A Rebuilding Prayer: Responsibility, Repentance, and Redemption
This prayer is inspired by Nehemiah's Prayer of Jerusalem. This prayer reminded me that I couldn’t go forth in my own strength, it reminded me of my weaknesses. Its my hope that this prayer propels a shift in your perspective.
Nehemiah 1:5-11 |
5 Then I said, "O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! 7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses. 8 "Please remember what you told your servant Moses: 'If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. 9 But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.' 10 "The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. 11 OÂ Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me." In those days I was the king's cup-bearer.
A Prayer Template For You
O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands,
Listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying (insert the frequency that you are praying — this is a posture position) for your people (insert the people you want to cover in prayer)
I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned!
We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.
Your Turn (Fill- In - The- Blank)
We acknowledge that we have sinned against You through:
☐ pride
☐ fear
☐ disobedience
☐ impatience
☐ silence when You called us to speak
☐ striving in our own strength
☐ neglecting prayer
☐ comparison
☐ unbelief
☐ (insert here if not listed)
Please remember what you told your servant Moses:
“If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.”
The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants.
Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you.
Please grant me success today by (insert the area in which you need success)
making the (insert the name of the person/title who you need favor from) favorable to me.
Put it into (his / her / their) heart to be kind to me.
Now listen this prayer did not lift my circumstances; the plate was still full ...it lifted my perspective to see that I had the capacity to accomplish each task . It would require that I lean in, focus and dare not go at accomplishing things in my own strength.
