“And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor me.” – Psalm 50:15
Scripture reading: Isaiah 12: 1-6
It is common for believers to bring prayer requests to elders and pastors and ask them to include such in the congregational prayer (also known as the pastoral prayer). Psalm 50 reminds believers that our faithful Father invites His people to call on Him, but He also commands His people to thank Him for prayers answered. It seems this is an aspect of prayer that can easily be neglected or overlooked. Today I’ll type out a sample prayer, based on Isaiah 12, that puts into practice some things examined in the last few days.
There are two blank lines where you can insert your reasons for thanking God, for giving Him the glory, and why you would make His Name known.
We give You thanks, O LORD, for though You were angry with us, Your anger has turned away and You have given us comfort in Christ our Lord. With the eyes of faith we see You, God Who is salvation, and we trust You and are not afraid. You, LORD God, are our strength and our song, You have become our salvation. With joy we are drawing water from the wells of salvation. We give thanks, LORD, for ________________________________. Joining Your people through every generation, we make known Your deeds____________________________.
We proclaim that Your Name is exalted. Sing praises to the LORD, for He has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Suggestions for prayer
Take a verse or two from your favorite Psalm and turn it into a personal prayer, expressing thanks, or lament, or putting into words what God has placed on your heart.
For over six years already, Rev. Vander Vaart has served as the Atlantic Region Representative of Redemption Prison Ministry. He does so as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.
