Above, from heaven, look down upon us, O God,
We would not do the worldly things we did,
Alone we cannot win against the flesh,
Give power to put our weakness to the lash.
Build up the will to please our risen Lord,
And every mean and base desire discard,
A holy spirit worthy of heaven’s glory,
For this, O Father, we are in a hurry!
You know me, Lord, and every struggle,
every weakness — all my faults —
You read my every motive and thought.
Into my heart send your Spirit,
to cleanse and wholly purify —
Before you lie my body and soul.
You seek to make a vessel of honor,
this I would be — in me create
this newness of life — in hope I wait.
Be glorified in me, eternal glory,
yours since before the world began —
In my weakness show your strength,
in me be seen the sign of mercy.
2 Chronicles 14.11 (VOTD)
O Lord, only you can help the weak,
Outnumbered by the enemy’s powerful force —
Come help us! For we rely on you, we seek
Your strength. In Christ we follow this course
Of life, this field of battle. In faith we speak.
O Lord, we know you as our living source.
When least expected, the lion roars,
My strength fails in the straits of suffering;
Rescue me, O righteous God,
My weakness cries from wounds of service.
Our Father in heaven, let us not be controlled by the fear of loss and be led away from our faithful commitment to Christ.
Let us not destroy years of good and a life of faith by a moment of weakness, doubt or foolishness.
Keep us from believing that a desirable end justifies a wrong decision.
Help us to look for the way of escape when temptation comes and to succeed over the devil’s wiles.
Help us to be sober and vigilant, watching always in vigilance, steadfast in prayer, in the Word, and in fellowship with the saints.
Help us to do good, today, tomorrow, and always, never veering from the right path.
Give us strength to live according to the truth that every choice matters.
This prayer was inspired by Stephen Bradd’s article, “The Making of Darth Vader.”
Constant, unchanging, immutable God, our moods and thoughts frequently fluctuate. We sometimes do not feel like praying. The flesh is weak. Satan manages to distract us. We leave off meditating on the Word. Prayer grows cold, and our time for you withers on the vine. Continue reading
Praise to you, O God, for welcoming your children into your presence at any hour of the day. Thank you for accepting your people before you. Continue reading
When we grow faint and frail,
Let not our tempers flare,
Let not our tongue come untied,
Let trials not cause despair.
Keep the cord from fraying,
Keep our feet from straying,
Keep our wills from swaying,
Be our certain strength and guide.
The flesh is weak and weary,
Our eyes are tired and teary,
The path is dry and dreary,
Let your power in us prevail.