Gift of Boldness

Acts 4, Joshua 21-22

Acts 4:31 – And when they had prayed, the place in which they were praying was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the Word of God with boldness.

O Holy Spirit, Comforter and Guide, come to me and work in me.  Pour out your gifts on me that I might completely bold and open in who I am.  These disciples did not hide their faith; they did not live a life of closet Christianity because they were afraid of what people might do.  In fact, they even prayed that you would continue to make them bold in the face of the threats that the Jewish leaders were making against them.  I know my heart, O Holy Spirit.  I am often afraid of some negative response from people to the things you give me to say and teach.  I often hear or feel their threats; I experience their negative response.  Both my fear and their threats want to push my faith underground.  They make me a closet Christian.  I pray, forgive me for my fear and timidity.  Forgive me for letting fear be a ruling factor in my life.  Pour out your gifts on me.  Yes, come fill me yourself, dear Holy Spirit, that I might be bold and confident.  My identity and my message are not something to be pushed underground.  They are something of which I should boast.  It is a message that I should proudly, openly, publicly profess.  It is something that should be clearly evident to all who meet me.  Work in me, Holy Spirit, so that I an open and bold in my faith.  Amen.

Room to Breathe

Acts 3, Joshua 19-20

Acts 3:19-20 – Repent, therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.

Lord God, sin is such a crushing thing and sometimes I don’t even know it. In times of impenitence and guilt it is like a weight bearing down on my chest, but I don’t even know it until the weight is removed.  In times when my sin is hidden from me so that I am unware of my sin and guilt it is like a sickness eating away at my insides, but I am totally unaware of how it is destroying me.  Lord God, lead me to repentance for all my sins.  Keep from an arrogance that refuses to repent of my sin.  Lord Jesus, send your Holy Spirit to me and unveil for me the sins that are hidden from my sight, the sins of my heart and the sins of my mind.  Help me see them and their destructive power.  Lead me to repentance for them all and then breathe on me.  Remove the crushing weight of sin and guilt from my chest so that I can breathe again.   Remove the sickness of sin from inside me and make me whole.  Breathe life into me by your Spirit and give me life again.  Send times of refreshment to my soul that I might live with the joy and confidence of Peter after his sin was forgiven, after he had witnessed the risen and ascended Christ, after he had been commissioned to go and shepherd souls.  Send those same times of refreshing to me that I might live and serve as he did.  Amen.

Love Covers

Proverbs 10:1-14, Psalm 68-69

Proverbs 10:12 – Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

Heavenly Father, this is such a wise saying, one that I would do well to remember.  I can see in my own heart and life how enmity and animosity in me – even when I try to hide it – drives a wedge between me and other people.  It affects the way I think about them.  It affects the way I talk about them.  It affects the way I treat them.  Disharmony toward others really affects me more than it affects them.  Father, forgive me for my unforgiveness.  You have forgiven me for so much.  There should be a wedge between me and you, but there isn’t!  Your love draws me close and covers over all my sins against you.  You hold no more animosity toward me.  You keep no grudges against me and no bitterness rises up in your heart toward me.  You have done this for me.  You reconciled me to yourself and have covered all my offense.  Teach me, Lord, by your forgiveness to forgive and forget.  Help me to let the offenses of others against me go. Erase it from my mind completely so that I think about these people in a new way.  Erase it from my heart completely so that I talk to and about these people in a new way.  Work on me Lord so that in love I will overlook, cover up, and forget all their offenses against me.  Make me like you. Amen. 

Devoted

Acts 2:14-47, Joshua 16-18

Acts 2:42 – And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Lord God, these early believers had such a fire in their hearts for your Word.  They had so much to learn.  They had so many things to piece together.  Many of these beleivers had been around the Bible for a long time.  They had grown up with it. But after heart surgery that God’s Spirit did on them by Peter’s preaching, they had a whole new love for your Word.  They were fully devoted to the Word of God and were committed to growing in that Word.  Lord God, fill my heart with the same devotion and dedication to your Word.  Constant devotion is easy to talk about but hard to carry out.  Complete submission to that Word is easy to say, but hard to do.  It’s much harder to stay fully devoted and focused on the Word; there are so many things that distract.  I become too familiar with the Word and I lose my awe at it, thinking that I have arrived and know it all.  It’s much harder to submit myself to its teachings, whether those teachings call me to believe something or to do something.  Lord Jesus, continue to pour out your Spirit on me that I may love your Word and devote myself to it and humble myself under it.  Make a developing follower of Jesus who is devoted to your Word.  Amen.

