I have been listening to The Phil Vischer Podcast for the past few months. I love it!

It is equal parts funny, insightful, and poignant. The other day they posted a “throwback episode” and I thought, I haven't been listening long enough for this to be a rerun, I will just listen… and I am so grateful that I did. The entire podcast can be found here.

As I was listening to the podcast in my car, which is where I do most of my podcast listening… I was struck by Todd Komarnicki's prayer that he shares halfway or so through the podcast. He refers to it being his daily prayer, and I felt like I was eavesdropping, but then again he knew he was on a podcast. He mentioned that it was influenced or lifted from several phrases found in the book of common prayers. Common prayer is something that I have found greater value in as I have matured.

Sometimes for me, knowing what to pray can be overwhelming and having these written prayers available has been life-saving.

I went back and listened to Todd's prayer and transcribed it and had it put on business cards to carry with me. I am committed to memorizing this prayer, but until I do… it's conveniently on my cheat sheet in my pocket.

I found myself looking at that card the other day while feeling overwhelmed by a few of life's circumstances… it reads:

Lord, I surrender this day to you

I pray that you empty me of myself completely

and fill me back up with Your Holy Spirit.

Let the words I speak,

the thoughts I think,

the deeds I do,

and the words I write,

not be mine but Yours.

Sanctify me and set me apart for Your Holy work,

and use me as an instrument of Thy Divine Peace.

-Todd Komarnicki

As I read through these words, I got stuck…

“let the words I speak”…. hadn't really talked yet that day… so check

“let the thoughts I think… not be mine but Yours.” 

Houston, I think we have a problem

Also, let me erase that first “check mark” My self-talk was all kinds of mine and not His.

We can go all the way to the top of the prayer and start all over… I hadn't really surrendered anything, I was clinging to things that I so foolishly believed I had control over.

It seems too easy to sing through “Oceans” and read the account of Peter and Jesus walking on the water and think… “I know the lesson here.”

But, when the waves seem to be crashing around, I find myself too focused on the waves.

So, today I am grateful to have eavesdropped on another's prayer, written it down and carried it in my pocket, so that when I was looking down at the waves, I could be reminded that I need to surrender, empty myself, and let my thoughts be NOT mine, but Yours… Thanks Todd Komarnicki.

blessings

be inspired

sj