Some people came to Macarius of Egypt (one of the desert fathers) and asked, “How should we pray?”

The old man said to them, “You don’t need to keep saying the same thing; instead, stretch out your hands and say, ‘Lord, as you wish and as you know, have mercy.’ And if spiritual warfare threatens, say, ‘Lord, help.’ The Lord knows what’s helpful and shows us mercy.”

As you wish and as you know, have mercy.

Such a beautiful prayer of submission and humility. To pray this prayer is to trust more fully in the Lord’s sovereign reign. I want to see how I can incorporate this simple confession into my routine of prayer.