My Father and My God,
Hear my feeble prayer for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, my Redeemer and King.
Holy Spirit, teach me by Your Word how to pray effectively for God’s glory and the good of Christ’s Church.
As it is written, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26).
Teach me to pray more consistently in accordance with Your Word. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).
O GOD: Father, Son, Holy Spirit; You alone are mighty, wise, and all-knowing, but I am weak, foolish, ignorant, and stupid of so many things!
You alone are holy and glorious, but I am sinful and defiled.
You alone are the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that in them is, but I am simply dust and ashes, and my life is like a vapor.
As David wrote in Psalm 39:5, “Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah!”
Therefore, O FATHER, look upon me in Your mercy, and fill me with your Spirit and Word.
Teach me to walk in wisdom, and to be clothed with humility as my Savior Jesus!
O GOD, I do love You, yet not as I ought.
I fail to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
But Jesus did not fail. He loved You perfectly with all His being, and He did so in my place, and on my behalf.
And He has covered me with His perfect righteousness, holiness, and complete satisfaction.
The ONLY reason I am acceptable in Your holy sight is Jesus and Jesus alone!
His person and work is my righteous standing before Your holy throne!
Without Jesus I am damned and rightly so! I have broken all Your commandments.
Yet, in Christ, by true faith granted by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:8), I am accounted as righteous and holy as Jesus!
What a wonder of grace!
Strengthen me for today’s work and service!
Make me walk faithfully and obediently for Your glory.
Strengthen my faith in Christ, cause me to love You, Your Word, Your Son, Your Spirit, Your Church, and all things true, holy, righteous, and just in a progressively greater measure, and help me to love and esteem others as better than myself.
Help me, Lord Jesus, to take the lowest place of service towards those who cross my path.
Let me be my brother and neighbor’s footwasher, servant, and friend!
Lord Jesus, help me to follow in Your footsteps for Your honor, glorify, and praise!
Help me to love my brothers and sisters in the Faith, my neighbors, and even those who hate me.
For You must increase and I must decrease!
Holy Spirit, keep my tongue from gossiping, backbiting, and slandering others.
Teach me wisdom and humility. Keep me walking on the narrow path that leads to life.
Keep me dependent upon You in all things because in truth, I am dependent upon You for all things, from the least to the greatest.
I know that independence is a mere Illusion of my sinful heart.
“For in You I live and move and have my being” (Acts 17:28).
Holy Spirit, I am needy, foolish, and weak, and I need You every moment.
Fill me with Your presence, power, and fruit. Keep me walking by faith.
For I know without Your power and presence I cannot stand for one moment against the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
As the hymn writer declared, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand!”
Discipline me when I go astray; Humble me when I obey!
In Christ’s holy name I pray!
Amen!
