February 19, 2024
Prayers – Open Our Eyes, Lord
Three prayers inspired by scripture: To the Ancient of Days, O God, Silence Those Who Encourage Evil, and A Divided People.
To the Ancient of Days
A prayer for attentiveness inspired by Jer. 5:21-28
To the Ancient of Days,
we offer our voices in praise.
Our tongues speak what is in our hearts.
We honor the God who gives the autumn rains,
and praise the gracious One who provides abundant harvests.
O Lord, let us not be as those who have eyes but refuse to see
and ears that decline to hear.
Let us not be foolish.
May we not be senseless.
Should we not fear you?
Should we not tremble in your presence?
You made the sand a boundary for the sea.
But your mercy and goodness are without boundary.
Therefore, we ask of you,
Cleanse our stubborn and rebellious hearts.
Remove from us the threat of your wrath.
We beg for your mercy.
We ask for your understanding of our circumstances.
Evil doers are among us.
Their voices tell lies.
Their hands work deceit.
They boast of immoral things.
They fear neither man nor God.
Even the rich bow to their cynicism
and court their favor.
While the value of righteousness is lost in the windy persuasions of the wicked,
we honor you in holiness thorough your Son, Jesus the Christ.
Commentary. The prayer creates an awareness of evil surroundings and acknowledges that constant vigilance should be given to petition. The address itself contains a confession of the need for God’s mercy. The eternal God, the God of creation and provisions, is revered and honored.
O God, Silence Those Who Encourage Evil
A prayer for God to silence the voices of error, inspired by Jer. 5:31; 6:10-15
O Lord, deliver us from the error unabashedly preached in our day.
Secularists speak with indifference toward you.
They encourage hostility toward those who honor you.
Self-proclaimed men and women of God are anxious to please the ungodly;
their conscience is seared by their love for praise and money.
In all this, the ungodly suffer from ignorance.
They show disdain for your wisdom.
They mislead with smooth words and appetizing menus.
Even your people love it this way,
but what will they do in the end?
To whom can we speak and give warning?
Who will listen to us?
The ears of the potential audience are covered.
They refuse to hear.
The word of the Lord is offensive to them.
They find no pleasure in it.
But we are stirred by the wrath of the Lord.
We cannot hold it in.
It is not the righteous who are the object of your wrath
but those who give no thought of you
and in arrogance follow a destructive path.
They gather in gangs and embrace the worst of their culture.
Strong drinks and drugs confuse their senses.
Misapprehension of their creation darkens understanding.
Husbands and wives disrespect their vows.
Girls show neither discipline nor reserve.
Boys display no honor or respect.
Furthermore, those weighed down with years have failed to lead.
“Peace, peace,” they say,
when there is no peace.
Are the secularists ashamed of their loathsome conduct?
No, they have no shame at all.
They do not even know how to blush.
Your word, O God, is true.
The immoral will join the fallen;
They will be brought down when your wrath falls upon them.
May we be true to you and the words you have spoken.
The upright give glory to you through the Christ.
Commentary. The prayer contrasts the righteous and the unrighteous. While the believer has an urge to proclaim righteousness, the unbeliever is preoccupied and not interested. Such was a condition when Jeremiah spoke out in Jerusalem. So, here is a prayer that can serve in present times, in a time of diminishing interest in godliness and church activity.
A Divided People
A prayer that describes secular culture inspired by Jer. 8:4-8
To our God,
A God who rules with justice and mercy.
Men of our age divide over politics and social agenda.
Each considers his view to be correct.
Few concessions are allowed.
Truth from the Living God is not an option.
One party speaks of the oppressed without regard for their sin.
They rally around programs and giveaways.
Being noble in mind, these promote freedom in immorality.
They labor under the delusion of paradise regained.
The other party speaks of human initiative and freedom as self-preservation.
They feel secure in their wealth.
They enjoy their prosperity.
They shamefully pity the poor and dispossessed.
Let us not find contentment with our riches.
Let us not be satisfied with our accomplishments.
But let us be fulfilled with what you, our God, would have us to be.
Thank you, Lord, for redeeming us through Christ;
for receiving this prayer in his name.
Commentary. The prayer recognizes that in the present, those who look to political parties to define their behavior and social agenda come up short of the gospel. Their interest in humanistic ideals outweighs all other interests, and they misappropriate the Bible to fit their ideology. They misinterpret the Bible to support their conclusions and advance their cause. Our prayer is that God may help us pursue the intended fruit of the gospel.
Mac Lynn
Chancellor
Prayers Inspired by Scripture: Issue 2