That We May Entirely Devote Ourselves

Grant, Almighty God, that inasmuch as you show yourself to us at this day so kindly as a Father, having presented to us a singular and an invaluable pledge of your favour in your only begotten Son--O, grant that we may entirely devote ourselves to you, and truly render you that free service and obedience which is due to a Father, so that we may have no other object in life but to confirm that adoption, with which you have once favored us, until we at length, being gathered into your eternal kingdom, shall partake of its fruit, together with Christ Jesus thy Son. Amen.

(a prayer of John Calvin, in his Commentary on Hosea, translated into English in 1846 and updated by me into modern English)

St. Patrick's Breastplate for My Children and Grandchildren

I bind to my children and grandchildren today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
Invoking the same
The Three in One
and One in Three.

I plead for them forever
The power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spiced tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I plead all for them today.

I invoke for my children and grandchildren the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I ask for them today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun’s lifegiving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I beseech for them today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to their need.
The wisdom of their God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give them speech,
His heavenly host to be their guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar their course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I ask, in Jesus’ name, these powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect them, Christ, till your returning.

Christ be with them, Christ within them,
Christ behind them, Christ before them,
Christ beside them, Christ to win them,
Christ to comfort and restore them.
Christ beneath them, Christ above them,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love them,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I ask all this in the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord. Amen.

When Others See the Chaste Path We Follow

Holy Father, may we shine as a light in the world so that when others see the chaste path we follow in Christ, they may be won over and edified through our example, even without instruction. May this serve to praise and honor your holy name, and to bring comfort and salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord, almighty God and heavenly Father! For the love and faithfulness that you demonstrate to us at all hours of every day, we faithfully praise and thank you. May you be praised forever and ever, O Lord, now and always. Amen.

(from the book Amish Prayers, compiled by Beverly Lewis)

A Prayer Before Travel

Lord Jesus Christ,
I am once again leaving on a trip.
Be my companion, guide and protector
during my journey.
Keep me from all danger,
misfortune and temptation.
By Your divine power grant me
a peaceful and successful journey
and safe arrival.
In You I place my hope and trust
and You I praise, honor and glorify,
together with the Father and Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Exalt

Gracious God, I exalt you.
You are almighty; I am weak.
You know all things; I am still an infant in understanding, a babe in wisdom.
You created all things; I can only mimic your creativity.
You are self-giving, self-sacrificing in your love; I am self-centered in my love.
You are omnipresent; I am finite, and often unaware and oblivious.
You are eternal; I am mortal.
You are gracious and merciful; I am judgmental.
You are holy; I am sinful, steeped in sin from my birth.
You are my God, worthy of only praise, great in power and glory,
and I praise you, in Jesus' name, amen.

Transform

Transforming God,
we beg for softer, gentler,
less fearful, more gracious and generous hearts.

Protect us from our need to control.
Make us more humble, loving, and poor in spirit.
Lead us into new paths of peace.

We pray, too, for the transformation of our world.
May the nations, leaders, and peoples of this planet
turn and embrace your way of humility, poverty, charity.

Empower us to name the lies
and oppose the seductive powers of dominion in our day.
Rebuild your church.

Raise up a whole new generation
of saints willing to let go of all distractions
and willing to take risks for your kingdom.

In poverty, humility, and charity
we pray with St. Francis of Assisi …

Enlighten our darkness, and give us
correct faith and trust,
firm hope,
perfect love (even for our enemies)
wisdom and perception,
that we may do what is truly your most holy will.
Amen.

(From Words for Worship 2, by way of Jamie Arpin-Ricci's blog and the In-Formatio blog)

Since We Are Too Secure and Torpid in Our Sins

Grant, Almighty God, that since we are too secure and torpid in our sins, your dread majesty may come to our minds, to humble us, and to remove our fear, that we may learn anxiously to seek reconciliation through Christ, and so abhor ourselves for our sins, that you may then be prepared to receive us: and that unbelief may not shut the door against us, enable us to regard you to be such as you have revealed yourself to be, and to acknowledge that you are not like us, but the fountain of all mercy, that we may thus be led to entertain a firm hope of salvation, and that, relying on the Mediator, your only-begotten Son, we may know him as the throne of grace, full of compassion and mercy. O grant, that we may thus come to you, that through him we may certainly know that you are our Father, so that the covenant you have made with us may never fail through our fault, even this, that we are your people, because you have once adopted us in your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

(a prayer of John Calvin, in his Commentary on Hosea, translated into English in 1846 and updated by me into modern English)