Hand Prayer

A Good Way to Pray
(...and easy to memorize!)

1. Thumb: Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

Lord, please bless our family. Bless AJ. If it be Your will, heal him and strengthen him. If it is your will, ease his suffering and bring him home to you. Bless AM as he deals with losing his father AJ, as well as facing the possibility of having to cope with illness himself. Bless CA as he deals with losing his grandfather AJ and the health issues of his father AM, with his marriage, with the possibility of swiching careers, and especially with his disease as well. Bless NA as he deals with losing his great-grandfather AJ, and the changes with his grandfather and hero AM, and the stress his dad, CA is under. Guard, protect, comfort, heal, hold, and lead, all of the members of their families, siblings, spouses, and children, so that they might weather these storms and be assured of Your love and providence.

2. Index finger: The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

Lord, bless our pastor- Holy Spirit, direct him and work through him so that he will be Your instrument and feed and serve Your flock in the ways that they need.

3. Middle finger: The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

Dear Jesus! I am truly afraid for our country, my family and the world. It seems like our President is leading us toward WWIII. Hold him accountable, keep the dogs of war at bay. Father God, keep our troops safe and work in the hearts and minds of our leaders so that they bring them home soon and choose diplomacy over saber-rattling.

4. Ring finger: The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

Dear Jesus, there are hundreds of thousands of refugees from Iraq, from Sudan and Chad, and other torn and ravaged regions in our world. There are millions of children who's parents have to choose between bills, food, medicine, and other needs. There area indentured servants and even slaves, still today, not just in depressed or undeveloped portions of the world, but here in our own country. Open our eyes to how You can use us to help them. Please rescue them, provide for them, and protect them. Lord, Jesus wipe out horrors like Guinea worm. Somehow Father God, force America and Americans to see how we can use our vast resourses for healing and helping, rather than manipulating and influencing.

5. Pinkie finger: And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Lord, please forgive me for being such a hypocrite, for being "the chief among sinners." Lord I believe, help my unbelief. Then empty me of myself and my sin and fill me with Your presence, so that You can use me as Your instrument, your vessel so that You can use me to reflect Your light and Your love, so that You can use me to help and support and teach, love and comfort others- instead of feeding my angers and selfishness, my depressions and fears.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen

Found at: http://www.churchsermon.org/prayer.html