At the end of my blog last week I shared my morning prayer. I discovered that prayer over twenty years ago while reading the devotional Our Daily Bread. I have read it every morning since.

This prayer covers all the bases. It is more than a morning prayer because I recite it all the time; I simply change the time of day.

Whenever I have a chance to preach I always open with this prayer before my sermon. I gave this prayer at the close of service my first Sunday in Tazewell county jail as well as services at prisons in Oklahoma and South Dakota. I prayed it prior to speaking engagements in Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh. I am praying it as I am writing this blog.

In case you missed last week here it is again:
“Good morning Heavenly Father, Good morning Lord Jesus, Good morning Holy Spirit. Heavenly Father I pray I live this day in your presence and please you more each day. Lord Jesus I pray that I take up my cross and follow you. Holy Spirit I pray you fill me with yourself and your fruit ripens in my life. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. Holy Blessed Trinity three Persons in one God please lead me and guide me in all that I do and let Thy will be my will and let me walk forward confidently sure what Thou has planned for me is better than anything I could plan for myself. In Jesus name we Pray Amen.”

If we do our best to live out our day according to this prayer we will have a pretty good day and at the end of the day I believe God will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

• morning prayer