Prayer

 

Father, Thank You for the day.

Thank You for Your Word.

Thank You for Your Love.

Thank You for the Spirit to guide and comfort me.

Thank You Jesus for being my friend.

Thank You for my companions in this life.

Thank You for Your Love that we share.

Thank You for Wisdom to know Your Will.

Thank You for Grace to use Your Will for Your Glory.

 
 

 

© 2008 Epiphanist

 

Context (so what?)

This prayer has evolved over a period of time. I say it every day, usually in the morning as I move into my specific prayer routine, but it is a sufficient prayer for the day in it’s own right. In this current version the order of the verses has changed to reflect my meditations on the Gospel of John. It is intended as a prayer of blessed thankfulness and humility. I find that rote prayer, like the liturgy, is essential in reinforcing the desirable attitudes of faith, and in bringing me properly into prayerfulness. Using the same prayers, and holy songs as other people gives a wonderful sense of shared prayer and belonging to the Body of Christ. St Paul talks about this beautifully in Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3. I have heard people speak disparagingly of rote prayer, but I find their long, rambling monologues disrespectful and lacking in the necessary focus and specific content required as a prelude to meaningful prayer. Matthew 6 is an essential read about prayer. God already knows your heart, there is so much more than small talk available through our prayer.