beginning of time.

Thank You that you always have a plan for us. That you will never let us be snatched from Your strong hands. Thank You for caring for us far more than the sparrows and the lilies of the field. Thank You for not giving us stones instead of bread. Thank You Jesus for going to prepare a home for us, a place with many rooms - thank You for the relief that is ours as we embrace the truth of all of these things.

Forgive us our unconfessed sins, Father. Forgive us for all of the grievances to You that pass even beyond our own consciousness. For the times we spoke in pride, or elevated ourselves, either intentionally or unintentionally. May we learn the humility and servanthood of Christ. May You forever and always increase as we decrease. 

May we learn from Your loving rod of discipline, realizing fully that our trials are also our refining, which will lead us to our deeper joy.

May we not resent our place, but always find our contentment in You.

May we run fully from anything that keeps us from further Oneness with You.

Abba Father, I pray that we see You as the tender and loving Father that You are, and not the cruel and distant dictator that the world portrays You to be. May we renounce the lies of evil, never giving in to our senseless fears and anxieties, knowing that You, Jesus, are the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for His sheep.

May we not second guess Your promises. May we not qualify them with our"what ifs" or "but maybes"- may we not try to alter them on our terms. Teach us how to stand. Equip us with the powerful recall of Your inspired Word that is stronger than any sword against the principalities of evil swirling around us.

Protect our families on earth, father. Biological or chosen or both. Provide them with health physically, spiritually, and mentally. Let us be at least as nurturing for them as they have been for us - but with Your help, let us be even more so. Let us always give more than we think we should, knowing it won't even come close to what You give to us. May we be selfless enough to not only know these things but to do them, and aware enough to know we need You to help us.

And dear Lord, please please bless those who do not have families, or have not yet found their own to come alongside them on this earth. Fill their lonely hearts with the knowledge and revelation of You as they find their true completion in You.

May all seeking and broken hearts rest in You, knowing You are where all searching can cease. May we have hearts that trust in You, knowing that You won't hurt us the way the world hurts us.

May we know our value in You, in your Son, Jesus. And may we feel that love - not as a pride point, to inflate ourselves as chosen ones, but simply as a foundational place to begin, and upon which we can build that foundation with all spiritual fruit and blessing in order to please You, our good Father.

May we know how to forgive, remembering always the vast and incredible way in which we were forgiven.

May we be still enough to hear Your voice and strong enough to seek Your direction before consulting anyone else.

May we seek always to find ways to bless You, never forgetting that it is very possible to bring You joy.

May we develop hearts for the ones that are harder for us to love. Somehow, some way, with Your help.

May we be a committed and intentional people, not taking lightly the hearts and minds and feelings of others as we interact with them in word or deed. 

May we learn to consider others more than ourselves. May we walk humbly with You all the days of our lives. May we be expectant for hope that is to come. May we be kind when we don't feel kind, and grateful when we wonder why. May we be encouragers to others when we don't feel strength for ourselves.

May we be at peace and filled with joy as we go about our activities in You.

May we rest deeply and soundly knowing our bodies and souls are protected by You.

May we ever-rejoice knowing You withhold no good thing from your children.

Lord, please keep us pure, keep us focused, and keep us well. 

And above all else -  may we endeavor to know more and more how to love like You love, Jesus.

For it is in Your Holy and Precious Name I pray and ask these things,

Amen.

Source

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"God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns." 
         
            (Psalm 46:1-5)