Our prayers nourish our spirituality. When we communicate – both talking and listening – with God, his presence molds our very being to be more like him. Prayer is vital to our spiritual formation.
Prayer takes many forms but sometimes other people’s prayers just hit the spot. They express our deepest longings with just the right word or phrase. Their prayer becomes our prayer.
My hope is one of the following prayers speaks to you as it carries you closer into God’s loving heart.
Lord, let the thick skin that covers me not be a hindrance to you. Pass through it. My eyes, my hands, my mouth are yours. This sad lady in front of me: here is my mouth for you to smile at her … This smug young man, so dull, so hard: here is my heart, that you may love him, more strongly than he has ever been loved before.
– Madeleine Delbrêl, Missionary and activist (1904-1964)
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. – Thomas Merton, “Thoughts in Solitude”
Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.” Bob Pierce
Give me the love that leads the way. The faith that nothing can dismay. The hope no disappointments tire. The passion that will burn like fire; Let me not sink to be a clod; Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God – Amy Carmichael
Great Teacher, you draw me to your heart. You reach me with your love. You inspire me with your message, and then you send me out to others. May I love well. As I go forth from my prayer, may I reflect the radiance of your goodness. Joyce Rupp
Prayer fastens the soul to God. – Julian of Norwich. My prayer for all of you reading this blog is that your hearts fasten, cling and abide in God’s ever present love.