Father, Open My Eyes

Father, open my eyes. I want to see as you see. I want to see clearly, without the cloudiness of prejudice, without the confusion of personal comfort and desire, without the blinding of pride, bitterness, and self-concern. Help me to see clearly, to see through eyes of love, concern, mercy, and humility.

Father, help me to see as you see. Let me notice the one who is crying, the one who is hurting, the one who is in need. Let me see, and let me care, and let me move to make a difference, to provide a firm shoulder to lean upon, to give a helping hand, to act in love.

Father, open my eyes. You are light. Your light dispels darkness. You bring sight to the blind and hope to those that are lost. Father, help me see as you see.

Thanksgiving

Father, THANK YOU!

James, On Prayer

The words of James 1.5-8:

If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

A Parent's Prayer

The picture comes from the Japanese Space Agency. It is a high-resolution photograph of the earth from the orbit of the moon . . . "Earthrise." God is awesome!

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Dear Lord, help me to be the person I want my children to be. May they see Christ in me, especially when I am tired and rushed or when things haven't gone my way. Help me never to be too busy to stop and listen to them without interrupting or contradicting them. Let me answer their questions kindly.

Lord, guide me so that I will have no habits that I would not want them to have. May my daily life show that honesty produces happiness. may I never tempt them to lie or steal by my actions. Help me to be fair in granting them all their wishes that are reasonable. But give me the courage to withhold a privilege which I think would not be best for them. Lord, I want to encourage and praise them when it is due, and discipline and correct them when it is needed.

Let them see that the Christian life is the greatest life on earth.

Lord, what I want more than anything else is to love them and care for them as You love and care for me.

Thank You for being my loving Father. Help me to be their loving parent.

(Author Unknown)

A Father's Prayer

Give me, O God, the wisdom that I need
To mold the tender lives within my care;
Give me the power that I may subtly lead
Them into righteousness--true joy is there.

I ask for them no rainbowed path of ease;
I ask for them no store of wealth or fame;
I only ask that by their lives they please
Thee and the world with an untarnished name.

I know that man is weak, and life is strong,
And sometimes honest roads look very drear;
That winning laurels often takes too long
And luring vistas from all sides appear.

But while my young are still beneath my wing,
God, help me guide them right in everything.

(Author Unknown)

Father, May I Be Satisfied

Father, may I be satisfied in the bounty you bring. As your Son, Jesus, prayed, let me simply say, "Give us this day our daily bread."

Father, I become so dissatisfied. Despite all that you give, I long for more. I want what the world calls better and newer, fuller and greater. But, Father, what is better will become surpassed, what is new will become old, what is fuller will become empty, what is greater will become lesser. You, O Lord, know all and see all. You, O Lord, made me and gave me life. You, O Lord, know what it is to be. You know what is necessary for life, what is beneficial, what is truly to be desired. Father God, give me this knowledge, show me your peace, fill me with what is truly great. May I trust your provision and be grateful.

In the blessed name of Jesus, your Son, my Lord and Savior, I pray. Amen.

Psalm 13: How Long, O Lord?

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, "I have prevailed"; my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.