Prayer

“I realized that the deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way in the end, but by His making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able to honestly to pray what He taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done.” ― Elisabeth Elliot, Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ's Control

Maybe I should have waited a bit longer to post a poem about this topic, but here it goes anyway. I have prayed this prayer for years, only recently writing it as a poem. It's very simple (it reads like a prose paragraph, to me) and meant to be pray-able.

Holy, Sovereign Jesus--

well, here I am.

Not holy, not sovereign, not Jesus

but thank God, right?

I'm tired of the over thinking,

the endless circuit of worry

and mistrust. Please, let me rest.

As I settle into your light,

soften my heart

towards him,

towards everybody,

towards your will,

not mine.

Let me bless him, Lord.

Let's bless him together.

Shower your love,

your lovely light,

into his soul.

Refine him

(in the fire

of suffering

if need be)

but in the process

be his

sole strength,

his one Rock,

his beloved Lover,

and his heart's delight.

Illumine in him, of him,

a beacon of Christ's hard red love

to bathe others in its light.

Oh God,

guard his soul

in every way

on every side

from

shallow earthly entanglement

and the angry accusations of Satan.

Let him remember that

the kingdom of darkness is real

and let him fight it

like a man after God's own heart.

Most of all,

glorify yourself

with his

deep satisfaction

(his risk-taking,

life-altering,

death-ready,

passion-oozing

satisfaction)

in you.

Lord, let his love story

be beautiful

(no matter if I'm in it).

His future wife--

wherever she is--

Lord, nurture her,

bless her,

enthrall her with your love.

Committing them

both to your care,

let me be at peace

and trust quietly

for your timing,

for my man,

for their blessing.