Boundary lines.

Acts 2:1-13, Joshua 13-15

Psalm 16:5-6 – The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.  The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

Lord God, I can’t imagine what it’s like to have a life constantly in flux.  For 45 years the Israelites had been regularly on the move.  Regularly they had to pack up their things to relocate to a new piece of land, a place that the Lord led them.  I can’t imagine what a relief it was to finally settle down and to hear you announce land and property that was theirs.  What a new sense of stability and safety in their life – truly a gift from you!  Lord God, you have already given me all this.  I have a house that I call my home. Though some people do, I have never lived a day in my life without a steady roof over my head.  You’ve given me property and possessions, house and home, wife and children, friends and companions, even work and play that you let me call “mine.”  What a gift!  The boundary lines for my life have truly fallen in pleasant places.  I am truly blessed; people would even say it of me. And more than that steady earthly things, you have given me yourself!  You have been and always be the one true constant in my life. You were there before I was born.  You will be there when I am old and gray.  You will be my God into all eternity. And when I have you, dear Lord, I have everything.  Keep me from getting too attached and too settled here on earth.  Keep me from getting too tied up with life here so that I forget about the life that you have given me with you.  For when I have you, I really do have all I need.  You alone are my true and lasting portion and inheritance.  Amen.

The LORD will...

Acts 1, Joshua 10-12

Joshua 10:25 – Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous.  For thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.

Almighty God, it must have been astounding to be with you and to be in the Israelite army.  To the see the sun stand still for what was nearly an extra day of daylight.  To see hailstones come down out of the sky to give a victory to your people.  To fight against five nations and five kings at once and to come out with my feet on their neck.  What an encouraging time to be in your army!  And yet these same people who saw these great victories and great acts of the Lord, these same people who stepped on the necks of their enemies were afraid of the enemies that they still would face.  I relate.  I look to the future and predict in my own mind what is going to take place.  I look into the future and imagine – accurately I think to myself – whether I will win or lose, whether I will be successful or a failure.  Joshua was such a strong leader for the people in this moment.  He gave them three words: The LORD will… He told them what the LORD was certainly and surely going to do to the nations against whom they would fight.  The LORD will do this to all your enemies.  Those three words are still powerful words for me.  I do not know, O Lord, what you will do exactly. I don’t know how every detail of my today and tomorrow are going to play out.  But Lord, I do know your promises.  I do know your power.  I do know your love.  I know that whatever you will do is going to be good for my soul.  I do know that whatever you will do is controlled by your power.  I do know that whatever you will do exactly is done in love for me and for all your people.  Lord, keep these three words – the LORD will – in my heart and soul today and so vanquish fear from me.  Amen.

God's counsel

Luke 24:36-53, Joshua 8-9

Joshua 9:14 – So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD.

Lord God, when I read the story of Joshua and the Gibeonites I see clearly how foolish their actions were. Joshua had regular conversations with you; just as you talked to Moses like a man his friend, so you also talked to Joshua.  All Joshua had to do was ask, “God, what do you think about these Gibeonites,” and you would have told him.  But I see the same foolishness in my own life.  Too many times I read the signposts in my life and make a decision and go a direction based on what I see and what I think I know instead of asking you for guidance.  All I have to do is ask and you would give it!  In fact, you often give it without my asking.  But how foolish I am for not asking!  Lord God, your door is always open to me and you will give me wisdom and counsel.  You speak to my heart by your Spirit and through your Word.  You remind me of things your Word has said and you apply those words to my life.  You promise to hear and answer.  You promise to guide me through godly men and women whom you place in my life.  Teach me to come to you and call to you before any decision big or small.  Lead me to seek your advice in every moment.  Keep me from foolish decisions.   And in the end, dear Lord, turn any decision I make or direction I take for your good purposes.  Amen.

