Prayer Papers in the Western Wall, by Yarin Kirchen from Stamford (IMG_0067) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Our heavenly Father,
who through your Son Jesus Christ
has said that we should always pray and not give up,
we beg you, teach us to pray.
Our spirits are willing but our flesh is weak.
Give us grace each day to approach your throne and seek your face;
to be concerned as much for your glory as for our need;
and in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
to make our requests known to you,
until all our lives are gathered up into your presence
and every breath is prayer.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John Stott, 1921- 2011, Anglican Minister who served in London
The Complete Book of Christian Prayer freely modified
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Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
I love the line which reads that we should as “much concerned for your glory as for our needs”. That strikes a beautiful biblical balance.
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