Praying For Enemies

Father, You are the Eternal One who rules in righteousness. Nations rise and fall before you like grass that flourishes in spring and withers in winter. Kingdoms come and kingdoms go like the seasons of the year but You Father are forever the same. We kneel in Your presence as Your humble subjects created to serve for your good pleasure. Our will and wants are not important: we live in Your kingdom, not ours. You command us but we do not command You. Father there are many things that we cannot fathom with our finite minds. We do not understand why good men suffer and evil men prosper. We do not understand why we feel lonely and forgotten when we are trying to do what is right. The Christ haters in this world have no regard for You or Your Son and yet they seem to fare better than we. They are haughty, proud, and boastful; they think nothing of taking advantage of the weak and helpless. They have the power and resources to crush all who oppose them. They mock You and make fun of us for trusting You. LORD we know that a day of judgment is coming, a day of reckoning when things will be made right by Christ Himself. It is not our place to judge our enemies but we are commanded by Christ to pray for them. Our prayer is that all Christ-haters would repent of their sin and turn to Christ for forgiveness. May our enemies forsake their pride and acknowledge Jesus as their Savior and LORD.

 

[Prayer is based on Psalm 10 and was written on February 28, 1997]

A Prayer For Those Feeling Helpless

 

David Flees Jerusalem

LORD, I am poor and helpless; I am sad and broken-hearted. I feel like my life is over; fading quickly like the evening shadows. I feel unimportant, like a bug that someone brushes away. My knees are weak from fasting and I have lost weight from worrying. My enemies insult me; they make fun of me in public. They look at me with contempt and then shake their heads. LORD God help me! Show me your faithful love and save me! Then the unbelievers who mock me will know that it was by Your power that I was delivered. LORD, your blessing will overshadow the curses of the enemy. I am under constant attack but You are my defense and my shield. Enable me to rejoice in my great salvation and give me a humble spirit of gratitude. I am not ashamed to confess your goodness and grace. You stand by the helpless and You save us from death and destruction.

{Psalm 109 is an imprecatory Psalm but some believe that David is telling us how his enemies were praying curses on him: at the end of the Psalm, you will find this prayer which is not imprecatory. [pronouncing a curse]