Coming Clean

Luke 24:1-35, Joshua 5-7

Joshua 7:18 – Then Joshua said to Aachan, “My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him.  And tell me what you have now done; do not hide it from me.”

Lord Jesus, sometimes I forget how much you hate sin, even the ones that seem small and remain hidden.  Who would have noticed what Aachan had done? Who would it have hurt if Aachan had taken what he had taken?  It hurt you.  It angered you.  Aachan was stealing glory from you when he coveted those things and took them to be his in complete disregard for your clear Word.  That’s what sin is.  It’s stealing glory from you who demands that glory and praise be given to nothing and to no one except you.  It’s falling short of the full perfection and the full obedience that you expect.  To deny my sin and to minimize it’s seriousness is to call you, O God, a liar.  Lead me to come clean before you and to give back the glory that is yours as the one and only true God. Teach me to confess my sin with a full knowledge of its seriousness and severity.  Break my heart with the knowledge that I have stolen glory from you by my sin.  But then restore joy to me.  Restore me again to your side and to your family.  You promise me Lord, that when I confess my sin that you will forgive me and purify me from all unrighteousness.  Teach me to come clean with all my sins before you and you will make me clean from all my sins.  Amen.

Teach Lord, I'm ready.

Proverbs 9, Psalm 64-67

Proverbs 9:9-10 – Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Lord God, wisdom is such an elusive thing.  It’s something everyone wants but that few have.  It’s something that many think that they have but few actually do.  Most of all, it is something that you want to give to me.  You call to me in your Word, “Come, learn from me!”  “Come, listen to me.”  You send people in my life to teach me and instruct me; sometimes they don’t even know that they’re teaching me, but they are.  I pray, Lord God, open my heart to humbly receive the instruction that comes from you and from others.  Open my heart to receive the correction and redirection that people give me in my life. Pride in me wants to push back and reject like a fool the correction that others give.  Pride in me doesn’t really want to listen to others.  I pray, Lord God, humble my heart and open me up to the wisdom that you want to give.  Speak Lord, I’m listening.  Teach Lord, I’m ready to learn.  Pour out wisdom on me, O Lord, through your Word, through people you send into my life, through your Spirit connecting your Word and the experiences of my life.  I need it.  Amen.

Fear of the Lord.

Luke 23:26-56, Joshua 1-4

Joshua 4:23-24 – For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over… so that all the peoples of earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.

Lord God, at so many different times and in so many different ways you showed your might and power.  You wanted your people, yes, you wanted all the nations of the earth, to know how great you really are.  You wanted them to stand in awe at your power and might.  For some, for the nations, this meant that they shook in their boots because of terror.  For your people, even for me, you want me to see your mighty deeds and know how great you really are. You want me to stand back in awe and wonder; you want me to be amazed at how great and gracious you really are.  These mighty acts show and remind me that you are truly on my side.  You fight for me not with me. You are on my side and not against me.  I pray, dear Lord, let your power and might, your greatness and your grace, inspire me to awe and wonder.  Keep me from getting too comfortable with your might so that it stops inspiring me to live in awe and wonder. Forgive me for getting too accustomed to you so that I no longer live under your mighty hand.  Keep me from this, dear Father in heaven.  Instead, help me to stand back in awe and wonder so that I am not afraid and so that I live a life inspired by your greatness and grace for me.  Amen.

What does God say about all these commandments?

He says, “I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Ex. 20: 5–6)

What does this mean? God threatens to punish all who break these commandments. Therefore, we should fear His wrath and not do anything against them. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments. Therefore, we should also love and trust in Him and gladly do what He commands. – Martin Luther. 

No one like me.

Luke 22:66-71, Luke 23:1-25, Deuteronomy 33-34

Deuteronomy 33:29 – Happy are you, O Israel!  Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, the sword of your triumph.

