This prayer came to me a few days ago, as I prayed before my favourite icon:
The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.
(Luke 19:10; NLT).
Lord,
Seek us when we turn away
And lose our faith in you:
Please bring us gently back again
And let us start anew.
Save us when we turn aside
And stumble, slip, or fall:
Forgive us; guide us back again –
Lord, hear us when we call.
Help us when we turn from you
In rage, grief, or despair:
Encourage us to lean on you,
And trust, Lord, in your care.
They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.
(Psalm 112:7; NLT).
Readings
Restore us, O LORD, and bring us back to you again! (Lamentations 5:21; NLT).
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! (Matthew 18:12-13; NLT).
Who among you fears the LORD and listens to his servant? Who among you walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God (Isaiah 50:10; CSB).
They will lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 10:20; NAB).