Prayer - Binding

Lord, give me the grace to know I am loved. And how I may best show your love to others. For I am tired and weary, and not always in the best frame of mind to give and receive as I wish I could.

You are a great and perfect high priest to advocate on my behalf, knowing my needs and advocating them better than I. I listened to Neil Gaiman's short story "The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury," and in it there was a smaller anecdote of a man travelling in the woods at night who realizes that he has left his prayer book behind. So as he is laying back to rest, he says, "God, you know these prayers, as you created the words with which they were made. So I will say the alphabet and trust you to be able to take them and shape them into the prayers I cannot remember." Lord, it is a funny story, but an extremely sweet one for me to think about.

I trust your wisdom, but sometimes want things to involve me more directly. I am a child wanting to help his Father in His great work. But my hands are clumsy and overeager. Please take my spirit and channel it to Yours. Not for my greatness, but for Your ends. I want to be useful, and if it involves me being pushed, shaped, or some parts of my identity to be shaved and cast aside, let me not hold too tightly to whatsoever is not true, good, and honest. I am proud of the strangest things, so give me the grace and humility to accept your wisdom and direction.

It is a great gift to be alive, but terrifying when I do not know how to best spend my gift while I have this time. Please grant me discernment and kindness to seek out Your will. To bind up the brokenhearted and discouraged. To grant graces when I feel like my comfort is being challenged or ignored. When others treat me ill and I want to respond sharply, give me gentler words to turn away wrath and anger. When others are in pain, let me have the presence of mind to approach Your throne and advocate for them. I want this world to be better. But I am tired today, so grant me peace and reflection, to not be ashamed of rest, but to accept your example in Creation of the Sabbath day. I want to glory in Your creation.

Thank you for this. This day. Please give us the strength to face the day tomorrow with courage and grace.