Lord God, there is no one like you.  It is more and more clear every day.  There is no one like you choose the weak and the foolish out of this world and calls them his children.  There is no one like you who forgives wickedness and remembers sin no more.  There is no one like you who gives graciously, mercifully, and abundantly.  There is no god like you who comes down from his seat on high to save his people; your own arm worked salvation for you.  There is no one like you who rides like a champion to coming to rescue his people.  There is none like you who provides shelter, protection and daily provisions for his people.  There is none like you who supports and holds his people up with his might arms.  There is, O God, no one like you.  Therefore, there is no one like me, a child loved by your grace, saved by the Lord, shielded with your help, and protected by your sword.  There is no one else like me, a child of God.  There is no one else like all those who believe in you.  O God, it is good to be your child!  Amen.

Focused Prayer

Luke 22:39-65, Deuteronomy 30-32

Luke 22:46 – And he said to them, “Why are you sleeping?  Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Jesus, I totally relate to these disciples.  I sit down to read my devotions and meditate on your Word but my mind flits and flutters all over the place.  I think about the emails on my computer.  I think about the tasks that need to be accomplished.  I even glance over at Facebook to see what’s going on there.  I don’t want to miss a thing.  I bow down to pray and I can hardly finish a short little prayer without intrusive thoughts entering my mind.  It’s no wonder that the disciples fell asleep.  They were no more focused on you in the prayer life than I am.  Lord Jesus, turn my heart and my mind more and more to you.  Keep my mind tuned into you, O Father, and your will all day long.  Keep me from being distracted from loving you at all times.  Keep my heart from being weighed down with worries and concerns that are really yours to carry.  Keep me awake and alert, with my eyes always on you, not only when I meditate and pray, but also when I live my life.  Keep me from temptation and when it comes help me to overcome it.  I need your help in this Lord Jesus.  Please come and help me in meditation, in prayer, and in life.  Amen.

Supportive Prayer

Luke 22:1-38, Deuteronomy 28-29

Luke 22:32 – But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.

Lord Jesus, your love, compassion and care for me is such a gift.    Your knowledge of my needs is so important to me.  Sometimes I don’t even know how weak and frail I am.  I like to think to myself that I am a bastion of strength and wisdom and knowledge.  I think to myself that I am the strong one and the wise one.  I think to myself that I would never fall, that I would never have my priorities out of whack.  Peter thought that too.  He even vowed that he would never deny you.  But then, we all know, he did.  If Peter fell and denied you, I know it can happen to me.  You warned him about.  You warned your people, the Israelites about it too. But you did more than offer a word of warning to them and to me, you also pray.  You prayed for Peter that he would turn back and then strengthen the other believers.  You’re praying for me that I would not fall, that my faith would not fail.  You’re praying for me that God would keep me in the truth faith. You’re praying for me that I would be a support and a strengthener for others who believe in me.  Jesus, I know I needed.  I need it even more when I think that I don’t.  Please, keep supporting me with your prayer.  Please, keep supporting me with your constant involvement in the affairs of my life.  Do whatever it takes so that I will not fall and my faith will not fail.  Amen.

Your Audience.

Luke 21, Deuteronomy 26-27

Luke 21:19 – This will be your opportunity to bear witness.

Lord Jesus, as you describe the signs surrounding your final return on the last day I can’t help but notice all of these signs in the world around me.  I see the wars and the rumors of wars.  I see the unrest.  I hear about Christians being arrested and persecuted all around the world.  I hear, see, and sometimes experience similar hostility against Christianity even here and now.  But you want to change my thoughts about this persecution.  I tend to shake my head, wring my hands, and tremble in fear when I think about persecution.  And that’s there.  But you show me something more.  You show me in this Word that this is an opportunity for me. When you put people in front of me – whether they are hostile or friendly – you have given me an audience to share my faith.  Persecution is an opportunity to give a witness about what I believe. Being arrested to stand in front of judges gives me an audience to tell about the things I believe and that the apostles’ witnessed.  People in my path who ask me to give a reason for the hope in me are an audience that needs the hope that I have.  Help me to see every interaction with people in this way, dear Savior.  Each human interaction whether casual or formal, whether forced or optional, is an opportunity for me to give a witness by my actions and especially by my words. Create a burning desire in my heart to tell as many people as coming.  The signs remind me that your coming is nearer now than I first believed.  Eternity is closer now than ever.  I want what you want, dear Savior.  I want them all in heaven.  So, give me lots of opportunities today to talk and testify about you.  Amen.

