WATCHWORD:
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. Psalm 145:18-19
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
Meditation:
Prayer – Part 1 – A Lay-person’s Prayer.
It’s the start of another week, and as we consider all that is scheduled or unscheduled, all that we have to do, let’s put all of that aside. Let me use this meditation as a common prayer for all of us, a prayer which hopefully prepares each one of us for the day, and the week ahead.
Find a comfortable place to sit, quiet, and get settled in. Focus your mind on the Holy Spirit within, on Jesus, Lord and Savior, and on our great and generous God. Let us begin:
Good morning Heavenly Father. We greet the day with excitement for we know that You are in charge and that You love us and that You have created this beautiful day for us to enjoy. So, we begin the day rejoicing in You Lord and thanking You for restful night sleep and a new day that stretches out before us, and we smile for we know we are loved.
You’re such a generous and wondrous God, as we consider the graces that have filled each moment of our lives, gratitude fills our hearts. Grace in the form of a broad and expansive circle of loved ones; children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a long and varied line of friends and acquaintances, even those that we never really met that have touched our lives. We are blessed Lord, truly blessed.
As we consider all those in that circle, we know there are friends who have undergone surgeries and are recuperating, loved ones afflicted with diseases, cancers, and other kinds of infirmities, we pray for them and pray that Your will be done, touching each one. Open their hearts and minds to Your presence, Lord.
In that broad circle, are those that do not know You, and are unaware of the Presence of Your Holy Spirit within them. We pray that you will touch them, Lord, open their hearts and their minds and lead them to be aware of the amazing gift that You offer.
At the start of this day, Lord, open our hearts to hear the murmuring of the Holy Spirit within us, the inspiration comes from You. Help us to be committed to what You place on our hearts, and to follow all the guidance coming from the Holy Spirit, in all that we do this day. (Psalm 37:1-5)
Lord, You know that our minds as too often focused on the things of this world. Lord help us to have a clean heart and we pray that You would renew a right spirit within us. Keep us in Your presence, Lord, and help us to be more aware of the Holy Spirit within us. We do not want to miss the joy of Your salvation, Lord, and so we pray that You will continue to uphold us with Your free spirit. (Psalm 51:10-12)
We have to smile, Lord, for we know that too often our pride gets in Your Way. We know it is dangerous for us to ask that You humble us but we do ask, Lord, that You keep us humble under Your mighty hand. Teach us to be selfless and allow us always to cast our anxieties and our worries on to You. (1 Peter 5:6-7)
At the start of this day Lord, the day that You have made according to Your will, help us to keep our focus on Your word. For Lord, it’s only through Your Word that we can see the path that You have laid out for us. Your Word truly is a light to our path for we know, Lord, that You are the light of the world. Shine with even more brilliance Lord for we know that we need that so desperately. (Psalm 119:105, John 8:12)
I thank You Lord for this time that You have given to us for this conversation. It is a give-and-take, we use our words and we know in our hearts that You are responding. Because Lord we trust in You with all of our hearts. Forgive us when we rely too much on our own common sense, which has no spiritual value whatsoever, and yet too often we rely on it. Help us to trust in You with all of our heart and all of our minds and disregard the voices all around. We seek only the path that You make straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Help us to always focus on those things that keep our minds clean and clear so that we may follow Your will. You have taught us that whatever is lovely, whatever is pure, whatever is just, whatever is commendable, the moral excellence that is all around and that is praiseworthy, help us to always focus on those things. (Philippians 4:4-9)
[Include your personal prayers for loved ones, circumstances and the bumps or the rough places you must navigate this day, this week.]
As we close this prayer to You, Lord, we rejoice again and again for Your graciousness which is beyond description and our hearts leap with joy knowing that You are there. Whatever befalls us this day, Lord, we know has passed through Your hands and we will rest in that thought. We know that You are here which makes our worries simply silly things for us to dwell on, doesn’t it?
And finally, Lord, as we follow Your will throughout this day, should we find difficulties, burdens we must carry, things that threaten us, Lord, always bring us back to the knowledge that we can overcome all those things through You, the source of the strength we need. (Philippians 4:13)
These prayers Lord we offer to You in the name of our savior Jesus the Christ. May our Lord bless us beyond measure as we begin this new gift He has given us, one more day. Go with God, go with His Peace. Amen.
