Weekly Prayers – Page 3

Prayer to See and Be God’s Light and Love – November 25, 2018

November 26, 2018 by Jack Emmott 1 Comment

God – Scripture proclaims that You made me and all Your children in Your Divine image. Yet, as an earthly being, I too often find myself being less a vessel filled with Your Spirit and more a body full of meeting my wants and not the needs of others. I frequently struggle with accepting those who are different than me or who do not share my values and opinions. I am often too quick to judge, too slow to forgive or unable or unwilling to see beyond the imperfections of others.

Lord, please help me to not be “me” but to be a creature of Your Divine Spirit and to see others as You. In Your love for all creation, please help me see You in others so that they may see more of You in me.

If I was made in Your image, please help me, as Your servant, reflect Your light and love in my faithful service to You.

If I and all of Your children did this, then the unloved, the unlovable, and the not so easy to love would be loved. The differences, diversity, and imperfections in me and others would be reconciled in the wholeness and unity of Your Holy Spirit, now and forever to the glory of Your Holy name.

Yes, Lord, please help me see and be Your light and love in who and whose I am. Amen

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Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120-lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to BendingAngel.com.

Prayer in Thanksgiving for Polishing Mom’s Silver – November 17, 2018

November 18, 2018 by Jack Emmott Leave a Comment

God, in my youth, before every Thanksgiving, my mother forced me and my siblings to polish her silver. The spoons, knives, forks and serving pieces were dull and needed to be polished for the family table. At the time I resented being separated from watching TV, listening to the radio or playing card games.

As Mom pulled the silverware from the cedar chest and cooked in the kitchen, I sat for what seemed like hours doing this chore. Now, years later, I realize that my mother was teaching me a deeper lesson than just doing a job. Looking back, Mom was teaching me about being thankful for the possessions we had, taking pride in our work, and joy in seeing a dining room table set with clean china, sparkling crystal and shining silver. Living the artful life and creating beauty for others to see. How even the simple mundane things we do over time have the greatest impact in life. Mom taught me that life is a lot like that. Little actions produce big results. Small things matter – more than we know.

As I approach another Thanksgiving, I thank you God for the lessons I learned from polishing Mom’s silver. After her death, in the wake of sorting out Mom’s possessions, and in the aftermath of untrustworthy hired caregivers, I have no idea where her silver is or the cedar chest she stored it in. But, the lessons I learned from polishing her silver are everlasting. The blessings of polishing Mom’s silver will be seated at our family Thanksgiving table next week and at every other holiday dinner to come.

God, for those of us who do not have silver in need of polishing, please help us to do our part in creating beauty and special memories at our holiday tables. There are napkins to fold. Silverware to set in place. Tablecloths to lay. Vases to fill with flowers. Hands to hold. Loved ones to embrace. The giving of thanks to You for the harvest of hope as we break bread together. Amen

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Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120-lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to the Bending Angel website.

Prayer for Voting – November 4, 2018

November 1, 2018 by Jack Emmott Leave a Comment

Heavenly Father – As a citizen of the greatest country on Earth, I thank you for all the blessings of living in America, one Nation under You, my God. As I exercise my Constitutional right to vote, please guide me in prayer to select the best candidates. I pray to You that those we elect across our Nation will be ones who afford America the greatest opportunity to heal and unify its people, to restore civility and peace, to respect and embrace the diversity among its people, to exercise fiscal responsibility, and to give this and future generations the greatest opportunity to live, love, worship and flower in your Kingdom. May the exercise of my precious right to vote find pleasure in Your sight. Amen.

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Prayer for All Saints, Especially St. Luke – November 1, 2018

November 1, 2018 by Jack Emmott 1 Comment

Although Your Saints have equal rank in Your sight, I am especially thankful for St Luke, the Patron Saint for artists, writers and physicians. Artists have shown me the beauty of the world You created for me. Beauty which far exceeds the ugliness of polio. As a writer, I have penned words which have come from You, not me, for You are the true Author of all creation. Through the saintly skills of my physicians and surgeons, what could be remedied with the hands of man was repaired. That which could not be repaired was healed by Your unconditional love for me. Amen

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Prayer for Civility – October 21, 2018

October 21, 2018 by Jack Emmott Leave a Comment

God – The angelic Mother You sent me had many words of wisdom to live and love by. One of the simple yet profound ones was, “Jack, if you cannot say something nice about someone else, please say nothing at all.”

My Mother is in Heaven, but her words live on in my heart on Earth.

As a divorce attorney I learn of parents who speak to their spouses and their children in angry tones and hateful demeaning words. God, one of Your ministers, Wes Seeliger, said such words of incivility hurt forever and are hard to forget or forgive. Over time Wes said they become “tapeworms of the soul.”

Tapeworms of the soul deprive the spirit of the nutrient it needs to thrive and live. That nutrient is love.

Lord, today and every day, please help us speak with dignity and respect to our spouses and our children, family members, and all others we come into contact with in our personal, business, social, political, and international relationships. For when we do that, others will see You in us and we will shine Your light of civility and love on others in our service to You. Amen

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Prayer in Thanksgiving for Music – October 14, 2018

October 14, 2018 by Jack Emmott 1 Comment

The Minutemen. Photo by Legendary Drummer
Buzzy Gruen.

God – I met You first in my mother’s warm embrace and in her song.

As a young boy I sat next to Mom in the church pew on Sunday mornings.

Adorned in a hat, a veil over her lovely face and white gloves on her hands which held the hymnal, I listened to her sing like an angel.

After polio, my infirm body felt firmly part of God’s family as I sang in the Cherub Choir. I had felt so different and alone. Yet, as I precariously stood beside the other choir members, I knew God loved me. I was part of something far greater and more powerful than polio could ever be.

