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| Dear Lord: As you well know, I�m not much for the formal mode of prayer. All those �thees� and �thous� and �hallelujahs� just aren�t me. And as for praying in that format, �Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..� it just totally confuses me. I spend so much time and energy concentrating on staying in the format that I forget who and what I�m praying for. The truth is, God, I know you�re there, and I know how great you are. I know every blessing you�ve handed me and I am grateful for each and every one. I couldn�t get along without you and the fact that you watch over me the way you do means more to me than words can tell. The fact of the matter is though, that I am me. I am the me you created. Sure the world, with all its twists and turns has left some kinks inside my heart. There�s been bitterness, regret, anger and, I have to confess, even some hate once in a while. I have a tendency to fill with selfishness when I think someone is trying to take something from me. I�ve been mean a time or two, maybe even spiteful, and some might say I can be a down right pain in the behind, but truthfully Lord, I am trying. Life is such an uphill climb, like Mt. Everest, or worse. Apparently I have failed to stop along the way and collect the right equipment to make that climb a little easier, because Lord it really hurts. I haven�t found to many plateaus along the way where I could sit and rest awhile. There hasn�t been a whole lot of sunshine to lift my spirits, and yet I trudge on. I do so because you�re there, and heaven waits at the top of this mountain where Jesus will greet me with open arms. There are some things, however, Lord, that you could do to help me if you will. Please take the bitterness, regret, anger and hate that the world has laid on me and toss them in the ocean so they can drown in your love. For me Lord, these things are so heavy and cause me such pain. Please take the selfishness and turn it into nothing but love for my fellow man. Walking with it is like walking into winds of hurricane force. It just makes my journey harder for me. Please take the meanness and spitefulness that make me want to strike back when someone hurts me. They are like huge boulders in my path that I cannot climb over by myself. In other words, Lord, please put me back the way I was when you created me. Full of love and trust and wonder for all that you�ve created. That, I know, will ease the burdens that weigh on me and make the climb that lay ahead a bit easier to bear. Oh yes, and one last thing Lord, if you don�t mind. Please bless those who have hurt me. Some have done such damage I know that without you, I wouldn�t have survived. Please let the things they�ve done be turned to good, for me, but for them also, so that they can see your glory through it all. I cannot close this prayer without saying thank you. Thank you for accepting me just the way I am, even though I am not perfect. Thank you for hearing my uneducated prayer, even though it does not follow the format, and Lord, thank you � for being you. In Jesus name, Amen Lauri McGill Galentine copyright 2001 |
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