{"id":3989,"date":"2017-08-07T11:10:02","date_gmt":"2017-08-07T15:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/?p=3989"},"modified":"2017-08-07T11:10:02","modified_gmt":"2017-08-07T15:10:02","slug":"a-morning-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/prayerplainandsimple\/2017\/08\/a-morning-prayer.html","title":{"rendered":"A Morning Prayer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"sunset-seen-through-hands-in-heart-shape\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Are you a morning person? Being in high demand as a leader, Jesus\u00a0took advantage of the quiet before His followers were awake to be with His Abba Father.<\/p>\n

Perhaps Jesus\u00a0prayed Psalm 5. It was written as a morning prayer. Today we will use the morning hours to lift up our lives and cares to the God who cares. Let\u2019s pray this beautiful prayer together today and make it ours, plain and simple:<\/p>\n

O Lord, hear me as I pray;<\/strong><\/em>
\n pay attention to my groaning.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Father, thank You \u00a0that You hear the groans of my heart. Sometimes I just don\u2019t have words to express what I\u2019m feeling about the challenges I am walking through, but You hear\u00a0my groaning and accept it as prayer.<\/p>\n

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don\u2019t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. (Romans 8:26)<\/em><\/p>\n

Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,<\/strong><\/em>
\n for I pray to no one but you.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

You, Lord, are the only One I run to. Where else can I go? Who else has the wisdom and strength and comfort that I seek? I trust in no one as I trust in You, dear Father!<\/p>\n

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. (Psalm 73:25)<\/em><\/p>\n

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.<\/strong><\/em>
\n Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I have confidence as I approach You with my concerns, Lord, for You know exactly what to do. I present my prayers before You and sit back, waiting for You to act. I am trusting in Your goodness to meet my needs.<\/p>\n

Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;<\/strong><\/em>
\n I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I drink deeply of Your great love this morning. Thank You that You love me. your love for me is so real and so intense that I\u2019ll never fully get my head around it, but Lord, I will try. I will meditate on You, my God whose very essence is love. Shed Your love into my heart this morning through the Holy Spirit and cause the roots of my inner being to grow deeper into Your great love, causing me to live fearlessly and confidently.<\/p>\n

Lead me in the right path, O Lord,<\/strong><\/em>
\n or my enemies will conquer me.<\/strong><\/em>
\nMake your way plain for me to follow.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Lord, I will be presented with choices and options today, and I won\u2019t have the wisdom or the foresight to know which way to go unless I have Your guidance. Holy Spirit, I ask you to be my guide in all decisions big and small, for I know that walking apart from You can bring about unwelcome consequences in my life; I have learned this lesson the hard way, and I don’t care to repeat it.<\/p>\n

My enemies cannot speak a truthful word.<\/strong><\/em>
\n Their deepest desire is to destroy others.<\/strong><\/em>
\nTheir talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.<\/strong><\/em>
\n Their tongues are filled with flattery.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I am well aware, Lord, that I have an enemy who would seek, if he cannot kill me, to steal from me and destroy my life. I put on the full armor of God today to take my stand against his wily ways. Make me skillful to refute His accusations with the truth of Your Holy Word.<\/p>\n

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;<\/strong><\/em>
\n let them sing joyful praises forever.<\/strong><\/em>
\nSpread your protection over them,<\/strong><\/em>
\n that all who love your name may be filled with joy.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Give me Your joy today, even in the midst of challenges and trials. Lighten the burden I carry; I give it to You. Liven my step to walk with total trust and confidence.<\/p>\n

For you bless the godly, O Lord;<\/strong><\/em>
\n you surround them with your shield of love.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I thank You for Your shield of love that surrounds me with a force-field\u00a0of protection. Hallelujah, nothing can penetrate Your love that hems me in above, below, and all around me.<\/p>\n

In Jesus\u2019 Name
\nAmen!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Photo credit: Foter.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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