Prayer For God's Presence
God, we come before you and thank you for your presence with us. You promise to never leave us or forsake us. Even on days that are long and leave us feeling weary and empty, we know that you have not left us. On the days when our circumstances have consumed us, you hold us. You are with us and will not let us go.
Even the darkness is not dark to you you are the creator and the light of your presence shines through our darkest days.
May those in our community who are tired and overwhelmed find you to be a close comfort. Show them that you are walking beside them, carrying them through today. Lift their heads to see the ways that You are present. Thank you for being Emmanuel, the God who walks with us.
Amen.
God of Love
You always care for us
and enfold us with your arms
of love, healing, and strength.
Be with me now, uphold me,
as you have so often.
Give me strength
in these difficult times
and help me to see that
with you all things are possible
nothing is beyond your grasp.
Through the death and resurrection
of your Son, Jesus Christ,
lift me and all those I love
to new life and hope.
Amen.
O God, we live and move have our being;
your Holy Spirit breathes life into us
moment by moment and day by day;
therefore, we wait for your loving-kindness, O God,
and open our hearts to your presence,
asking that you be with us now
and hold us in your strengthening care;
help us to put away all the distractions of our daily lives,
to quiet our hearts and our minds,
to seek and to know your presence with us now;
and then teach us to wait peacefully in your presence
and to cast all our cares on you because you care for us;
Give us, Almighty Creator, the gift of life renewed;
Grant us, Healing Savior, the gift of life renewed;
Fill us, Indwelling Spirit, with the gift of life renewed. Amen.
O GOD, sometimes I think you have forgotten me;
sometimes my faith becomes very small.
Please remind me that you have not abandoned me,
for your faithfulness never changes.
Help me to wait with patience
and to trust that all time is in your hand.
Lord, you are our Shepherd; you give us all we need, you make us to rest in green pastures, you lead us beside still waters, you restore our soul, you guide us in paths of righteousness. Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death you will be with us to comfort us:
let your merciful goodness
and your unfailing love
follow us all the days of our life,
until we live in your presence for ever. Amen.
Lord, we thank you today that you are all-powerful, all-knowing and always perfectly good. Thank you for your daily mercies to us as we struggle through such challenging times. Father, we confess that we do not seek your presence as we ought. We confess that we have settled for lesser things, when we know you desire us to have a personal, close relationship with you. Lord, revive our love for you. Draw close, let us know your presence in our lives. And help us to in turn share your love with our neighbors. Lord, we put our hope in your unfailing love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Father, I pray that You will visit us, and make Your presence known in my life and in my city. Give me faith to believe that You can change my city through prayer and through acts of love and compassion. Let Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Help me to cultivate Your presence in my life. I choose to partner with You for transformation in my city. Help me to contend for my city in prayer with others. Remove the distractions in my life that keep me from Your presence [Repent of any distractions in your life]. I repent of any pride or personal idols that have taken me away from having you in first place and being completely Yours (Name them one by one - i.e. television material possessions, food, sports, work, etc.]. Take away any luke-warmness in my heart and set me on fire for You.
Dear Lord, show us how to live in a place where we are aware of our constant communion with You.
As Your child I humbly come before You. Thank You that I get to rest under the shelter of Your wings, here in the secret place of Your presence. I praise You, and I worship You, Lord.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1 NKJV)
I humbly hand over my heart to You, and I say, Lord, here's my heart, search me and know me, show me anything in my life that is keeping me from being as close as I can be with You.
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24 NIV)
As You show me these things in my heart and in my life, Holy Spirit, will You show me what You would like me to do? Will You show me how to let go of these things? Will You show me if there is any unforgiveness or pride in my heart?
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:10-12 NIV)
Anything I am hanging on to that belongs to You, anything that I have willingly allowed into my life that is not in alignment with You and Your ways, I lay it down at the foot of the cross. I surrender all to You, Lord Jesus. Thank you for taking these burdens, Lord. Thank you for what You did on the cross to set us free from death. In You I have victory! I praise You, Jesus!
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29 NIV)