Fourth-century theologian John Cassian opened his prayers by saying, “O Lord, make haste to help me.” The Episcopal Church carries this portion of Psalm 70 into evening prayer. Opening our prayers with this realization that we need God to act right now positions our souls to communicate more honestly with God.

In a week in which many of Jesus’s closest disciples abandon him, we ask ourselves why we, too, aren’t always fully present with God in every aspect of our lives. Perhaps this unwillingness to be open to God is more pervasive than we want to admit. How do we know what to pray for, especially when we question whether a specific subject is appropriate or not appropriate to include in our prayers?

A spiritual director once said, “Don’t edit your prayers. Whatever you want to pray for, pray for it. Even if you are praying a prayer that you think is wrong in some way, God will redeem your prayer. Only in this way can you be brutally honest with God, and in your honesty, God can offer you redemption.”

MOVING FORWARD: Begin your prayers this week with these words, “O LORD, make haste to help me.”