Tag Archives: Prayer
How Shall the Young Secure Their Hearts?
How shall the young secure their hearts? Throughout my life I have sung lyrics by Isaac Watts that ask that question. Watts drew his inspiration from Psalm 119:9-16, the second division of that psalm’s 176 verse anthology of prayer. Concern … Continue reading
Moving Forward after Prayer
All seemed lost. News that not one but three armies were moving towards the national capital frightened the nation. King Jehoshaphat responded. As I noted in a post in 2013, “A leader’s spiritual life affects the moral climate of those … Continue reading
Thoughts about The Lord and His Prayer
British professor N. T. Wright has written a book, The Lord and His Prayer (published in 1997 by Wm. B. Eerdmans), about the model prayer that Jesus used to teach his disciples to pray. The prayer, recorded in Matthew 6:9-13 … Continue reading
Learning When We Pray
We learn when we pray. That may ignite reaction or spark questions in your mind. How does that happen? Am I saying that we humans are like artificial intelligence that through continued interaction anticipates more what phrases or words people … Continue reading
A Survivor Prays on Memorial Day
On Memorial Day, I remember my uncle Jimmy who was killed in action in Vietnam, grieving with my friends Ray and Rhonda at their son-in-law’s memorial, praying at a ceremony at a French military Memorial Day ceremony in 2002, and … Continue reading
A Disciple’s Full-Bodied Prayer
Humility and gratitude flow through prayer in Psalm 40, grounded in a full-bodied devotion to the Lord God. The psalmist recognizes his helplessness without God; he recalls how God not only rescued him previously, but also provided for him: “I … Continue reading
Prayer for Victory over a Virus
How does one conquer a pandemic?It’s difficult; it’s so systemic,Everywhere you look, people in masks,And if not, “Why?” Someone asks.While we battle a novel disease,Wishing it would depart, please,While we fend it off, staying apart,Washing our hands, doing our partBy … Continue reading
Praying when Very Sick
Life-threatening illness erases our calendar and makes us reassess our priorities. Because it often separates us from friends and, in the age of COVID, even family, it may isolate us from previous support systems. We may feel abandoned or at … Continue reading
Thanking God for Saving by the Resurrection
Because he arose,We will arise.We are saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Three hours of darkness had transformed the landscape outside Jerusalem while Jesus hung, suffering and dying, to a cross. His family, his followers, Roman Soldiers, and scoffing … Continue reading
PRAYER AT THE CROSS
“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:31). Many prayers ascended to God that Spring day,Calls for fire to hold unjust Death at bay.A group of women huddled near a crossOn which … Continue reading
