Prayer of a Prodigal Daughter

Abba, Father. You are the creator and sustainer of life. You are my provider, protector, healer, teacher, and Lord. You are my God, my Savior, and my King and I humbly bow before Your glory and majesty. Father, I am filthy from my traveling in this world, blemished and broken from my dependence on self and others, distanced by the distractions this world has offered. Oh Father, as I look back on this long road I have traveled away from you, I cry at the days, weeks, and months of intimate fellowship I have lost away from Your Presence. I am ashamed. My knees begin to buckle, my bowed head continues to descend to the floor, and my heart cries out for you.

Oh Father, I was wrong, I was selfish, and I feel so alone. Oh Father, hear the cry of this your servant. Call to me, come to me, run to me and walk me back, carry me back into Your loving presence. Oh Father, I long to be with You. Oh Father, revive this heart and Spirit within me and grant in me a willing Spirit to sustain me in this continued life of surrendered service to You, my King. Father, your servant is weary. Your servant is tired. Your servant is lost and longs only for You. Oh Father, hear my cry.

As I wait in humbled silence, a still small whisper says, “I AM here.” The knowledge of His presence sends me further to the floor in prone humility and shame. Oh Father, look not upon the iniquities of my heart, look not upon my feet that have wandered far from you. Look not upon the face that looked unto another, whose eyes wandered and turned from your glory. Oh Father, I am ashamed, look not upon this wretched sinner.

As I lay in proned silence, a song of my youth intrudes my mind;

“Shackled by a heavy burden,
‘Neath a load of guilt and shame.
Then the hand of Jesus touched me,
And now I am no longer the same

He touched me. Oh He touched me,
And O the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened, and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.”

Restoration and healing begin to flow over my body. Tears of sorrow and shame pour from the window of my heart, cleansing and healing this wayward soul. The song continues repeating itself over and over again, until my heart truly knows “the joy that floods my soul!” because “He touched me and made me whole.”

As I continue to lay in proned silence the words of Paul in Romans come to mind, “What a wretched man I am? Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord.!”

Most glorious Father and King, Thank you. Thank you for your Son, who died for me. Thank you for your loving sacrifice, upon the tree. Thank you for this gift you give, and may I never to forget.