Father in Heaven! When the thought of Thee wakes in our hearts, let it not waken like a frightened bird that flies about in dismay, but like a child waking from its sleep with a heavenly smile.
I WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY
And at times, O Lord, when Thou seemest not to hear my voice, my plaint, my sigh, my thanksgiving, I will even then continue to pray to Thee until Thou hearest my thanksgiving because Thou hast heard me!
HELP US TO PRAY
Grant that our prayer be not like the flower which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, not like the flower even though in magnificence it surpasses the glories of Solomon.
LOVE OF THEE MAKETH ELOQUENT
And if one says that earthly love makes one eloquent, how much greater reason for saying the love one bears for Thee will make us eloquent, Thou who formed the mouth of humans for the word!
FOR SELF-MASTERY
Lord! Make our heart Thy temple in which Thou wouldst live. Grant that every impure thought, every earthly desire might be like the idol Dagon – each morning broken at the feet of the Ark of the Covenant. Teach us to master flesh and blood and let this mastery of ourselves be our bloody sacrifice in order that we might be able to say with the Apostle: “I die daily.”
BE NEAR TO US
Our Father, be near to us with Thy power so that we may feel a joyous assurance of heart that Thou art not far from us, but that we live and move and have our being in Thee.
TOWARD THY WILL
Yes, Lord, we would turn our thoughts and our soul toward Thy will, for Thou art the One who raises up and casts down – we turn toward Thee, our Father who art in Heaven!
Alleluia!
Amen.
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Selections from Perry D. LeFevre, The Prayers of Kierkegaard: Edited and With a New Interpretation of His Life and Thought (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1956), 48-54.
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