In the awkward years in high school of wanting to fit in while feeling out and of having pimples and scoliosis that made me feel like a leper, I played the keyboard in a local band, The Minutemen.

In our tri-cornered hats and in black attire as I played beside Bob Vaden, Mike McGauhey, and Steve Glover on their Fender electric guitars and Buzzy Gruen on his Ludwig drums, I received and re-experienced the joy of being in church with my mother, and in the Cherub Choir.

God, today and every day may we thank You for the gift to us of music, of voice, and of song.

In the melody and rhythm of song, of string, and wind may we hear the voices of angels.

May we hear the beat of Your ever present heart.

May we feel the pulse of Your never-ending love for us.

May the joyful noise we make together in Your Name rise above the deafening sounds of ordinary days.

May we follow the voices of Your angels who lead us nearer and nearer to You. Amen

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Prayer for Recognition of Others – October 7, 2018

October 8, 2018 by Jack Emmott Leave a Comment

At 14 when I graduated from Dean Junior High, I felt like a fish out of water.

At the Graduation Ceremony I sat in a wheelchair with my head in a sling. One of the steel rods in my back had broken and surgery loomed a few days later.

As awards were given to my fellow classmates for outstanding grades, Most Popular Boy and Girl and Most Likely to Succeed, I was not aware of anything about me that was worthy of praise or recognition.

Suddenly, a teacher wheeled me on stage and presented me with an unexpected award— The Most Optimistic Student Award.

I’ve always known that this Award had no historical precedent. It was given to me by teachers and the Principal in recognition that I always had smile on my face despite my obvious disabilities and struggles.

The fact that others gave me that recognition helped me recognize the gift God gave me in a smile and a positive attitude in all things.

Lord, even though our imperfections are many, every one of Your children has some quality, gift, or talent worthy of recognition and praise. Please help us to look beyond the superficial and the obvious and find something worthy of recognition and praise in others. For in the recognition of Your gifts in them, we glorify You and show You thanks for our creation. Amen

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Prayer to Let Go of Outcomes – September 30, 2018

September 30, 2018 by Jack Emmott 1 Comment

God – In our prayers to You we ask for what we need or want from You. We ask You for the outcomes we want. We do so without considering the outcomes You want for us.

After polio and during my rehabilitation from paralysis, in daily prayer I asked You, my Lord, to cure me, to grant me the miracle I wanted.

As I petitioned You to be cured, I also asked You to strengthen my trust in You to accept the outcome You wanted for me.

In the end, because of Your love and plans for me, I was healed instead of cured.

I have come to believe that You thought that I could be a better servant to others and You while I was seated in a chair with four wheels and not standing on two strong legs. The plans the polio virus intended for me were uprooted by Your Divine Will for me.

Lord, as we all pray for the outcomes we want, please help us let go of the ultimate outcomes. Rather, let us trust that Your Will for us will be done on Earth and in Heaven.

Lord, let Thy will for each of us be done, now and forever. Amen

This prayer was inspired by today’s sermon by Stuart Bates, Rector, St. Francis Episcopal Church, Houston. Stuart, thanks to you for your inspiration and that of all ministers of all denominations to focus our hearts on what great plans the Father has for all His children.

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Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120-lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to the Bending Angel website.

Prayer to Overcome Dream Killers – September 23, 2018

September 26, 2018 by Ann Boland 1 Comment

Dear God, when I was in college my freshman year, I took a course in pre-law. I yearned to be an attorney and felt that was my destiny, my dream. My confidence and hope was shaken when I failed my first exam.

Almost in tears, I went to meet the professor to ask his opinion on what my poor test score meant. Surely, a failed test did not reflect a verdict on whether I could become a lawyer.

I said to my professor, “I failed my first test. Do you think I have the ability to succeed in law school and become an attorney?” Without batting an eye the professor said, “The failed grade reflects that you do not have the ability make it in law school. You should consider another career path.”

After a day of prayer and reflection, I went to the Registrar’s Office and dropped the class. I was not going to let my professor’s judgement kill my dream.

I cannot candy coat this event by saying the professor’s proclamation just spurred me on. The truth is that if I had lesser faith in my ability and in You, my Lord, I could’ve easily given up. I could’ve quit and not fulfilled the gifts You gave me or lived to serve You by serving others.

God, please help all Your children to overcome dream killers. Dream killers do not do Your work.

Please strengthen those who are discouraged by others to persevere. To have as much faith in Your plans for them as they have faith in You.

Please help Your children ignore and overcome dream killers. Then, may they follow the path which leads to the living dreams on Earth and peace with You in Heaven. Amen.

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Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120-lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to the Bending Angel website.

Prayer for Hurricane Florence Victims and First Responders – September 15, 2018

September 16, 2018 by Jack Emmott Leave a Comment

Dear Merciful Lord – Just one year ago the Houston area was devastated and disrupted by Hurricane Harvey. That same tremendous force of nature in Florence has now set its catastrophic power of wind, flood, storm surge, and rain on the and surrounding States.

Lives have been lost. Families placed in shelters. Homes leveled. Possessions and precious treasures lost forever.

In the darkness please help the victims and first responders see and share Your love and light.

Let them know that Harvey and Florence were not Acts of God but forces of nature.

If a victim cries out to You and asks, “Lord, Why did You do this to me?” Comfort the victim with the knowledge that it was not You who did harm. For You would never hurt a child You love. Rather, You were certainly the First Responder. You were there to witness their pain, to cry with them and dry their tears.

Your Baptismal waters are more powerful than any act of nature including Harvey or Florence. Flood waters will recede and disappear. But, Your Spirit which flows in us never dies and carries those who follow You to Your Almighty, Eternal, and Heavenly Sea. Amen

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