Here’s another good prayer from Scotty Smith. This is one for a day we’ve all experienced; it’s a prayer for days when you don’t feel like praying. Scotty and I aren’t the only one who have these days, are we?—those days when you’re just so glad that God’s delight in you isn’t contingent on your delight in him.

Here’s how Scotty prayed on a day like that:

Dear Father, this is one of those days when I could create a long prayer list and methodically go through it, but I'm not sure I would really be praying. I could go through the motions, but to be quite honest, it would be more ritual than reality... more about me, than the people and situations I'd bring before you. I'm feeling a bit distracted this morning, scattered and not very focused.

It's one of those days I'm glad the gospel is much more about your grasp of me than my grip on you. It's one of those days I'm grateful your delight in me is not contingent upon my delight in you. It's one of those days I'm very thankful for the prayer ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Gracious Father, I have no problem or reluctance in acknowledging my weakness this morning. In fact it's freeing to know your Spirit doesn't abandon us when we're weak, but helps us in our weakness. Just as Jesus constantly prays for us, the Holy Spirit faithfully prays in us with "wordless groans." Though I don't understand everything that means, I do get the part about you searching our hearts and you knowing the mind of the Spirit, and that brings me great comfort today.

No one knows our hearts better than you, Father. And you search our hearts to save us, not to shame us... to deliver us, not to demean us... to change us, not to chide us. You know my dignity and my depravity, my fears and my longings, my struggles with sin and my standing in Christ. No one but you knows how little or how much of the gospel I actually get.

And at this very moment your Spirit is praying inside of me... perfectly tuned into my needs and in total harmony with your will. I cannot measure the peace that brings. I surrender right now, Father. I will gladly groan to your glory. I know you are at work for my good in all things, including this season.

All I have to do is look at Jesus and know these things are true. You have called me to life in him and you will complete your purpose in me... and in each of your children... and in the entire cosmos. I do love you, I would love you more. So very Amen, I pray, in Jesus' merciful and faithful name.

Happy new year! Here is a prayer I found in Heart Cries to Heaven by David Campbell. It seemed very appropriate for the start of a new year.

Our great and Gracious God,

We thank you that you have been with us through the days of this past year.

We thank you that you are constantly with your people, and that you have enabled us to persevere in grace,

We pray that you will go with us into this new year.

We thank you that with that promise girding us, we can go forward with confidence and in your peace. We pray that you will help us to walk with you in this new year better than we have ever done before. Forgive us, Lord, for our sins and our backslidings of this past year.

Have mercy, we pray, upon those connected with us who come to the end of this year and their hearts are still closed against you, still hardening their hearts against you.

For Jesus’ sake,
 Amen.

You know that I like to go looking for prayers to post on Sunday (or even better, to pray on my own on Sundays). Here is one I came across a few days ago, one that shares the grief and bewilderment of a father’s heart as he ponders the imminent death of his son. It is a prayer that comes from a place of great pain, but one that also comes from a deep-rooted faith that God is good and that God does only what is good. It gives me hope that even in the midst of such pain, God would bolster my faith to trust in him.

Lord, you know my heart; you know everything about me.  It is early morning right now and on this morning, I need you so desperately.  You know I am in knots and anxious; you know I am not the strong one, but You are.  I need you to be my hiding place today; my shelter and the place where you hide me in the cleft of the rock when you pass by and show us your glory.  For today is something I am dreading beyond anything I have had to face.

Daddy, I'm weak.  I have nothing good I can give you; no reservoir of strength within me that would spark any sort of hope to get through what could possibly happen today.

Everything is from you; in you is my breathe, my being, my movement and my reality.  I must confess that though I have wanted to be as strong as others see me as, the very real reality is that I am frail and foolish; you are the strong One.  For you are my tower, my fortress, my rock that I cling to today.  I know in my weakness, in my poorness of spirit, in my emptiness of self you shine through and fill me.  Lord, it is YOU; all you that empowers us and gives us strength.  Let THAT testimony be shouted from the rooftops.  Our GOD IS FAITHFUL.  You have gotten me through yesterday, last week, last year and thus far in my life.  You have blessed others with your Spirit, your breathe, your strength and your comfort in their lifetimes and I trust that you are the same yesterday, today and forever.  You are indeed the Alpha and Omega of my life, and you INDEED created Samuel fearfully and WONDERFULLY in the womb of Kelly.  God, THIS is your truth!

