Unity

Dear Omniscient LORD ,

You know the beginning and end of all things, the meaning of every word, and the heart of every man. You know perfect truth and can see clearly through every deception no matter how small. You know every working of the world around us, and understand the formulations that hold it all together. The beauty of the universe we see points to You, God Almighty.
We are part of Your creation yet countless times we are nothing like You. We hate, we lie, we seek our own desires selfishly, we deceive, we manipulate, and we corrupt truth. Forgive us, LORD, for these and all our many sins.
Thank you for the salvation and forgiveness we have through Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for the assurance of eternal life and the new position we have as your children.
And it is as your children that we come before you, Father. To ask for Your guidance, for Your wisdom, and for Your understanding. Illuminate our hearts, allow us to see things the way You do, and change us into what You want us to be.
We long for spiritual unity and know it is vital to the bond You have placed on us. And so we pray that You keep us from distractions and vain ideas. Prepare our hearts as tender ground and stifle the fire of our pride and stubbornness. Keep our tongues and our words not only right and true, but kind and immersed in Your love.
Let the end of this journey be a place unlike we have ever been before. A place where You can build a home that will be dauntless against the evil that fills this world. A place where children can grow in the security and stability of Your love, wisdom, and complete truth.
Whatever we have to sacrifice, whatever You have to take, whatever You have to do – let it be so. Only draw us nearer to You and to each other.

You have our hearts and our lives; make them one only like You can.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Wash Me and I Shall be Clean

Dear God, Most Holy and Pure,

In Your presence I tremble, for the crimson of my sin is darkened, the burden of it made more heavy, and the pain of my guilt more piercing before You. So many times I have failed You and still lack the strength to keep it from happening again. Does it bring doubt of my love for You? Does it make you regret Your love for me? For a lifetime I pledged my heart and mind to you and yet in one moment it seems I let go of that promise. How foolish I am to think my flesh any less weak than it is. How foolish I am to think any other man’s flesh is less weak than it is.
Oh, Lord my God, forgive me of my sin and save me from these chains that hold my soul. Will you look down from Your throne in heaven and lift me up, restore, and make me whole? Kneeling before any other king I would wonder in finding mercy. But You are not only my King, you are my Father. So I run to as a child, with tears in my eyes and a heart of sorrowful repentance. I run to the place I can find love, comfort, and forgiveness. And I am assured to find even more than I seek.
With a renewed commitment I rise from falling and embrace a new day. And I put no confidence in my flesh but seek Your heavenly strength. I purpose to never give the enemy reason to mock or question Your choice of me. Yet I realize that while there are many more who are stronger, braver, and truer, You have loved even me. Show me the way and I will walk in it, no matter how difficult. Ask what You will and I will surrender it no matter how precious. There is no other Who compares to You, no Other I love and give all to like You. In my failures make me wiser, in my weaknesses make me stronger, in my brokenness make me know a part of what You suffered for my sake. My heart overflows with thanksgiving for while You have already given me all, every day you bless me with more. May the gratitude of Your indescribable love never leave my heart,

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Hold My Heart

Dear Shepherd,

Your presence is such a comfort. How wonderful it is to know that every word You speak is true. I can trust You without restraint and know that You will never fail me. Forgive me for feeling lost and confused, for worrying about a future that is completely in Your hands. You have ordered each of my steps and can see my life from beginning to end. Your Word says that the best is yet to be and that You answer above and beyond all we ask or can imagine. You know me better than anyone will or can know me. You know the desires of my heart to the most specific detail. But most importantly, You know what will make me happy.
You know how incredible I think his smile was, how polite and kind he came across, and how I was in awe of the expressions of his heart. His accomplishments and ambition was dressed in humility. And greater than anything was his love for You and the desire in his heart to know You better. You know how many times a day I remember our meeting and how I long to see him again. In all my life I did not think that such a man existed and I wonder if he stepped out of my dreams. My heart longs to have faith in knowing that he is Your answer to my prayers and the one I will spend the rest of my life with. I am excited to begin the journey of knowing him more and seeing nothing but Your blessing. But my heart is even greater overflowing with the wonderment of experiencing the bond of love You created between a man and a woman. I do not believe I have ever felt such a pull on my heart before.
Lord, hold my heart gently; it is in Your hands. Have mercy and grace to the least deserving. Lord I believe, help Thou my unbelief.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

For My Friend

Dear Lord,

Be with my friend, hold her heart close to Yours and let her feel Your arms around her in the coldest of times. Never let her doubt of Your love and may You show her proofs of that in many ways. May she hold on to the wisdom that only comes from You and find strength that is made perfect when she feels weakest. You're all she needs, never let her forget that . Let her eyes see You and let her see things the way You do. Her life is precious and has blessed many lives including mine. You must admire her too, for You knew she could endure such a trial. May her faith grow and may her character sharpen, so that she may ever be a beloved daughter of the King of Kings.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

The Stillness of this Night

Dear Heavenly Father, my Comfort, and my Friend,
In the stillness of this night I feel Your presence. And in a world that has no logic I can trust the stability of Your wisdom. Surrounded by people who are at times so cruel, I can run to the shelter of Your love.
Sometimes I tire of the complexities that drain the beauty of life, that clutter our minds and steal from our time here on earth. And while I anticipate Your return I am overwhelmingly aware of so much that has yet to be done. There are countless who are a step away from eternity and have never been touched with Your love. There is a battle to be fought against the evil that consumes this world and rages against Your children and Your truth.
Lord, make me an ambassador of Your love to those whose hearts have been shattered, whose souls search for an answer, whose minds are haunted by a past they cannot escape, and whose lives are a cycle of disappointments. And Lord, make me a soldier of Your cross who will defend the truth of Your Word, promote the glory of Your kingdom, fulfill Your perfect will, and bring honor to Your name. I am only one and I am far from the best You can find. This world may never know my name I may live, die, and be forgotten. But Lord, if You use me to make a difference in this age then my dream will have come true and my life will have not been in vain.
Thank You, Lord, for all You've done for me. Thank You for binding my broken heart, for holding me safe in Your arms, for blessing me with so many gifts and opportunities that I take for granted at times, and for giving me the desire of my heart when I truly deserve the fury of Your wrath.
I love You, Lord. Forgive me for not loving You more.

In Jesus name,

Amen