Now that I am old and grey,
do not abandon me, O God
(Psalm 71:18; NLT).
Father,
I am old and weary,
Sick and fragile,
Weak, in pain.
Give me, Lord,
The hope I long for;
Grant me, Lord,
Your strength again.
Father,
I am sad and lonely,
Selfish,
Sinful to the core.
Send me, Lord,
The faith I search for;
Show me, Lord,
Your love once more.
Show me your unfailing love
(Psalm 17:7; NLT).
Lord,
1. Please help us all
Throughout today:
Those who are lonely,
Those who’ve lost their way;
2. Those who are hungry, homeless,
Those who’ve strayed;
Those who are grieving,
Comfortless, afraid;
3. Those who are sick, or dying,
Old, distressed;
Those who are longing
For your peace and rest;
4. Those who have ceased to hope,
And cannot pray:
Father, please help us all
Throughout today.
Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said.
“Take courage. I am here!” (Matthew 14:27; NLT).
1. Lord,
Please give us courage,
To face all life may bring:
Heartbreak, sickness, hunger,
For you are still our King.
2. Lord,
Please give us courage
To bear all that may come:
Loneliness and worry,
Until this plague is done.
3. Lord,
Please give us courage
To turn to you, and pray,
Trusting in your mercy,
And serving you each day.
4. Lord,
Please give us courage
And hope, for you are great;
Forgive us all our sins,
And help us hold fast to our faith.
References
1. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33; NLT).
2. This is my intense suffering, but I must bear it (Jeremiah 10:19; CSB).
3. I plead for the Lord’s mercy (Psalm 142:1; NLT).
4. Put your hope in God (Psalm 42:5; NIV).
Having hope will give you courage (Job 11:18; NLT)
I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts (Isaiah 57:15; NLT).
Hold fast and repent (Revelation 3:3; NKJV).
The Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you
(Deuteronomy 31:6; NIV).
1. Father,
You’re in exile
With those living far from home,
For Christ, your Son, dwells in us all,
No matter where we roam.
2. Father,
You’re in hospital
With every patient there,
For Christ, your Son, dwells in us all,
To comfort, heal, and care.
3. Father,
You’re in prison
With each lonely detainee,
For Christ, your Son, dwells in us all,
To set our spirits free.
4. Father,
You’re in everyone;
You never cease to give;
For Christ, your Son, dwells in us all,
So we may fully live.
I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride on the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me (Psalm 139:7-10; NLT).
References
1. In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).
Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).
2. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NIV).
He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7; NIV).
3. The Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love (Genesis 39:21; NLT).
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners (Luke 4:18; NIV).
4. There is one Lord […] who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need (Luke 12:31; NLT).
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10; NLT).
The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult
(Matthew 7:14; NLT).
1. Father,
Every time I stray
Beyond your narrow, testing path,
Please guide me to your sacred way,
And save me from your righteous wrath.
2. Father,
Every time I roam
Away from your parched, desert trail,
Please seek me out, and bring me home,
Forgiving me each time I fail.
3. Father,
Every time I fall
From your steep, lonely, mountain track,
Please rescue me; Lord, hear my call,
And carry my weak spirit back.
4. Father,
Every time I drift
Far from my faith along the road,
Please stay with me, recall your gift
Of Christ, and help me bear my load.
5. Father,
Every time I lose
All sense of you within my soul,
Please whisper gently; don’t accuse:
Be patient, Lord, and make me whole.
References
1. Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14; NIV).
The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul (Deuteronomy 13:3; NLT).
2. It was I who rescued you from Egypt and led you through the desert for forty years (Amos 2:10; NLT).
I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again (Ezekiel 34:16; NLT).
3. The paths they take will become slippery. They will be chased through the dark, and there they will fall (Jeremiah 23:12; NLT).
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders (Luke 15:4-5; NLT).
4. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way (Isaiah 53:6; NIV).
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16; NLT).
5. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? (Psalm 22:1; NLT).
He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5; RSV).
Jesus said, “Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28; NLT).
1. Come to me
When you are lonely;
Take my hand
When you’re afraid.
2. Seek me
When you lose your bearings;
Talk with me;
Rest in my shade.
3. Follow me;
Accept my friendship;
Cling to me
When you despair.
4. Turn to me
When life’s a burden:
I will comfort, love,
And share.
References
1. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).
I will take you by the hand and guard you (Isaiah 42:6; NLT).
2. I am the way (John 14:6; NLT).
Come and take shelter in my shade (Judges 9:15; NLT).
3. Follow me and be my disciple (Matthew 9:9; NLT).
You are my friends (John 15:15; NLT).
He lifted me out of the pit of despair (Psalm 40:2; NLT).
4. Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping and mourning (Joel 2:12; NLT).
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).
In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).
You are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).
1. My flesh is weak
And mortal, Lord;
It will return to dust.
2. My mind is full
Of anguish, Lord,
Making it hard to trust.
3. My heart is sad
And lonely, Lord,
Full of despair and sin,
4. But my soul is at peace
Forever, Lord,
Because it is you, within.
References
1. He knows how weak we are (Psalm 103:14; NLT).
He remembered that they were merely mortal (Psalm 78:39; NLT).
You were made from dust, and to dust you will return (Genesis 3:19; NLT).
2. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1; NIV).
3. My soul is downcast within me (Psalm 42:5; NIV).
Darkness is my closest friend (Psalm 88:18; NLT).
From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help (Psalm 130:1; NLT).
In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful mature I am a slave to sin (Romans 7:25; NLT).
4. The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
There is […] one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).