A PERSONAL PRAYERO God,There are days I think I am a pretty good guy. I think, “well, compared to lots of people, I am doing ok.” I am conventionally nice, so perhaps I don’t need any really significant forgiveness. But then, when I put aside my pretense, I know better. Please forgive me. Like the tax collector in the temple, my cry is “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” There are things I have done. Things I have said. Things I haven’t done. When I take a good honest look at my heart and life, I really am ashamed. When people say critical things about [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYERO God of love, Great Physician, healer of all, compassionate one…I know so many people who are sick. Some with ever-present pain. Some who are dying. Some with chronic illnesses. Some who live each day with mental illness. Some who just suffer as their bodies fight the periodic afflictions of human life. We are bold to pray for healing for all of your beloved children. When you walked among us as a human being, you showed us your desire for healing. You brought life again to the daughter of the religious leader, but stopped along the way to cure the woman who had [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYERO God,Without letting go of some things, we can’t take hold of anything else. There is no growth without change. There is no change without loss. There is no loss without grief. There is no grief without pain. And the pain is real. Just because our grief is inevitable doesn’t mean it hurts less.Yes, we believe there is heaven ahead. But still it hurts. Yes, we believe that one day there will be no more tears. But there are tears now.In your Scripture, you promise to bind up the broken-hearted. You promise to comfort those who mourn. Jesus wept for his friends who were grieving. God, I [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYERO God,To be betrayed, God. It shakes up one’s whole sense of trust in the world, makes one question assumptions and beliefs about everything around. So many folks feel that people they once trusted betrayed them. Spouses. Business partners. Friends. Children. Parents… even pastors can betray us. The pain and anger are overwhelming. The consequences can be so harmful to families and neighborhoods, relationships of all sorts. How do we deal with it, God? You tell us we are to “turn the other cheek.” Do those who betray us just get off scot-free? That doesn’t seem right at all! But it also doesn’t seem right to pray [...]

Presence: Remember that you’re in the presence of God in a special way when you pray. Ask God for help in prayer.Gratitude: Recall two or three things that happened today for which you are especially grateful. Savor them. Then thank God for these gifts.Review: Review you day from start to finish, noticing where you experienced God’s presence. Notice everything from large to small: from an enjoyable interaction with a friend to the feel of the sun on your face. When did you love? When were you loved?Sorrow: You may have sinned today or done something you regret. Express your sorrow [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER O God, Sometimes, I feel like I am addressing the symptoms rather than the illness. Sometimes, I feel like I am changing the clothes I am wearing rather than improving the health of the soul. I worry about the fruit of my life – what impact am I making? How can I treat people better? How can I listen more? How can I address the issues I am avoiding? How can I be happier, healthier, better? But all of these outward behaviors are simply outgrowths of something far more central, something at the core of who [...]