After a rainy night, it is a rainy Sunday afternoon here with a forecast of rain for the rest of the day, making it a good day to rest from outdoor exercise and work, making it a great day for on-line church and a lunch of chicken noodle soup brought home from Bob Evans yesterday, for baking some cookies and making some masks, and for praying.
Earlier this week, I told you about the books I’m reading, including Praying The Ten Commandments by Cleddie Keith. I’ve decided to begin the sixth Sunday’s prayer with Keith’s example of a short prayer based on the First Commandment given to Moses for God’s chosen people and the generations to follow and recorded in the book of Exodus,
“You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3
Please join me in prayer, friends.
Lord, my heart overflows with thanksgiving. You are my one and only. I come to you surrendered to Your Lordship. Because You are number one in my life, I seek first Your kingdom. I am grateful that you have made it so easy for me to set the priorities right in my life. When you are exalted to where You belong, all else falls in sync with Your will.
Lord, we confess that we have not always kept you first in our hearts and lives. We often seek many other things without much thought of you. And while you have made it easy to know what should be prioritized, our pride and love of worldly things lead us into confusion and distress. We praise you because you are merciful! You wait for us to come back to the truth of who you are and to receive forgiveness when we have strayed away from You.
We praise you for you are the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and you do hold the whole world in your hands. No person escapes your notice, and all are invited to come into your kingdom.
We praise you, the father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows, from whom all blessings flow, every good and perfect gift coming down from above. Right now, Lord, we feel like good things are being taken away from us. Help us to be patient, kind, and trusting through these days, giving you thanks for every blessing and believing that you will work these difficulties out for good for those who love you.
We ask you again to show your kindness to those who are hurting, those who are sick, those who are worried, those who are tired, and those who are alone. We pray that you will protect them and us from evil and show yourself tender as well as mighty.
We pray again that you will pour out your Holy Spirit, drawing many into the family of believers and giving wisdom to our earthly leaders. Please shorten the days of this pandemic. Help us to come through it with stronger faith, with truer love for our neighbors, and with godly priorities.
In the powerful name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
