2 prayers

05 February 1999 17:27

Two forwarded prayers:

The first is from Margaret Gilmore and is taken from another list, and the second is from Jim Peters.

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart. Hear me.
>From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.

>From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.

>From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.

>From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.
>From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.

>From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That in the opinion of the world others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.”


Jim Peter’s forwarded prayer:

Below I enclose a prayer that I have modified, but which essentially is based on a prayer originally given by Pastor Joe Wright at the recent Kansas State Senate installment.

I think this prayer is outstanding, that it greatly reflects the condition of the “advanced” world, and that we need to pray it.

PRAYER FOR OUR TIMES

(Based On Pastor Joe Wright’s Prayer, At the Kansas State Senate)

Heavenly Father;

We come before you today, to ask your forgiveness, and seek your direction and guidance. We know your word says “Woe on to those who call evil good”, but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values. We confess that: We have RIDICULED THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH, and called it PLURALISM. We have WORSHIPED OTHER GODS, and called it MULTICULTURALISM. We have ENDORSED PERVERSION, and called it an ALTERNATIVE LIFE STYLE. We have EXPLOITED THE POOR, and called it the LOTTERY.
We have NEGLECTED THE NEEDY, and called it SELF-PRESERVATION. We have REWARDED THE LAZY, and called it WELFARE.

We have KILLED OUR UNBORN CHILDREN, and called it CHOICE. We have SHOT ABORTIONISTS, and called it JUSTIFIABLE.
We have NEGLECTED TO DISCIPLINE OUR CHILDREN, and called it BUILDING SELF ESTEEM. We have ABUSED POWER and called it POLITICAL SAVVY.

We have COVETED OUR NEIGHBOR’S POSSESSIONS, and called it AMBITION. We have POLLUTED OUR AIR WITH PROFANITY AND PORNOGRAPHY, and called it FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. We have RIDICULED THE TIME-HONORED VALUES OF OUR FOREFATHERS, and called it ENLIGHTENMENT. Search us, oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin, and set us free. Guide and bless this nation and all nations that we may abide in your Peace and Love. Grant wisdom to our rulers, and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your Heart.

We ask this in the name of Your Son, the Living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.