10 Prayers You Can’t Live Without: The Jesus Prayer

Hi. It’s Rick Hamlin. “10 Prayers You Can’t Live Without.” 

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This is the eighth prayer, The Jesus Prayer. Years ago, I was having lunch with my friend, Arthur Caliandro, minister at the time, and I was talking about prayer life. And he said, do you know The Jesus Prayer? I said, no, I have never heard of it. And he said, you know– he told me how he prayed it 10 times, 20 times a day. So what are the words, I asked. 

Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a miserable sinner. Make haste to help me, rescue me, and save me. Let thy will be done in my life. 

It’s so short and so easy to learn, you can say it anywhere. I’ve said it to myself in millions of situations, just to get the heavenly perspective when I’m kind of stuck on Earth. Like in a meeting, things go round and round, sometimes people getting a little rancorous. Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a miserable sinner. It’s bringing Jesus back into my life. 

Or on the subway train, coming to work, just trying to get into a meditative mood. Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a miserable sinner. 

Once I was in an ambulance going to the ER, a little medical emergency. I was so anxious. What could I do to calm myself down? There it was. The Jesus Prayer. Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Make haste to help me. Rescue me and save me. Let thy will be done in my life. 

It’s one prayer that you can pray no matter what you’re doing. Close to that Paul idea of praying without ceasing. It will bring Heaven back to you when you’re stuck a little too much on Earth. 

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