Dear God, I was meeting with local pastors last week, and one of them mentioned he has started trying to more intentionally acknowledging and engaging with the part of your essence that you sent to be with us after Jesus left, the Holy Spirit. How is it that this is the part of you that is with us now, filling your souls and hearts, and yet we seem to forget him? We talk to you. We talk to Jesus. We say that we are asking Jesus into our hearts. We say we are a dwelling place for Jesus. But is that scripturally accurate. Did the essence of you that is Jesus not return to you and send us the Holy Spirit? You know I’ve been thinking about this more as I pray. I’ve been including the Holy Spirit more in these prayers and I try to consciously shift my thinking towards this lesser-acknowledged part of the Trinity.

Holy Spirit, as you move through the earth today, I have some special requests. First, have free reign in me and work in my heart to make me the man you need me to be. Give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Help me to repent where I am sinful. Help me to heal from my wounds and offer your healing to others.

Be with my wife today. Encourage her. Speak to her. Fill her. Love her. Use me in her life however you need to use me. Heal her wounds. Grant her the serenity to accept the things she cannot change, the courage to change the things she can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Give her whole relationships where they are broken.

For my friend separated from her husband, I pray that you would use this pain in their lives to draw each of them to you and build them up. Build them into your disciples. Reconcile them together. Use this. Use it as not only a healing opportunity in their own lives, but as an example to their children. They’ve recently hit a new low, but I pray that it might be a point of rebound for them. This is salvageable with humility, repentance, and hard work. Help them to do the hard work for your glory’s sake.

For my children. They are both finding their way through their lives. Holy Spirit, please be with them. Be with their significant others. Help them to feel your love. Help them to feel the freedom that comes with submission to you. Help them to know my wife and I love them. Use the path they are on for their good and your glory. Give them your presence, Holy Spirit, so they might exude your love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness, and self control.

For my friends who are mourning the loss of their spouses this week. For my friends and family who are ill–some gravely. For my friends who are living in scary situations. For my community that is hurting with anger and fear. Oh, Holy Spirit, move. Please move in all of these things. Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, please be God so that our community might be made whole under you. Give me wisdom in the special business meeting I have today. Help me to see each person in there with your eyes and to be more than an participant, but your ambassador.

I pray all of this through the right I have to be your child by the power of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection,

Amen