Here is a prayer, by Ignatius of Loyola, to reflect on, to meditate on, to pray and make it your own this week. See some reflection questions at the bottom of this post. Lord, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve you as you deserve; To give and not to count the cost, To fight and not to heed the wounds To toil and not to seek
When Jesus was headed to the cross, He told His disciples to not let their hearts be troubled. The solution for their anxiousness about the future was for them to believe in Him just like they had believed in the Father. Pray that our belief in the Person, words, and teachings of Jesus will rise to new heights and that we will walk with Him and not have anxious hearts.
“Knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus” is a truth that greatly helps us to not lose heart during these difficult days (2 Corinthians 4:14). Pray that Christians everywhere will learn to keep our eyes focused on the resurrected Jesus.
Within the context of what has come to be known as the First Great Commandment, we are exhorted to love the Lord with all our heart . Let’s pray today that as God's people, individually and as the church we will fall in love with Jesus again and that our love for Him will fill and consume our hearts. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
Jesus was often grieved at the hardness he saw in the hearts of the Pharisees. Pray that God will soften the hearts of those who have become hardened to His Word and to the authentic movements of His Spirit. Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness
Since “foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child,” pray for parents to have wisdom in knowing how to discipline their children. Let's pray, as well, that the children of this generation will have their hearts set free from the foolish things of the world. Young people are prone to foolishness and fads; the cure comes through tough-minded discipline. Proverbs 22:15
God makes it clear in the Scriptures that everyone who is proud in heart is a disgrace to Him (Proverbs 16:5). Let’s pray that God will deliver His Church from pride, the great enemy of our heart’s devotion to God. The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Proverbs 16:5
Pray for the members of our OCC family to use their time wisely. Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16
Treasuring God’s Word in our hearts is a key element to finding victory over sin. Pray that Christians across our city will make a fresh commitment to read, meditate on, and memorize God’s Word, doing everything necessary to truly hide it in our hearts. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11
In Psalm 139:23-24, David cried, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me.” Pray that all who are connected to OCC will have hearts that are just as open to the convicting and cleansing scrutiny of God’s Holy Spirit.
