When You Don’t Have the Words to Pray
There are days when it is hard to find the right words to pray. At times when I’m fighting discouragement, persistent struggles with sin, various burdens, or a tired mind, I may have the desire to come to the Lord in prayer, but I fumble around to find the words. I found myself in one of these moments this past week. I had the desire to spend time in prayer but struggled to know how.
The good news we have in these moments is that the Lord equips us to pray in all circumstances. Praying back scripture and working through the Psalms is a great example of this, but one of the things I have also found helpful is praying through different collections of prayers of believers who have gone before me. One of those prayers that has been a blessing to me this past week comes from the Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions.
Despite the tricky old English, this prayer gave me words to led me into deeper worship with the Lord. Since I was encouraged by it this week, I wanted to share it with you as well.
“THE NAME OF JESUS”
All-searching God:
Thou readest the heart,
viewest principles and motives of actions,
seest more defilement in my duties
than I ever saw in any of my sins.
The heavens are not clean in your sight,
and thou chargest the angels with folly;
I am ready to flee from myself because of
my abominations;
Yet though dost not abhor me
but has devised means for my return to thee,
and that, by thy Son who died to give me life.
Thine honour is secured and displayed even in
my escape from thy threats,
and that, by means of Jesus
in whom mercy and truth meet together,
and righteousness and peace kiss each other.
In him the enslaved find redemption,
the guilty pardon
the unholy renovation;
In him are everlasting strength for the weak,
unsearchable riches for the needy,
treasures of wisdom and knowledge for the ignorant,
fullness for the empty.
At thy gracious call I hear, take, come, apply, receive his grace,
not only submit to his mercy but acquience in it,
not only glory in the cross but I him crucified and slain,
not only joy in forgiveness but in the one
through whom atonement comes.
Thy blessings are as secure as they are glorious;
Thou hast provided for my safety and my prosperity,
and hast promised that I shall stand firm and grow stronger.
O Lord God, without the pardon of my sin I cannot rest satisfied
without the renovation of my nature by grace
I can never rest easy,
without the hopes of heaven I can never be at peace.
All this I have in thy Son Jesus; blessed by his name.
Jacob Abrahamson
Youth Pastor
PS: The following comes from Bruce and Cindy McMartin, and is an opportunity to pray for the Muslim people of Senegal that they wanted us to know about.
Ramadan 2025
Let’s cover every minute in prayer!
Every disciple-making movement in history has happened in the context of extraordinary prayer.
The month of Ramadan begins in Senegal around March 1. Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, sees Muslims worldwide fasting from dawn until sunset for 30 days. This period of fasting is a time for cleansing bodies, minds, and souls from worldly impurities, improving moral character, praying, and drawing closer to Allah.
This makes Ramadan a strategic time for us to pray for our Muslim neighbors to encounter Jesus.
We invite you to join us in interceding on behalf of the Muslims of Senegal with continuous prayer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the 30 days of Ramadan. Sign up for a 15-minute prayer time slot and become part of this powerful movement.
Each day, we will provide fresh prayer content. We will pray through the Sermon on the Mount, gaining insight on how to pray for Muslims, believers, and the church in Senegal.
Thank you for laboring with us to reach the Senegalese! Please pray.
Love, Bruce & Cindy McMartin