Fill-up.

Proverbs 8:22-36; Psalm 60-63

Psalm 63:5-7 – My soul will be satisfied with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

Lord God, I’ve noticed something lately and this psalm confirms it.  When my heart is troubled and I am not at peace, it is usually not the result of trouble in my life.  It is usually not the result of people who are unkind to me.  It is usually not because of how tired I am.  When my heart is not at peace, it is because of a deeper, spiritual problem.  I see David cry out to you from a dry and weary land and yet, and yet, he finds satisfaction, fullness, and joy even there.  When I am afraid, when I am trouble, when I am tired and discouraged, when I am bitter and angry, then, dear Savior, it is time for me to repent.  It is time for me to repent of my bitterness and unforgiveness.  It is time for me to repent of my shortness and lack of compassion with others.  It is time for me to repent of my faithlessness to my callings.  It is time to repent of my anger and frustration at you for not doing what I thought that you should do.  It is time to repent of my self-trust and a pursuit of self-glory.  It is time to repent of seeking my will instead of your kingdom.  Forgive me, dear Savior-God, and restore to me the peace of your forgiveness.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation.  And help me to be what you are for me.  Grant me grace to forgive others for their sins against me, even if they aren’t sorry.  Grant me grace and compassion to give to those who need a little bit more of it from me.  Grant me faithfulness to my callings.  Grant me contentment with the fruit of my labors, the fruit that you give from the richness of your hand.  Most of all, dear Lord, grant me great joy to know that my name is written in heaven itself.  Amen.

God of the living.

Luke 20:27-47, Deuteronomy 23-25

Luke 20:38 – Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.

Lord Jesus, thank you for my family.  Thank for you for giving me a spouse and my children.  Thank you for giving me my parents, my siblings, and their families too.  Family is such a great, great gift from you.  Thank you for the dear relationships that we share and enjoy, each one of us a blessing to the other.  They are a blessing to me; I am a blessing to them.  The question of the Sadducees leads me to think about eternity and my family.  I love them dearly and I want them to enjoy eternity with you.  The Sadducees had a problem; they doubt the power of God and promises of his Word about the resurrection.  My problem is much subtler.  I find myself caring more about the earthly life of my family than the eternal one.   I find myself focused on the here and now rather than on the there and then.  Your Word promises the resurrection of the dead and your power, O God, guarantees it. I pray, dear Father, make the faith of my family and their spiritual good my highest priority today and every day.  Keep me from getting wrapped up in earthly pursuits both for me and for them.  Help me to teach them the faith as we study and grow in your Word.  Help me to show them the faith in the way that lead them, shepherd them, and live out the faith.  Keep me from hypocrisy which my family sees more than anyone else.  I want them, O God, to be in heaven with you forever.  Use me as you will to make that happen.  Do whatever it takes so that we will enjoy an eternity with you.  Amen. 

Handle with Care.

Luke 20:1-26, Deuteronomy 19-22

Luke 20:21 – So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God.”

Lord Jesus, I constantly marvel at the wisdom, the sincerity, and the love that you always showed when you taught.  These people came to you with a question.  They were duplicitous in the questioning, but your answer hit the nail on the head.  You didn’t not whack them for their duplicity, but gently and correctly taught them.  As a teacher of your word and a Christian in this world, I find it hard and difficult to handle your Word without partiality and with truth.  At times I find it easy to wield the Word like it’s a club.  It times I find it easy to use the Word like a warm blanket.  But I realize that this might not always be the right use at the right time.  I am kinder to some and harder on others.  But Lord Jesus, I am learning from you.  When you taught, you didn’t care if they were an enemy or a friend, you loved them all.  You cared about each soul and you gave each soul what it needed from the word.  And so you taught without partiality and in truth.  Give me, I pray, such a love for souls and for your Word so that I handle both with care.  Make me one who handles your Word fairly, without partiality, and with deep, deep love – love for you and love for my neighbor.  Keep me from using your Word in appropriately.  Help me to handle your Word of truth, correctly dividing law and gospel.  Your Word is to be handled with care.  People are to be handle with care and concern.  You did this well.  Help me to follow your lead in this, dear Jesus.  Amen.

