Prayer without borders

 

Oppressed during the time of Jesus, the people of Jerusalem held Roman soldiers in fear and/or contempt. Yet Jesus marveled over the faith of a Roman officer who came to Him on behalf of a servant who was ill.

 

Not only did the centurion ask a Jewish man for healing, this leader understood that God’s power extended far beyond the tassels bordering the hem of Jesus’ garment.

 

Matthew 8:8 – a prayer of a Roman officer
paraphrased into contemporary English

Lord, I am not worthy
to have You come under my roof, 

but speak only a word,
and healing will happen!

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations researched on Bible Gateway then paraphrased into everyday English by Mary Harwell Sayler

 

Matthew 8:8 – a prayer of a Roman officer
from the King James Version of the Bible

The centurion answered and said, 

Lord, I am not worthy
that thou shouldest come
under my roof:
but speak the word only,
and my servant shall be healed.

From the Book of KJV Prayers - actual prayers from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) collected by Mary Harwell Sayler

 

Lord Jesus, help us to know Your healing power extends to us even now from heaven to earth. In Your Name we pray.

 

©2021, Mary Sayler

 

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Prayer to discern the power and glory of God

Prayer-a-phrase of Ephesians 1:17-21

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ –
the glorious Father –
give you a spirit of wisdom
and the knowledge revealed
to know Him.

May the eyes of your heart
be so filled with light,
you may know
what hope you have
in God’s call,

what riches of glory you’ve inherited
with the holy ones,

what exceeding power God has
for us who believe –

the same power shown by raising
Christ from the dead and
seating Him at His right hand
in heavenly places found
far above every principality,
authority, power, domain,
and every other name we can name –
not only in this age but the one to come.


© 2015, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased today’s reading in Ephesians by using several of the many translations provided online by Bible Gateway.

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