When You Don’t Know What to Pray—Two2Grow, Monday, September 21
When You Don’t Know What to Pray—Two2Grow, Monday, September 21
“Lord, have mercy on my son.” Matthew 17:15a
All of us, I’m sure, have come to situations when we don’t know how to pray. It can be a personal challenge or something a family member or friend is going through. Or it can be facing conflict and having enemies working against you. How can you start praying?
Probably the most common prayer throughout the life of the church is “Kyrie, eleison,” which means, “Lord, have mercy.” Kyrie is Greek for “Lord,” and eleison means “to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need.”
Some react negatively to that prayer, saying that God is merciful and has already had mercy on us in Christ and therefore the prayer isn’t biblical. But think of it rather as when praying “Lord, have mercy,” we are not trying to change God’s attitude. We know he is love so we pray for God’s mercy to be manifested.
By praying, we are building a landing strip where the cargo planes of God’s love and blessing can land in the life of the person we are praying for.
When I watch the news, many times the only prayer I can say is “Lord, have mercy.” When I hear of the hardships and challenges people in my orbit are going through, I find this is a good way to start praying. And when I’m in troubling waters and feel way over my head, the Lord has heard my prayer for his lovingkindness to be manifested. I echo the prayer, often the Greek version, “Kyrie, eleison,” every time the situation comes to mind. And I have seen the manifested mercy of God!
There is a wonderful worship song built around this prayer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n50HIBUJN34
Father, thank you for who you are—that you are merciful and kind. I pray that your mercy will be manifest in my life and those around me. Lord, have mercy on [add the persons and situations that need God’s manifest mercy]. Amen.
All of us, I’m sure, have come to situations when we don’t know how to pray. It can be a personal challenge or something a family member or friend is going through. Or it can be facing conflict and having enemies working against you. How can you start praying?
Probably the most common prayer throughout the life of the church is “Kyrie, eleison,” which means, “Lord, have mercy.” Kyrie is Greek for “Lord,” and eleison means “to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need.”
Some react negatively to that prayer, saying that God is merciful and has already had mercy on us in Christ and therefore the prayer isn’t biblical. But think of it rather as when praying “Lord, have mercy,” we are not trying to change God’s attitude. We know he is love so we pray for God’s mercy to be manifested.
By praying, we are building a landing strip where the cargo planes of God’s love and blessing can land in the life of the person we are praying for.
When I watch the news, many times the only prayer I can say is “Lord, have mercy.” When I hear of the hardships and challenges people in my orbit are going through, I find this is a good way to start praying. And when I’m in troubling waters and feel way over my head, the Lord has heard my prayer for his lovingkindness to be manifested. I echo the prayer, often the Greek version, “Kyrie, eleison,” every time the situation comes to mind. And I have seen the manifested mercy of God!
There is a wonderful worship song built around this prayer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n50HIBUJN34
Father, thank you for who you are—that you are merciful and kind. I pray that your mercy will be manifest in my life and those around me. Lord, have mercy on [add the persons and situations that need God’s manifest mercy]. Amen.