A Simple Prayer … adapted from Jonathan Edwards

When I go through difficulties and trials,

remind me of the pains of hell

from which you have already delivered me.

Place people in my path who need my help,

and give me a compassionate and generous spirit.

Fill my heart with such love

that I would never do anything out of a spirit of revenge,

nor lose my temper with those around me.

Hold my tongue when I am tempted to speak evil of others.

Thank you for the gospel and for the hope of glory.

Help me to live in light of these truths every day of my life,

so that when the time of my death arrives,

I will rest assuredly in you,

and you will be most glorified in me.

In Christ’s name…Amen.

As we go through our days, what a great way to be inspired by great Americans is to read and ponder their lives of prayer.

Jonathan Edwards (October 5, 1703 – March 22, 1758) was an American revivalist preacher, philosopher, and theologian. Edwards is widely regarded as one of the America’s most important and original philosophical theologians. Edwards died from a smallpox inoculation shortly after beginning the presidency at Princeton (College of. New Jersey). He was the grandfather of Aaron Burr, third Vice President of the United States.