Words
You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord. ~ Psalm 139:4 (NLT)
When you pray, don’t talk on and on as people do who don’t know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask. ~ Matthew 6:7-8 (CEV)
Dear God:
THANKS: I'm thankful that at least you know what I'm saying.
REGRETS: Sometimes I have no clue what I'm talking about. So I talk on and on. For some unknown reason I feel that the more I say the more impressed you'll be. And even if you're not impressed other people will think I'm pretty special. That's not how I want to live.
INTERCESSION: Please help me choose my words carefully and to trust that you already know what I'm wanting.
PURPOSE: I'm going to relax in the knowledge that you know -- even when I don't.
Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
