Although there is no power in wording a
prayer in just the right way, we sometimes find it helpful when someone else
puts into words things we hadn’t thought to say. Especially when these words
draw us into expressions from God’s Book that build up our faith that his word
is true and trustworthy, we can then express ourselves with the same thoughts,
making the words our very own.
Read the following prayer through and see
if it expresses what you would like to say to God. There is nothing magical
about it. The words themselves have no power to them. It is just something I
found myself expressing to God as I began my morning time with him and I
wondered if it would help others to do the same.
However, without a genuine relationship
with God as our heavenly Father through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ our
Lord, any praying is just religious activity. So, be sure to ask for help if
you don’t think you have ever received Jesus Christ as your own Lord and
Savior.
On the other hand, when our prayers are an
expression of genuine faith, even of the, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
variety,[1]
praying what we know is true from God’s word is not only good for us in the
moment, but helps to lead us into the attachment with God that finds us joining
him in his activity wherever he is working.
Here are some statements from God’s Book
that show the justification for expressing ourselves to Father in the ways the
above prayer describes. Feel free to simply pray out those Scriptures in your
own words as well. My hope is that this sample prayer will encourage us all to
pray back to God the Scriptures through which he speaks to us each day.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.[2]
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,[3]
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?[4]
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."[5]
And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.[6]
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.[7]
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.[8]
Email: in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English
Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition:
2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News
Publishers.)
[1] Mark 9:24
[2] Ephesians 1:3-4 (read
the context of Ephesians 1:3-14)
[3] I Peter 1:3-4 (read
the context of I Peter 1:3-9)
[4] Hebrews 2:1-3 (read
the context of Hebrews 2:1-5)
[5] Luke 2:10-11 (read the
context of Luke 2:1-20)
[6] Matthew 24:14
[7] John 3:16-18 (read the
context of John 3:1-21)
[8] John 19:30 (read in
the context of John 19:1-42 into John 20:1-31)
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