As an Aside: A Prayer for Dew
I was struck by breadth of Jewish prayer in the Amidah (see Here) and the interweaving of the Old Testament narrative into the prayer as a pointed reminder of God’s faithfulness in the past as indicative of His faithfulness today and tomorrow. That same warp and weft finds itself in the Prayer for Dew, prayed on the first day of Passover (see Here). That got me thinking about the language of my own prayers and specifically whether my praying is as thoughtful and reflective as these two Jewish prayers (especially in light of the great salvation we have in Christ Jesus).
I have written several prayers down, which I am happy to share with you. I had someone in mind when I wrote them; but I do need to qualify them for you. I see these prayers as preambles to interceding for others—not the body of prayer. They are a starting point—somewhere to leap from. They set the heart to right praying, which may become inarticulate as we entreat God for someone else. I figured I had to start somewhere.
Bearing in mind these may simply be fits and starts, I offer these up in this post, and the several posts following this one.
The following prayer was for a friend, who needs God to show up now and to urgently provide. In light of that need, the dew represents to me God’s mercies that are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.
My friend:
1. May God give to you, from the dew of the sky and from the richness of the land, an abundance of grain and new wine (Gen. 27:28).
2. May your life be like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion, God’s appointed place, for the Lord has appoint you the blessing—life forevermore—God’s appointed time. (Psa. 133:3)
3. Lord, when the dew fell on the camp, the manna would fall with it (Nu. 11:9). When the dew evaporated, fine flakes, as fine as frost, were on the ground. (Ex. 16:14). Let your teaching fall like rain and your word settle in our hearts like dew, like gentle rain on new grass, and showers on tender plants (Deut. 32:2) — the Bread of Life, the words of life in the Word of God.
4. Never leave us. Never forsake us, Lord. Instead, may our hearts be blessed by the Lord of heaven with the dew of heaven’s bounty (Deut. 33:13). Oh that we would dwell securely—untroubled in a land of grain and new wine—that even our skies might drip with dew (Deut. 33:28).
5. May my roots have access to water, always (Job 29:19) and may the dew rest on my branches at night (Job 38:28) for the rain has a father, as do the drops of dew. And by your knowledge, the springs came forth and the clouds in the sky dripped with dew (Prov. 3:20). So abide with with us; abide.
6. We will live, our bodies arise. Awake my heart and sing for we will be covered with the morning dew, and we will bring forth praise and thanksgiving to our God, for His mighty faithfulness.
7. You are He, our God, our Father, who causes the winds to blow and the dew to fall. For a blessing, not a curse, Amen. For life, and not for death, Amen. For abundance, not for famine, Amen. For the glory of your Son, king of kings, lord of lords. Amen.
