14th. May. 2022. Daily Devotion.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

But God does not promise that He will make us rich, healthy, beautiful, or popular. We do not present our requests to God because He will automatically fulfil them. Prayers are always answered, but not necessarily as we think we want them to be answered.

There is, however, the promise of a specific benefit in this passage. God commands us to pray for what we want and not to be anxious about anything. This seems to imply that if we pray for what we want, it will assuage our anxiety. We show faith by praying for what we want, even if we do not get it. We show that we accept what God gives us — for all good things, even the basic fact of our lives — are gifts from God. But the point here is that it is not greedy to ask for what we want; just the opposite. God has commanded us to pray for our wants. M. Barge.

Lord, let me always pray for what I want, even if the answer is “no.” Amen.

Prayer of the Ancient Christians

I give you thanks Holy Father, for your holy name which you have caused to dwell in my heart, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality which you have made known to me through Jesus your servant; to you be the glory forever.

You, almighty Master, created all things for your name’s sake, and gave food and drink to men to enjoy, that they might give you thanks; but to me you have graciously given spiritual food and drink, and eternal life through your servant Jesus. Above all I give thanks because you are mighty; to you be the glory forever.

Remember your church, Lord, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in your love; and gather it, the one that has been sanctified, from the four winds into your kingdom, which you have prepared for it; for yours is the glory forever.

May grace come and may this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. If anyone is holy, let him come; if anyone is not, let him repent. Come, oh Lord! Amen. Translation of a Greek prayer from @ 150 A.D.

For Mercy

Beholder of all, I have sinned against you, in thought, word and deed; erase the record of my offences and write my name in the Book of Life. Have mercy upon your creatures and upon me, a great sinner. In the name of Christ, I pray. Amen.

God of wholeness, God of Grace, to you we bring our thanks and praise. To a world that searches you are a lamp that shines, to a world that is hungry you are food that sustains, to a world that suffers you are hope of release, to a world that’s broken you are one who restores, to a world full of hate you are love that forgives, to a world that denies you are truth that endures. To you we bring our thanks and praise, God of wholeness, God of Grace. Amen.

We pray for lives lost, families torn apart, lost and lonely, homeless, hungry, afraid.
We pray for factories destroyed in an instant, for machinery shattered, livelihoods ruined.
We pray for rescuers finding survivors alongside bodies, courageous, undaunted, hopeful. We pray for recovery in the years to come, for restoration, generosity, healing, closure. John Birch