Songs as Prayers for the Faint or Weary

​ SONGS AS PRAYERS

“This is the air I breathe…this is my daily bread…” “Abba, Father…” “Allelu, alleluia…”

Oh Lord, I am so glad we can sing our prayers to You! Sometimes – actually, a lot of the time! – singing is the only way we can muster up the words, connect with the emotions, and get in touch with those central pieces and parts of ourselves that most need to be opened to the reviving, rejuvenating, encouraging, challenging work of Your Spirit.

So, hear our songs, Lord, as our earnest and heartfelt prayers to You. Hear our…

• cries for mercy when life feels overwhelming.
• desires for forgiveness when we’ve gone astray.
• weary cries when illness and pain envelop our days.
• exhausted “Where are you?” when we’ve lost our bearings.
• exuberant “Thank You!” when we’ve seen grace.

We sing these prayers with full hearts and sometimes with tired bodies, puzzled minds, contrite spirits, and just plain empty gas tanks.

We sing them to YOU, O Lord, because we have no other. You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Deborah, Ruth, and Hannah. You are the God of Peter, Paul, Mary, and Elizabeth.

MOST OF ALL YOU ARE GOD, THE FATHER OF JESUS:

• the incarnate one
• the Savior and healer
• our hope and our redeemer
• the living water
• the bread of life

How we thank You for Jesus – and for the gospel of good news He brings us! How we thank You for the promise of Your presence made real by the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit! We thank You for loving us despite the messes we make and the messes we inherit. We thank You for loving us enough to call us to be better than we know, better than we are.

Most of all, we thank YOU for the gift of prayer, the primary way we experience Your presence with us.

Thank You for prayers with and without words, prayers of hope and delight, discouragement and despair. We thank You for prayers in pain and relief, prayers of contrition and repentance, prayers of thanksgiving and praise.

We thank You for all manner of conversation, interaction, silent communication, noisy jubilation, or unconscious groaning—all these prayers are welcomed by YOU, the God who sustains us through all that life throws our way. Grant us grace and strength to pray without ceasing through all our days. For Jesus’ sake, amen.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

•  What song can you sing right now as a prayer to God?

•  Even if you don’t have a singing voice, pray and sing this scripture as a simple breath prayer:

•  Breathe in, saying May your unfailing love.

•  Breathe out, saying be my comfort. (Psalm 119:76a)

•  Turn on Christian music, inviting God to choose a song just for you. Ask Him to let the music inspire you to sing along, pray, rest, or just simply sit at His feet in praise.