As an Aside: A Prayer for Protection

In the last post, I broke from the book of Acts to share with you some of my current thoughts about prayer. As with the posts concerning acts, these several posts about prayer are baby posts, and an invitation to examine the language of our prayers. The prayers I have written for myself are only steps toward true praying on behalf of others. These can be the prayer, I suppose; but, I really only mean them to get my heart in the place to lift someone up to our great Heavenly Father, who solicits our petitions. They are a means toward prayer, not necessarily the end of it.

This next prayer is as much for me as anyone else. We all need to make the Lord our trust—and accomplishing that trust is a real fistfight to be aided by a determination in prayer.

These words come from the pages of Scripture; they are His words. They seem like a ready language for prayer to me. I did not include the scriptural references here; but you will find them if you look (www.biblegateway.com is a great tool).

Here goes:

Blessed is the Lord our God, God our Savior. Lord you are good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, a shelter, a place of Sabbath Rest.

You know them that trust in You, those that take refuge in you. In Christ, we abide and, through him, we place our trust in You. You have drawn near to us, and, therefore, out of Your great love and faithfulness, we have drawn near to you. You loved us first, and we open our hearts to you.

When Christ said, "Into Your hands I commit my spirit,” he took us unto himself and into his trust in you as Father. Where we were faithless, ignorant, and unbelieving, Christ Jesus was faithful, believing, and sure. In his faithfulness, we cling to You.

All other strongholds are folly. All other strongholds fall like dust at Your feet. Strengthen our resolve to make the Lord our trust. May we never be ashamed for doing so. But instead may you be glorified and your name be held high above all other names.

Remember your covenant with Abraham. To him you were a shield, a strong tower. You kept him from the temptations of Sodom and from the delights of Egypt. You delivered him from the fiery darts of the Evil One.

Remember your covenant with Isaac. Your faithfulness to him kept his heart for Rebekah and from the daughters of the Canaanites, and the promise to his father, Abraham, continued unto another generation with a son, Jacob.

Remember your covenant with Jacob. To him you were a strong tower in the house of Laban. You preserved his life from the hand of Edom. You guarded his life, and brought him to an old age, with many sons.

To these you have kept your covenant. Abraham has become a father of many nations. You have multiplied him exceedingly. You have blessed these witnesses to Your faithfulness to be a God unto them and to their seed after them for all these generations.

To their generations you established your covenant and gave them the land of Canaan, a land where Abraham had walked as a pilgrim, where he was but a stranger. And we are pilgrims and strangers—this we confess and affirm. We are looking for another home whose foundations Your Yourself have laid.

Remember us. As You did in ages past, keep us, in You, especially as You see Jesus Christ seated at Your right hand. Suffer not our foot to be moved out of the Way he has prepared for us to walk in.

You, Lord, are our keeper. You, Lord, are the shade at our right hand. Keep us from all evil and the blazing sun in its height.

Preserve our going out and our coming in, from this time forth, and forevermore, for his name’s sake and his righteousness.

In your faithfulness and lovingkindness, show us mercy, have compassion on us, and multiply us as You have sworn to Abraham, a father to us in the faith.

You, O Lord, are full of compassion, gracious, long-suffering, plenteous in mercy and trust. Remember us in Your Son Jesus, and establish his throne in our hearts forever, to the praise of his glorious grace.

Blessed be the Lord who hears our entreaties. Blessed be the Lord who is moved with compassion. Blessed by the Lord who acts for us in Christ Jesus. Amen.

For provision and peace, not famine, Amen. For help and joy, not tears, Amen. For love and adoption, Amen,