Read More at Loth Blogs.

Once again I am going to post a prayer today and once more it is drawn from Scotty Smith’s blog. But this prayer was just what I needed to pray today. “It's always been easier for me to do ‘productive’ things for you, rather than spend undistracted, unrushed time with you. I confess this as sin.” I know far too much about this, about doing in place of knowing. “An informed mind is not the same thing as an enflamed heart... by any stretch.” Amen! Maybe you need to pray this too.

Gracious Jesus, the juxtaposition of images in the nativity scene are almost too much to wrap my tiny heart around. Your mother, Mary, is just beginning to nurse and know you. Even as I write these words I realize what a holy mystery and immeasurable condescension your incarnation was. You, the very God who created all things... the Lord who sustains all things by the power of your word... the King who is making all things new... as a baby you drew life-sustaining nourishment from a young maiden's breast. I'm stunned by your inconceivable humility--a humility that marked your life from cradle to cross.

Shepherds ran off to spread the word of your birth, while Mary "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." "Hurrying off" like a shepherd to tell others about you has always been easier for me than sitting still and letting you tell me about yourself. It's always been easier for me to do "productive" things for you, rather than spend undistracted, unrushed time with you. I confess this as sin, Jesus. This simply isn't okay, for knowing about you is not the same thing as knowing you. An informed mind is not the same thing as an enflamed heart... by any stretch.

To know you is eternal life, and I do want to know you, Jesus... so much better than I already do. I want to treasure you in my heart and ponder who you are. I want to contemplate your joyful life within the Trinity, from all eternity. I want to marinate in everything you've already accomplished through your life, death and resurrection... and everything you're presently doing as the King of kings and Lord of lords... and everything you will be to us in the new heaven and new earth--the Bridegroom of your beloved Bride.

O, blessed circuit board overloading and breaking glory... there's so much to treasure and so much to ponder. It's not as though I'm a stranger to treasuring and pondering. I treasure and ponder a lot of things, Jesus--things, however, that lead to a bankrupt spirit...an impoverished heart... and a spent body.

Jesus, this very Advent season, by the power of the gospel, slow all of us down... settle us afresh... center us on yourself, that each of us might say with awe and adoration, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And being with you, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Ps 73:25-26)." So very Amen, we pray, in your peerless and priceless name.

Yesterday a friend sent me this prayer from The Valley of Vision, one called “Peril.” I’m grateful that he did not send it to me because I am going through such great distress at the moment. But what a great prayer it is when harassed by doubts, fears, unbelief and darkness, when the heart is full of evil surmisings and disquietude. Here is a prayer that begs God for his presence and finds comfort in his sovereignty.

Sovereign Commander of the Universe,
I am sadly harassed by doubts, fears, unbelief,
    in a felt spiritual darkness.
My heart is full of evil surmisings and disquietude,
    and I cannot act faith at all.
My heavenly Pilot has disappeard,
    and I have lost my hold on the Rock of Ages;
I sink in deep mire beneath storms and waves,
    in horror and distress unutterable.

Help me, O Lord,
    to throw myself absolutely and wholly on thee,
    for better, for worse, without comfort,
    and all but hopeless.
Give me peace of soul, confidence, enlargement of mind,
    morning joy that comes after night heaviness;
Water my soul with divine blessings;
Grant that I may welcome that humbling in private
    so that I might enjoy thee in public;
Give me a mountain top as high as the valley is low.
Thy grace can melt the worst sinner, and I am as vile as he;
Yet thou hast made me a monument of mercy,
    a trophy of redeeming power;
In my distress let me not forget this.

All-wise God,
Thy never-failing providence orders every event,
    sweetens every fear,
    reveals evil’s presence lurking in seeming good,
    brings real good out of seeming evil,
    makes unsatisfactory what I set my heart upon,
    to show me what a short-sighted creature I am,
    and to teach me to live by faith upon
        thy blessed self.

Out of sorrow and night
    give me the name Naphtali -
    ‘satisfied with favour’ -
    help me to love thee as thy child,
    and to walk worthy of my heavenly pedigree.

