Prayers

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Heavenly Father, hallowed be Your Name.

First, I just want to thank You for Your tender mercy. How wonderful, how loving, how very like You to be merciful to someone like me. My praise for You is less than just meager, but I love You with all my heart. Thank You and thank You and thank You again.

I have a confession to make to You, before my peers, just as Your Word says we ought to do. I confess that I am afraid, though Your Word says, so many times, we are not to fear. I am afraid of going back out into the war zone. My scars are jagged and monstrous. I was not prepared for the battles I’ve fought. They tell me that the battle is Yours. I confess that I have not given them over to You.

I’ve learned along the way that my greatest strategy is to kneel, to pull the shield of faith over my head and remain knelt so that the fiery darts can do no damage. But it took standing there believing that I could withstand the darts to teach me that I cannot. Pride is such a foolish thing. I am weak. But it is in my weaknesses that I most know Your strength. I’ve also learned along the way that there comes a time when I must stand up, dig my shoes into the ground and fight back, using the Sword.

Father, my Sword needs to be gleaned. I confess to You that I have not kept it polished well. I also confess that I am not a very good swordsman. I am relying on You to glean my Sword and to teach me to properly use it. I know nothing whatsoever except what You teach me. I admit that I am nothing without You. But I know that I can do all things if You will but strengthen me. And so I ask for strength, for courage before You send me back out, as You surely will.

Thank You for this brief time of rest from the battles. Thank You for the streams You’ve cut out for me and led me to in the desert. Thank You for being my Portion and for keeping me safe and for nursing my many, many wounds. Yes, I am well. It is very well with my soul, though I am afraid.

Please forgive me for fearing the battles ahead. I know who wins the war and that it is my duty as Your child to fight the good fight. And so I ask You to glean my Sword for me. Cause me to receive Your Word in such a way that I can go to battle and be mightier in battle than I have been before, in Your image, in the image of The One Who is Mighty in Battle.

I trust You, my God, to cover me in Your shadow, to prepare me and protect me. I trust You to command Your angels to guard my ways. Thank You again for Your mercy, for forgiving me for failing You. I will be strong for You, Father, if You will but deliver me from this fear. I do want to be strong for You because I love Your ways, Your Word, Your decrees and commands. Put Your Words in my mouth, Father. Write them on my heart and in my mind so that I can be faithful in all that You’ve called me to be. Father please, glean my Sword.

In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
© Joyce Pool

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