A Prayer for Wednesday

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I prefer to pray without using words.  It feels more true to me.  It’s my way of surrendering to God, trusting Jesus, listening for the whisper of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. 

But...there are days when only words will do.  I’ve found comfort and courage in prayer as I reframe and personalize the psalms.  Here is a common way I pray the first five verses of Psalm 103…Today, I pray this with you.

Praise the Lord, all our souls;

All our inmost beings, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O our souls,

As we deliberately remember all your benefits

Mindful that you forgive all our sins

And you heal all our diseases, (although I find this confusing when the healing is not on this side of heaven),

Grateful that you redeem our lives from the pit

And you crown us with love and compassion (although sometimes you have to chase us down as we run from you),

You satisfy our desires with good things (even as we confuse good and bad)

All this so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s….

Oh to have the energy of youth and the wisdom of age, that is our prayer….