Prayer in Midst of Depression

Psalm 6

O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,

or discipline me in your wrath.

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;

O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror,

while you, O Lord--how long?

Turn, O Lord, save my life;

deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.

For in death there is no remembrance of you;

in Sheol who can give you praise?

I am weary with my moaning;

every night I flood my bed with tears;

I drench my couch with my weeping.

My eyes waste away because of grief;

they grow weak because of all my foes.

Depart from me, all you workers of evil,

for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.

The Lord has heard my supplication;

the Lord accepts my prayer.

All my enemies shall be shamed and struck with terror;

they shall turn back,

and in a moment be put to shame.

Prayers of Children

A little boy was overheard praying: “Lord, if you can’t make me a better boy, don’t worry about it. I’m having a real good time like I am.”

I had been teaching my 3-year old daughter, Caitlin,, the Lord’s prayer for several evenings at bedtime. She would repeat after me the lines from the prayer. Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word right up to the end of the prayer. “Lead us not into temptation,” she prayed, “but deliver us some E-mail.”

One particular 4-year old prayed: “And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.”

A Sunday school teacher asker her children, “And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?” One bright little girl replied, Because a lot of people are sleeping.”

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, age 5, and Ryan, 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a lesson. She said to her boys, “If Jesus were sitting here, he would say, ‘Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.’” Kevin then turned to his younger brother and said, “Ryan, you be Jesus!”

3-year old Reese: “Our Father in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen.”

A Prayer for Our Youth

Father God, thank you for our kids. They are your richest blessings. Our most treasured possessions. Our greatest responsibilities.

Help us, father, to give them the care needed to keep them healthy, well-grounded, obedient and respectful, secure, serious and self-aware, eager to learn and grow, productive, connected with family, loyal and good to friends, and, most especially, in love with and faithful to you.

Mold and shape us as parents, Inspire us. Strengthen us.

Father, your goodness is beyond measure. In the faces of our children, in their laughter, in their innocence and boundless energy, we see your love. We praise you!

In the name of Jesus, your Son, we offer this prayer.

A Prayer for God's Presence & Strength

The words of Paul:

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Prayer Matters!

"I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live" (Psalm 116.1-2).

Enough said. There is no need for commentary.

This blog is devoted to prayer. Each day, I will post a prayer (either from Scripture, other literature, from the pen of contributors, or from my own hand). You are invited to respond to the daily post by presenting your prayer requests, needs, celebrations, remembrances, reflections, etc.

All who visit Prayer Matters are asked to "join together" in the prayers that we all express.