Here’s another of Scotty Smith’s prayers that I particularly enjoyed. As I’ve said before, what I like about these prayers is how real they are; they’re not full of fancy words and Christianese. They’re not too polished or perfect—they’re just heartfelt prayers. If you didn’t read it a couple of days ago, be sure to read A Prayer About My Dad’s Welcome Home.

In the meantime, here is “A Prayer About Jesus' Tenacious Questioning.”

Jesus, we're always vulnerable to the destructive power of sin, but it seems like we're especially vulnerable when there's some kind of emotional upheaval in our hearts. Like Cain, when we're angry and sulking about something or someone (Abel), we can be easily "had" by sin, giving into its desire--its seductive and destructive ways. O for the Day when the season of sin's pleasure will be ended forever (Heb. 11:25; Rev. 21:1-5).

Jesus, thank you for tenaciously pursing us and asking searching questions like, "Why are you angry?", or, "Why are you so downcast?", or "What do you fear?", or "Why are you so quiet and distant?" Though you know the answer to these and every question you ask, we probably don't. Gracious heart-knower, show us our hearts... show me my heart. What are these emotions really saying? What sins are waiting to take these feelings and have a destructive field day?

I wish we only had to think about the sin that's crouching just outside the door--the tempter and temptress without just waiting to pounce. But the truth is, Jesus, until you return to finish making all things new, we've got to be wise to the sin that's crouching inside of us, as well. Like Paul, the very things we don't want to do, we still do... and the very things we want to do, they're not easily done. We long for more freedom to live and to love as we're loved by you.

How I praise you there's no condemnation hanging over me for my sin... for you hung on the cross in my place. How I praise you that to be tempted is not an act of sin, for even you, Jesus, were tempted. I would despair if this were not the case. You have mastered sin for us. You've exhausted its penalty and broken it's power. Sin will not have dominion over us ever again.

In this good news... in this gospel.. I trust today. As you show me my vulnerable heart, Jesus, show me your compassionate and loving heart ten times over. That will more than meet my need. So very Amen, I pray, in your strong, present and redeeming name.

As you know, I often post a prayer on Sunday morning—a prayer drawn from any number of sources. This week I’m turning again to Scotty Smith, pastor of Christ Community Church in Franklin, TN. This week he wrote one and posted it to his blog. He titled it “A Prayer About God's Delight and Our Hope.” It’s a prayer I found myself praying to the Lord on my behalf, for the struggle Smith confesses here is a struggle I fight through as well.

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalm 147:10-11

Compassionate Father, once again, I come before you as a repeat offender... a man suffering from doxological dementia... one of your beloved children who gives you multiplied opportunities to demonstrate the wonder of your "unlimited patience" (1 Tim 1:16). I'm a perpetual candidate for summer school in the gospel. I demonstrate this in many ways.

Whenever I feel disconnected from you or get disappointed with me... whenever I experience the accusations and condemnation of the enemy... whenever I see other believers more zealous... missionaries more passionate... young converts more committed... or friends more generous... my default mode is to lace up my running shoes and get busy for you.

Instead of coming to you for fellowship and renewal in the gospel, I start running to do something to fuel my pride and tame my conscience. I put my good feelings ahead of your declared delight. I put pleasuring me ahead of pleasuring you.

For as you tell us in this Scripture, you don't find any pleasure or delight in the strength and movement of our "legs"--in what we can do for you. You find great pleasure as we put our hope in what you've done for us in Jesus. Indeed, where can we find your unfailing... unwavering... unending love? Only in the gospel of your grace. This is counterintuitive and contrary to the way I'm wired and the way the world works... literally the way the world works.

Astonishing... to fear you is the beginning of wisdom... and we fear you the most when we hope most fully in your unfailing love for us in Jesus. Father, should we forget where we parked our cars... the address of our homes... or even our own names, may we never forget this glorious gospel. So very Amen, we pray, in Jesus' most merciful and grace-full name.

I very much appreciated this prayer written by Pastor Scotty Smith. It’s a prayer that teaches theology in an area where there is great confusion—the will of God. I won’t introduce it any further than that.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Sovereign Father, this promise brings me immeasurable peace, humility, and joy. You're vitally engaged in determining and directing every one of our steps. You're working all things together after the counsel of your will. You're working in all things for your glory and for our good. You open doors no man can shut and you shut doors no man can open. Indeed, you're no mere life coach, you're the Lord of all things... including me.

