Many of us are familiar with the disciple Peter, who, after seeing Jesus walk across the Sea of Galilee, stepped out of the boat and walked on water toward Jesus. At some point in those miraculous steps, Peter became frightened and began sinking into the water. He criedout to Jesus, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:23-33).These three simple words form the basis of the most powerful, simplest prayer.This simple prayer can guide us in our own prayers and in teaching others how to pray.
First, we guide others in calling out to the only One who can help them: the Lord. We don’t pray to some cosmic force, an unknown deity, nor one of the many gods worshiped in other religions. Instead, we call out to the Almighty God through Jesus, our Savior.
Second is the action verb “save.” This four-letter word communicates so much of the human experience. An English dictionary gives the following definitions for "save": rescue from danger or from pain and fear; spare one from suffering, anxiety, or the unknown; and stop the spread of illness, infection, or cancer. And of course, “save” is also used to communicate what Jesus does for those who believe in Him. “The Son of Man [Jesus] came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
The final word “me” is more than a personal pronoun. It is an intimate identification as a child of God. The Lord of heaven, the Creator of the universe knows each hair on our heads, the health of the cells in our bodies, and the number of days inour lives.
“Lord, save me” is a simple prayer, but it communicates the immensity of the needs of humanity calling out to the only power able to effect change. You as a nurse can pray this prayer for patients or clients; pray it silently, or with their permission, aloud. Insert their name for "me." Pray it for your colleagues and for yourself. Then, rest in confidence knowing the Lord will answer this simple, potent prayer.
This article is adapted from the December7, 2019 blog post,NCFI Cares: The Simplest Prayerby Carrie Dameron.
The mission ofNCFI (Nurses Christian Fellowship International)is to equip and encourage Christian nurses to integrate biblical principles and Christ-centered values in clinical practice, leadership, education, and research.
FAQs
It is called the "Jesus Prayer", and it consists simply in uttering the single word "Jesus" (or "Lord Jesus", or "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner") in any situation, at any time and place, either aloud or silently.
What is the most basic prayer? ›
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
What is a short simple prayer for today? ›
Lord our God, we lift our hearts to you, our help in every need. You do so much for us even in difficult times, letting us always see your light and giving us your help in the many things you want us to bear in your strength, O Almighty God.
What is the shortest and most powerful prayer? ›
The shortest prayer you can say and it is still considered praying is saying the name: JESUS! It is very powerful and at Our Lord's name even the devil/demons will flee out of fear!
What is a good beginner prayer? ›
Sample prayers for beginners
So then using the Lord's prayer as our model, we could say something like this: “Dear Lord, I know that you are holy and I am not, and so I am grateful for your love and care in my life. I am so looking forward to the day when I will be with you forever.
What is a very short simple prayer? ›
Some examples of short prayers include: - "Lord, have mercy on me." ( The Jesus Prayer) - "Lord, thank you for this beautiful day." - "May peace and love fill my heart."
What is the simplest prayer in the Bible? ›
He cried out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:23-33). These three simple words form the basis of the most powerful, simplest prayer. This simple prayer can guide us in our own prayers and in teaching others how to pray.
What is a good prayer to say every day? ›
Lord, I don't know what lay before me today, but I commit it all to You. Please give me strength and courage to get through the joys, challenges and happenings of the day. I thank You for my life and for all that I have; I commit this day to You. No matter what happens, I know You have me in the palm of Your hand.
What is prayer simply? ›
Prayer is a conversation with God. It is simply talking with God and listening to him, honestly telling him your thoughts and feelings, praising him, thanking him, confessing sin, and asking for his help and advice. The essence of prayer is humbly entering the very presence of almighty God.
What is the simple meaningful prayer? ›
“Heavenly Father, I have to thank You for looking beyond my faults and for loving me unconditionally. Forgive me when I fail to love others in the same way. Give me eyes to see the needs of the difficult people in my life, and show me how to meet those needs in a way that pleases You.
In the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6, this is encouraged in another way: ""Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is (being done right now) in heaven. "" God delights to answer this prayer and the results are stunning. It is the prayer that never fails.
What is the one word prayer? ›
He doesn't need flashy prayers. All you need to do is bring your heart to him and whisper, “Jesus.” One word says it all. He will do the rest.
What is the most perfect prayer? ›
Much later, in the Thirteenth Century, Dominican priest-theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), quoted in the Catechism, observes: “The Lord's Prayer is the most perfect of prayers… In it we ask, not only for all the things we can rightly desire, but also in the sequence that they should be desired.
What is the basic prayer to say? ›
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
How do you start a simple prayer? ›
Begin your prayer
Before you begin, find a quiet place where you feel comfortable. A good way to start is to address God by name. You could try “Dear God,” “Dear Heavenly Father,” “Our Father which art in heaven,” or simply “God.”
What is the 5 basic prayers? ›
We've defined the primary types of prayer: supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, confession, and intercession.
What is the most common pray? ›
The most common prayer among Christians is the Lord's Prayer, which according to the gospel accounts (e.g. Matthew 6:9-13) is how Jesus taught his disciples to pray.
What is the general prayer for everyone? ›
May we all be well, happy and peaceful, May no harm come to us, May we all also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.
Many of us are familiar with the disciple Peter, who, after seeing Jesus walk across the Sea of Galilee, stepped out of the boat and walked on water toward Jesus. At some point in those miraculous steps, Peter became frightened and began sinking into the water. He criedout to Jesus, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:23-33).These three simple words form the basis of the most powerful, simplest prayer.This simple prayer can guide us in our own prayers and in teaching others how to pray.
