Exercise 4: Bible Prayers

Sometimes we can pray right from the bible. As you have seen in the section entitled “Prayers from the Bible” there are numerous prayers and thoughts about prayer in the scriptures. You can take any portion of a bible verse that might be ringing true to you and personalize it as your own prayer. Read Luke 6:28-31 (below) and see how the words could be changed to first person in the form of a prayer in the example. When you re-write into first person, you want to think like you are talking to God as if He were standing directly in front of you.


28 Pray for the happiness of those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other cheek. If someonedemands your coat, offer your shirt also.
30 Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it; and when things aretaken away from you, don't try to get them back.
31 Do for others as you would like them to do for you.
32 Do you think you deserve credit merely for loving those who love you? Even the sinners do that!
33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, is that so wonderful? Even sinners do that much!
34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, what good is that? Even sinners will lend to their own kind for a full return.
35 Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don't be concerned that they might not repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked.
36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

Example, it could go something like this:

My Father, hollowed is your name, I pray for the happiness of those who curse me. I pray to forgive those who hurt me and that you will help ease their pain. I ask that you would place in me a giving and forgiving heart so that I may share what I have with all those who are in need. Even if they take from me forcefully, let me give more willingly. Let everything I give be passed on with love and charity with no expectation of reward or return. Please Heavenly Father let me know the charity in your heart so that I may do likewise unto others.

A-men

How would you write your prayer?