Wednesday - Enter In - Week 2

Welcome to daily prayer.

Today we're reflecting on Psalm 42 and the longing for God.

As we begin our time of prayer now, let's quiet our hearts and minds before the Lord.

Lord, I need you today.

I surrender my self-seeking, self-centered ways of thinking, and I acknowledge my need for you.

I give everything to you.

I surrender to you.

Open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise.

A Scripture reading from Psalm 42:1-11

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long,“Where is your God?” Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

A Prayer of Adoration:

Lord, you are my Savior. You made me. You are the source of my hope. You're the Creator, the Redeemer, the Rescuer from darkness and oppression. For all the ways that you rescue, for all the ways that you satisfy, I adore you.

A Prayer of Confession:

Lord, I acknowledge the ways that I am downcast, the ways that I'm easily distracted and disturbed. I acknowledge the ways that instead of speaking to my soul, I've listened to the discouragement, the disappointment. Lord, I acknowledge my need for you.

A Prayer of Trust:

Lord, I'm hungry and you satisfy. I trust that as I look to you that you will meet my needs. I trust that you will rescue me, that you will deliver me from oppression, that you will deliver me from despair, and I look to you for hope.

I will praise you, my Savior and my God.

A Prayer of Intercession:

Lord, I pray for those who are going about mourning in this season.

For those who are oppressed by the enemy, and for those who are suffering mortal agony I pray that you would be with them.  Sustain them, draw near to them, I pray.

Lord, for those who are panting for you, those longing for you but in a dark place,I pray that you would meet them, Lord. Increase their hope in you in this season.

A Moment of Reflection:

Lord, is there any specific truth that you want me to remember and hold on to in this week?

A Closing Prayer:

Father, I thirst for you. I’m hungry for you. I want to meet with you, Lord.

You're the only one who can satisfy. Lord, I draw near to you today to be with you, to know you, to be satisfied by you. And I set aside anything that would hinder that today.

In the name of Jesus, 

Amen.