Lord,
Sometimes I can’t even find the words to pray. I’m so weakened and overwhelmed in the wounding that I can barely breathe. Thank You for the lyrics of suffering songwriters who also needed to sing their prayers. Like Fannie Crosby, a blind sister in Christ who sang into her tears. It’s all Your kind gift of comfort and love for us.
When I’m drowning in the wounding, draw me nearer to You.
I am thine, O Lord,
I have heard thy voice,
and it told thy love to me;
but I long to rise in the arms of faith,
and be closer drawn to thee.
(“Draw Me Nearer,” Crosby, F., 1875)
Draw me nearer to Your cross in my own hurt, Lord Jesus
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to the cross where thou hast died;
draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
to thy precious, bleeding side.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (1 Pet. 2:24 ESV).
Draw me nearer to Your will for me in this wounding, Lord Jesus
Consecrate me now to thy service, Lord…
Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began (2 Tim. 1:9 ESV).
by the pow’r of grace divine;
let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
and my will be lost in thine.
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (Jn. 6:40 ESV).
Draw me nearer as I rest in Your perfect love for me, Lord Jesus
O the pure delight of a single hour
that before thy throne I spend…
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love” (Jn. 15:9 ESV).
when I kneel in prayer, and with thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend.
“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (Jn. 14:23 ESV).
Draw me nearer, until the day I rest with You in glory, Lord Jesus
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (Jn. 14:3 ESV).
There are depths of love that I cannot know
till I cross the narrow sea…
As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness (Ps. 17:15 ESV).
there are heights of joy
that I may not reach…
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev. 7:17 ESV).
till I rest in peace with thee.
Lord Jesus, You are most near to me…in this wounding
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (Ps. 34:18 ESV).
My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me (Ps. 63:8 ESV).
Draw me nearer, singing Your Word to me, as I suffer this wounding
As I rest and abide in Your love for me, my Savior and Lord, I praise You for Your Word. For by it, You are drawing me nearer in this hurt.
Sing songs of Your Word into my wounding, reminding me of…
- Your love
- Your truth
- Your desired way for me as I suffer
- Your sanctifying work in this suffering time
- and Your sure hope of rest with You in glory.
In Your glorious name, blessed Lord, and for Your glory alone, amen.
Sister in Christ, I’ve created a playlist that echoes truths of these Scriptures, asking Jesus to draw us both nearer to Him during our time of suffering, perhaps a time of deep wounding. If this would bless you, sign up here, and weekly playlists will come to you as a gift from this sister who is pray-singing along with you.
To read more of Lauri’s writing, you can use her devotional Bible study lament prayer journals: Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering, or Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character as We Suffer, or Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering. In the Valleys of God’s Love is written for children aged 3-8, a perfect read for grandparents, parents, and children to share together, preparing them for suffering to come.