Many years I labored under the arrogance and anxiety of assuming that if I prayed hard enough and long enough... that if I was really filled with and "tuned" into the Holy Spirit, I could know the specifics of your will for my life... well in advance of any decision that needed to be made. Of course, my assumption was that if I was in your will, life would be enjoyable, pleasant and hassle-free.

If I bought the right car, it would never break down...If I bought the right house, the roof would never leak... If I married the right person, we would never disagree... If I went to the right college I'd get the right job and life would be all-right... If I sent my kids to the right school, they would never act out and would end up on the mission field. If all of this was true, I wouldn't really need you.

Father, you're certainly honored when we work hard to make good plans, in keeping with our understanding of the Scriptures. It's important for us to seek and heed, wise prayerful counsel of good and godly friends. But help us to live with more confidence that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, not a consulting partner... a very present Lord, not an absentee landlord... the reigning King, not an impotent bystander. Because of Jesus, I'm confident your will is being done... on earth as it is in heaven.

Free us to accept that many times your will leads to great suffering and pain. It's called the cross. But the cross and resurrection go together. Hallelujah! What a most glorious and gracious Father you are. So very Amen, we pray, in Jesus' exalted and very present name.

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This week I received Heart Cries to Heaven, a new book from DayOne that is a compilation of prayers composed by David Campell, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Carlisle, PA. One of those prayers stood out to me as I considered the week to come in which Americans will head to the polls and elect their new representatives. Here is a “Prayer for Godly Leaders.”

*****

Our great and gracious God,

We pray that you will give us leaders who fear your name. We ask for those who are in authority over us

We ask, Lord, that you will not give us up to the sway of those who care nothing for you and for your laws.

Give us godly leaders, we pray.

We pray, too, for godly leaders within the church.

We pray for the reformation of the visible church and for great revival within its midst. May those who are in the positions of leadership manifest the same qualities that we see manifest supremely in our Lord Jesus Christ, and that, under the leadership of such men, your church would flourish.

Give us all grace, we pray,

We pray that you will stand with your servant as he opens up the Word,
That you will put words in his mouth,
That you will give to us illumined minds and hearts,

Hear us, O God, we pray, and these prayers and the many others that in the silence of our hearts we would lift to you, the omniscient God.

Hear us, for Jesus’ sake.
 Amen.

I receive a lot of books in the mail. If I were to go through them and categorize them, I suspect I’d find that one topic stands apart from the rest—prayer. I’d be surprised if any topic receives as much attention as this one. I suppose this shows that we Christians struggle with prayer—that we just aren’t confident that we are praying well, that our prayers are heard.

I’ve read quite a few books on the subject and wanted to point to 5 that I’ve found particularly helpful. Here they are, in no particular order.

Praying Backwards by Bryan Chapell. Where this book helped me most was in leading me to pray with an increased reliance on the work of the Holy Spirit. Here’s how I phrased it in my review: “This book was such a joy to me. It removed a burden I have so often felt in prayer, that I need to say, feel or know just the right things in order to make my prayer effective. But I had never fully understood the Spirit's role in prayer, that He intercedes in every prayer, taking my limited, far-too-human perspective, and presenting to the Father a prayer that is beyond time and space - a prayer that is formed through the Spirit's omniscience. No wonder, then, that God can and will answer prayer! I know now that my role is not to feel the need to pray great prayers, but it is to continue to grow in godliness - for even the simplest prayers can be pure and sweet to the Father - that I may more and more resemble the Son to whom I am united.” [Westminster Books | Amazon]

A Praying Life by Paul Miller. One of the areas in which this book spoke to me was in the way it moved me away from structure, at least in certain cases. We’ve all been taught ACTS or another model for prayer. These are often very helpful guidelines for praying carefully and systematically. But where Miller helped was in freeing me from those under certain circumstances so I could pray “randomly,” praying as my mind moved from one thing to the next. There is a certain freedom I’ve found in that, realizing that structure is not the same as depth. In my review I point to another strength. “Perhaps the greatest strength of this book is Miller's unrelenting emphasis that prayer cannot be an add-on to the Christian life; it cannot be supplemental but must always be instrumental. This book will equip you to understand prayer properly and, on that firm foundation, to commit yourself to it, with confidence that God is willing and able to hear and answer your prayers.” [Westminster Books | Amazon]