A Prayer for an Exchange
Father, I rejoice in your hard love today. You only discipline sons and daughters.
Amputate my sins, prune me for greater service. During this trial I plead guilty of all wrongs. Your verdict is always just, the punishment divinely fair. Your treatment is always correct and rightly administered. As I kiss the rod it falls from your powerful hand. Please, Spirit of God bestow on me courage to embrace this suffering, not to beg for relief but to allow the burning pain to cleanse my wound completely. To burn the dross and leave the gold.
Crush me Father until it presses the fruit of your Spirit into the sweetest juice. Exchange my tears for your life-giving elixir. Let the liquor that is only produced during the driest season, the dark night of the soul sustains me … make my heart glad … drunk in your love for me. My joy will come in the mourning.
Jesus as I partake in your affliction as I bear this cross along my via dolorosa … walk with me. Let my heart ache like yours. Not for myself but for the jeering crowd … for those who would harm me for those who are not for me. Father forgives them for they know not what they do.
As these thorns pierce my brow give me the strength to walk the extra mil … to turn the other cheek … to give my cloak. To give shelter to the homeless, to feed the hungry, to bless the poor. Jesus, produce in me the same power that raised you from the dead. Impart to me the supernatural gift of transforming this torment, hurt, betrayal and agony into love for myself, others and You. As you break my heart on this crucible, forge a new heart that seeks only you, that beats only for Your love.
Stand with me Jesus and grant me the faith to know one day I will be like You. As the seasons change all this will pass. You are taking from me only the temporary and establishing what is eternal.
Give me the vision to see through the shame of this cross and see only resurrection. To prostrate myself through this humility so I can kneel one day before your throne. To stand one day to receive my crown.
—Unknown
Confession is always our starting point before the Father, owning who we are and our want for holiness. We start on our knees that He might lift us up, placing us back on our feet to walk anew and afresh in Him. The beauty of our God’s love is that it is unending; when we find ourselves prostrate before Him again tomorrow, we are cheered to learn His mercies are new each morning. Come before your God in honesty, praying the words of this eloquent prayer. Be renewed and refreshed! —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics