A Daily Prayer

Father, help us to give good gifts to our children just as You give good gifts to us; gifts of teaching, example, and reinforcing consequence that will help shape our children into caring, giving adults who live responsible lives; children that will care for us in our needy years even as we cared for them when they were helpless.  Help us to give them personal attention and contribute to their feelings of worth and value.  You are our supreme model for giving good gifts to our children, even as You give gifts to us that last for a lifetime and many non-material gifts that will be transported with us to heaven.  Help us to do the same with our children.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Jesus, the story of Malchus reminds us of those who come against You in their thoughts, words and actions. Yet You respond to them in love even as You extend Your saving grace toward them.  When we were powerless, lost in our transgressions and sins, You died for us, the ungodly.  You made a way for us to be justified through Your shedding of innocent blood so that we, though guilty, could be saved from the Father’s wrath.  We are no longer enemies of the cross, but reconciled to the Father, through Your shed blood.  We want to sow seeds of salvation wherever we go and trust You for the eventual saving of many lives.  In Your name, Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Father, You have shown us through the example of Your Son, Jesus, that we must set aside a regular time and quiet place to meet with You, to hear Your voice, to recognize Your presence and to invite Your transforming power to renew our hearts and minds every day. We want Your kingdom of light to guide us through this world of darkness as You stamp Your own image deep in our hearts like carpenters who embed nails deep in planks of wood. Amen.

Father, we recognize the spiritual, emotional, and physical strength that comes from relying on truths and principles established in Your Word. And yet we still get lax or led astray from the paths You’ve laid out for us. Much like the oxen we need the goading of Your Holy Spirit to keep our hearts right and our will submitted to Your leading. Keep us faithful we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Father, we’re grateful for the Scriptures that make us wise unto salvation; for the godly wisdom that plants us in the fertile soil of Christian fruitfulness. When tempted to look to the wisdom of man or expertise based on godless counsel prompt us instead to look to You, our Wonderful Counselor.  Prod us on to live according to the ancient words authored by our One Shepherd as we live out our lives in this world.  Through Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Father, I want my life to be of value to You and to those around me.  Through the Psalmist You depict the wicked to be like chaff which has no lasting value here on earth and certainly not for eternity.  What a tragic waste to have been given human life and to have wasted it. I want my life to count right here and now and for all eternity.  I bow my knees and confess with my tongue that Jesus Christ is my Lord and personal Savior.  I choose not to walk in the counsel of the wicked, but I seek counsel from your Word and delight in Your ways. Amen.

Father, we want to be rooted and established deep in Your love and righteousness so that we will stand firm during the assaults of life and during times of temptation from the evil one.  As we read Your Word may it find a lodging place in our minds and a loving place in our hearts so that we meditate on it day and night.   We plant our spiritual roots deep in the soil of Your Holy Word so that we can be like healthy trees planted by streams of water growing in strength, beauty, and fruitfulness. Amen.