Come on over, Jesus.

Luke 19, Deuteronomy 15-18

Luke 19:6 – So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.

Jesus, I think if you invited yourself over to my house all of a sudden I would panic just a little bit.  I’d wonder if my house was clean.  I’d wonder if my kids would behave.  I’d wonder what evidence of my sin you’d see in my house, in my family, in me.  I’d be nervous and afraid.  I might even ask if we could meet at Starbucks instead, anything to avoid letting you into my home.  But here is Zacchaeus.  He is well aware of his guilt and sin.  It’s all over his bank account.  He had gotten ahead on the backs of tax-payers.  And then you invited yourself over on a whim, all of a sudden.  Yet, Zacchaeus doesn’t stutter, stumble, or even pause.  He hurries down out of the tree and receives you gladly, quickly, and joyfully.  I know why.  Zacchaeus understood well that you are a friend of sinners.  He knew well that you forgive and forget, that you do not hold sins against sinners, even if their sin is written all over the walls of the house.  He knew that you were gracious and merciful.  He knew that he was already forgiven, that his sins were already separated from him as far as the east is from the west.  Lord Jesus, my shame and my sin is already gone too.  You have forgiven me for all my sins.  And you want to come into the mess of my family life and my home to forgive me, to forgive my family, and to give us the peace of forgiveness. You want to come into our home and into my life to teach me to bear the fruits of faith, help us live in the light of your holy will.  So, Jesus come on over.  I know your heart.  I know your love, your mercy, your grace.  My house and my heart is a mess.  But that’s why you’re here.  You are a friend of sinners and that makes you a friend of mine.  Amen.

When Satan calls me a sinner, he comforts me immeasurably for Christ came and died for sinners. - Martin Luther

Set Apart.

Luke 18:31-43, Deuteronomy 12-14

Deuteronomy 14:21 – For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.

Lord God, you choose me to be yours.  Though I was just as your people Israel was – smaller and weaker and more stubborn than all the other nations – you chose me and made me your own.  You redeemed me with the blood of your Son and brought me into your family.  Through all these years, dear Father, you have carried me on your shoulders as a father carries his sons.  Through all these years, dear Father, you have nurtured and nourished me as a mother nurtures her child and cares for it.  Through all these years, dear Savior, you have pursued me as a lover pursues his beloved.  You have not and you will not quit on me.  I am precious to you.  I am loved by you.  I am set apart for you.  As one who is set apart for you, help me to hate the evil and pursue the good.  Help me to rid from my life and kill to death all the sin in my body, all the sin in my heart, and all the sin in my mind.  It cannot remain or it will kill me.  Lead me to repent of all this sin and hate it as you do.  And then, dear Holy Spirit, help me to live a life worthy of the calling I have received.  Help me to honor you and keep your name holy in all I think, say, and do.  I am yours.  Help me to live like it.  Amen. 

Never Give Up

Luke 18:1-30, Deuteronomy 10-11

Luke 18:1 – And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Dear Father, in heaven.  You invite me to pray without stopping ever.  You invite me to keep asking you and not to give up.  Your Son even tells this parable about a widow who keeps badgering the unjust judge.  And you are far better than he is!  You’re showing me that you want me to badger and pester you with my prayers as if I were an annoying gnat.  I know that I am not a gnat, but a son.  What an amazing thing!  You are not annoyed or bothered by my badgering prayers.  And yet I am such a poor prayer.  I find myself easily distracted by to-do lists and activities happening around me.  My mind drifts during prayer even when I’m praying out loud.  I find myself praying once or twice about a thing and then letting it go.  I am a far cry from the bold and badgering prayer that you invite me to be.  Forgive me and show me how open I can be in my prayers. Father, there is nothing at all in heaven or earth about which I can’t talk to you.  Forgive me and remind me how persistent and badgering I can truly be in my prayers.  You never get tired of hearing from me about anything.  Nothing is too small for me to pray about.  I will not give up in my prayers, Father, because you do not quit on me.  Amen.