Prayer Based On the "I am" Statements of Jesus

You are the Bread of Life. You took on flesh and dwelt among men. And your flesh was broken for me. I remember it well, as you wanted me to. Lord, You know that ever since I was young, I hungered after all the wrong things. You know that I was well on my way to insanity as I sought to quench my thirst by drinking more salt water. It was clear to me that there was something wrong, but I continued in my insanity because there seemed to be nothing else in this empty and hollow world. I sought after pleasure, money, power ruthlessly - even from a very early age. You knew that these things wouldn't satisfy me, and I think I knew it also, although I tried desperately to deny it. You saw this pitiful condition of mine and came to give me true bread that will satisfy. Your flesh was broken for me; and I am satisfied. Everything falls into place, and I hunger no more. I thirst no more. Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me yourself, and let me live in such a way that shows the world that I hunger no longer after the things of this world, for I have found the bread of life.

You are the light of the world. You guide me through the darkness of my life. When darkness of my heart overcame me, when darkness of my sins enveloped me, you were that one bright light that beckoned me to have hope. When my bones were weak with the heavy burden of sin and I was floundering in the sea of darkness and hopelessness, you were the light that led me out of darkness. What would have happened if you were not the light of my life? I shudder to think of it. My life would be characterized by hopelessness. I would have long given up any hope of meaning in life, I'm certain that I would have grown cynical of life itself. Yet too cowardly to take my own life, I would have been forever trapped between fear of death and hopelessness of life. But you are the light of the world. I can follow you, for you guide me so well. Help me Lord, to never lose hope, help me to have faith in your promise that whoever follows you will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Guide me through this dark world, guide me through my own dark heart and self. I submit to your leading - I acknowledge that there is no other way, for every other way leads to increasing darkness.

You are the gate for the sheep. You have opened up the gates; you have ripped open the curtain to the Holy of Holies. Heaven was the forbidden city for me, but through you I can enter. You are the gate for me. I entered the gate, only knowing that there's salvation on the other side. I entered the gate, only knowing that I couldn't bear the emptiness and guilt of being outside. What wonderful delight I found beyond the gate, there is not only salvation, but a life abundant - a brand new world of vision and glory that I would have never known. I am like a sheep that entered the gate seeking shelter from the bitter cold of winter, only to find the green pastures of spring awaiting me inside. Thank you, O Lord, for being that gate into a life eternal, into a life abundant. It's far more than I could have ever asked for. Help me never forget the bitter cold that I came from; shut the doors behind me so that I will not wander far from your grace. Use me, Lord, to be for others a gate that opens up a whole new life for them.

You are the good shepherd. You lay down your life for me. I had not known love until I was loved by You. I had not understood that love would take so much courage and sacrifice. The exchange of a shepherd's life for a sheep - the exchange of God's life for a man - how senseless, how foolish; yet it is in that foolishness of love that I find my salvation. Like a shepherd, you guided me ever since my birth - your eyes had been on me, your hands had orchestrated events in my life to lead me. And like a good shepherd, you lay down your life for me just at the right time. You are the good shepherd. Help me to follow you; help my ears to be sensitive to your voice. Lord, I pray that I can be a good shepherd over your flock that will not abandon the sheep when troubles come. Help me to respond to your call to feed your sheep. Help me, Lord, to feed your sheep as you had fed them, as you had fed me.

You are the way and the truth and the life. Such truth could not have come from man. Ever since the Fall, the world has sought for something to hold on to that will be the way, the truth, and the life - each pathways leading only to falsehood and death. I sought for it in the world, I thought it was in power and education.

Who on earth could have imagined that the answer to that would lie in a person? Who could have imagined that all the infinite power of God, all the truth of eternity, the source of life itself would come and walk on this earth? Did the rocks and hills hush in shock to have the Word which created them become flesh? Lord, I praise you, for you are the great I AM, the way and the truth and the life.

You are the vine. Lord, I remember how you gave me these words for me to abide by at such a crucial time of my life. Indeed I can't bear fruit alone. Not only that, I know that I will just wither away if I don't remain in you. Haven't I experienced it first-hand? Without you, I dry up; I wither and fall away. I need you, I need your life-sustaining water to keep me. Have mercy on me, the foolish pride that says I can somehow survive without abiding in you. Forgive me, Lord, for mocking your name by trying to bear spiritual fruit by human means. Have mercy on me and my utter folly that tries to revive myself from dryness without going to you, the vine of life. Help me to abide in you always; please bear fruit through me for your kingdom's sake.

You are the resurrection and the life. To my soul so downcast with the fear of death and the unknown, Jesus you came. I still feel the awe that I felt the first time you came into my life. Could it truly be that to die is to gain? What else do I have to fear? O Lord, I look forward to the day when I can see you face-to-face. I look forward to the day when I cry tears of joy in your kingdom as I try to fathom your amazing mercy that has brought me there. What would I say to you? I have no idea. I think I would just weep. Lord, please let me live my life in such a way that the day of my death would bring deepest sorrow for others and the greatest joy for me. Let me testify that to live is Christ. Help me to keep my eyes on heaven; my mind on the things above. Fill my heart with deep longing for your salvation, for that day of resurrection when I will meet you, my resurrection and my life.