Father God, open our eyes so we can see those that you send our way to be our teachers, remove from our minds those preconceived ideas that would blind us to the lessons you would have us learn. Remove from our hearts any prejudice that places barriers between us and the blessings you wish to pour out through our brothers and sisters in Christ. Keep us teachable through your gentle conviction and encouragement.
Prayers
David Maddalena
I worship you Lord! You did not enter your holy city Jerusalem on the back of a war horse, but humbly and on a donkey. You knew that you were surrounded by murderers, yet you came in peace, and by your sacrifice you would utterly conquer death before the week had passed. You, oh Lord, are blessed and worthy of my praise. You have saved your people. I say, “You are my king!”… I long to live in the city where you sit on the throne! Establish your Kingdom, so that your people can live in peace. Jesus, I bow before you, and I will sing your praises until your Kingdom comes and is established, and forever after.
Peter Marshall
In the name of Jesus Christ, who was never in a hurry, we pray, O God, that You will slow us down, for we know that we live too fast. With all of eternity before us, make us take time to live.
Katherine Walden
He heals the broken-hearted. Psalm 147:3
Everlasting Father, I ask You to go to those whose hearts ache on Your Son’s birthday. They are hurting and lonely. Father, let them know it’s okay to give You the pain, loneliness, and frustration that rests in their hearts. Enable them through Your grace to know You are listening — and that You care. Come to those who grief as the Father of all comfort.
Immanuel, I pray for those who are single and without family nearby. Those who spend much of the holidays alone. Be with them in the lonely hours and help them not feel unseen during this season that places so much emphasis on ‘family.’ Remind them of Your open-ended invitation of adoption into Your eternal family. Give them the grace to allow You to enter their heart’s lonely places. I pray for those who are housebound and infirm and are unable to leave their homes or hospital rooms due to illness. I pray for those with loved ones separated by work and sacrificial duty. Come to them as their beloved friend.
Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, I pray for families who are struggling financially and relationally. I pray for those whose marriages are crumbling. I pray for children who are frightened and neglected. Be with the small ones who sense the worry and frustration that their parents try to hide. Bring Your hope, bring Your peace.
Come as the great Physician; come as deliverer and set free those who are isolated and bound by the chains of addiction and self-destructive behaviour.
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, please swoop into each home, hospital room, homeless shelter, hotel, jail cell, and every place of business that must be open on the holidays – let Your children know they are not alone.
Holy Spirit, please come as the Comforter and let Your gentle healing warmth soothe and bring solace to their aching hearts. I pray this in the name of Jesus — who knows our sorrows and understands our hearts.
©2023 Katherine Walden
Pete Greig
Outwardly the course of my life is set, but inwardly I am profoundly restless and I feel far from You. There’s no risk left, and I’m scared of settling for this. Trouble is, everything’s going great, it’d be easy to miss my life a day at a time. It’s all become too easy, too predictable, too safe, too sensible I feel like I’m just dying spiritually… So I’ve got nowhere left to go, but to get down on my knees and wait for You to speak. The one thing I do know is that if I don’t learn to truly hear Your voice for myself, and follow it diligently – regardless of what others say – I could feel like a fraud for the rest of my life.
Betty Scott Stam
Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee to be Thine forever. Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit. Use me as Thou wilt. Send me where Thou wilt. Work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever.
B.J. Hoff
With the light of your presence and warmth of your love, Lord, furnish my heart and make it your home.
B.J. Hoff
Daily Christian Quote Website
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Jeremy Taylor
Relieve and comfort all the persecuted and afflicted; speak peace to troubled consciences; strengthen the weak; confirm the strong; instruct the ignorant; deliver the oppressed from him that spoileth him; and relieve the needy that hath no helper; and bring us all, by the waters of comfort, and in the ways of righteousness, to the kingdom of rest and glory, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Joy Dawson
We would be still and know that You are God…. We stand in awe of You…, Your awesome holiness, majestic splendour, blazing glory, limitless power, and unquestionable sovereignty. We worship You for Your flawless character, Your infinite knowledge and wisdom, Your absolute justice, unswerving faithfulness, unending mercy…. We bow our hearts and bend our knees before… Your dazzling beauty, Your fascinating personality, Your incomprehensible humility, Your unsearchable understanding, and Your unfathomable love….Our greatest need is to have a far greater revelation of what You are really like. We ask You to meet that need.
Rob Coscia
Dear God, as I observe the social, political, and spiritual landscapes, please help me recognize bitterness disguised as boundaries, fear pretending to be wisdom, and the lust to be right masquerading as truth.
And if I wasn’t clear, I mean in my own heart.