We're going to try something a little different here. It's fairly personal, so I'm going to shut the comments off, but still post it on the blog. Since this is a personal journal style blog, I'm going to use it at such for this type of post, even knowing some will read it.
Anyway, it's about prayer. My prayer life has been terrible lately. I still pray, but not regularly. It's mostly a bad habit and I thought if I wrote it, it'll help put it on my mind more often and help build a better habit.
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector; Luke 18: 9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Dear God,
Thank you for all the blessings you've given me. Thank you for having enough confidence in me to be able to be a father to my kids and to lead the guys at work. You certainly know I couldn't do it without you.
I ask that you be with my girls. Keep them healthy, both in body and mind. Please protect their innocence, especially as they head into their teenage years. Help them to love life and to love you. Help me to be the presence they need in order to know you.
Thank you for the group of guys who invited me to meet with them on Friday mornings. Please be with R, W's daughter, today. Her life if tough now and you know the reason, but please let it be resolved soon.
Please be with the managers of my company. Especially the owners. Help them to make good decisions. Decisions that put your will first, but also smart decisions as far as keeping them and the company viable. I've questioned whether or not I should still be here. I'm going to leave that to you and if you need me somewhere else, please let it be obvious. If not, please help me to be content.
Please be with L. Help her to be content and to look to you and Godly friends for help. Put people in her life that she can be open and trusting with, and willing to listen to.
Finally, please give me wisdom and patience. Wisdom in making decisions and patience with circumstances I cannot control.
Amen.
So there you have it. I feel kind of strange putting this out there, but I gotta do something. This helps me to organize my thoughts and get it done too. Future posts like this will not have the commentary.
