A Beatitude Prayer

Lord, You say that the poor in spirit are blessed. We know that we are poor in spirit. We are spiritually dry and exhausted. May we remember that the Kingdom of Heaven is for the poor in spirit.

God, You call the mourners blessed. We are mourning the division, the lack of compassion, and the political toxicity in our world. May we receive Your comfort as we mourn.

Father, You called the meek blessed, even though our culture values steamrollering, blustering, and assertiveness. We trust that the meek will inherit the earth.

God of Justice, You say that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed. We want to hunger and thirst for righteousness. We trust that You will fill us with righteousness.

Merciful Father, You call the merciful blessed, even as our politicized culture is scorning the call to be merciful. May we receive the same amount of mercy that we bestow on others.

Holy Lord, You call the pure in heart blessed and say that we will see You. May we be people of integrity, justice, and purity.

God of Peace, You say that the peacemakers are blessed and that they will be called Your children. May we be advocates of a true peace that corrects the wrongs in our world. May we work through the problems to reach a true peace.

Sovereign Lord, You say that those who are persecuted because of righteousness are blessed, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. May we live rightly, humbly, and virtuously, and if we are persecuted, may we be faithful to You. May we have the same reaction as the early church, who rejoiced that they could suffer persecution for the sake of Your name. May we not return insult for insult, persecution for persecution, or lie for lie. May we take the higher road with our actions.

Reach for the Light

 Christ is the light of the world. Those without Him are walking in darkness.

Soak up His light today so that those who look at you may see Christ's light shining off of you. 

Spend time in thanksgiving, praise, and worship.

Be Still

Be still. Find some still water to sit beside and wait on the Lord.

Sit in stillness before God. Listen. Wait. Silence your thoughts and your movements.

Sit with God. 

Eyes that See

 May we have eyes that see the marvelous details of Your creation. May we pause to notice them as we praise Your for what we see.

Hollow

We pray for those who feel hollow and empty. May You fill them with Your Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. 

 

Deer

Seeing a deer in a park brought several verses to mind. 

I want to long for You, Lord. I want to give You credit for enabling me to stand on the heights with feet like a deer. 

Psalm 42:1 and Feet of a Deer 

Can you see the deer? 

Shyness

Trees have crown shyness, but I just have regular shyness. I want to reach out to others and speak Your words to them, but I need Your boldness to do so. 

 

Wounds and Scars

I see my wounds and my scars, and I find them hideous. Yet, You can use them for Your glory. May You be glorified in my weakness. May You use my pain for good to draw others close to You. 

 

Signs of Growth

There are days when I don't feel like I am growing and changing. When these days come up, please show me, Lord, how You have been working in me and how I have grown. Show me the signs of life in my life. 

 

Soothe My Ruffled Feathers, Lord

 When the news and the events of this world upset me, Lord, soothe my ruffled feathers. 

When I can't see a way to peace, remind me that You're the Prince of Peace. 

Stick Close to God

 With the election season in the US gearing up, I want to stick close to God. 

God, I need to remember that You are sovereign and You are in control.

When I am anxious, worried, and stress, may I meditate on Your Word and stick close to You. 

Make Space In My Life

We can rush from thing to thing so quickly, that we don't have margin, or time to reflect, or space to breathe.

Lord, teach me to make space in my life for You. Build margin, time for reflection, and empty space to be used by You. 

Untangle my Priorities

We can sometimes get entangled and ensnared by the world and its priorities to get rich, to land the dream job, or so on. 

Lord, my priorities sometimes get messed up, as the world's vines tangle me up. Cut me loose from the world's priorities, so I may focus on Your priorities. 

Obstacles

What obstacles are you facing in your path? Do they feel conquerable or insurmountable? 

Whether it feels manageable or not, cry out to God to guide you through each step as you come to obstacles. 
 

Off-Kilter

 Do you feel off kilter? Are you having trouble determining which way you should be orienting yourself? 

Ask God to reorient your life to His presence and His values. When you feel pulled in different directions and on shaky ground, pray for His guidance. 

Are You Feeling Raw and Open?

Sometimes, we feel raw and open and exposed. Like the storms of life have stripped away our defenses and even parts of ourselves. 

 When that happens, pray to God for healing. Ask His Comforter to comfort you. 

Seeing Christ Through Me

 Lord, I want people to look at me and see Jesus. May my hurts, scars, and bruises allow people to better see You.

I don't want the attention for my glory, but for Yours. 

Bearing Fruit

I want to bear the fruit of the Spirit in my life.

I want to be recognized by my fruit. 

Teach Me to Marvel

 When I see Your creation, teach me to marvel. 

May I be amazed at the colors, sights, smells, and details in Your creation.

Draw My Eyes Upward

 May the views, sounds, and other parts of nature, draw my eyes up to heaven and to You. 

May I learn to see Your creation, and You, in new and unique ways.