Prayer Before an Appointment

O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you this day, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man, in Jesus' name, amen (based on Nehemiah 1:5-6, 11).

My Psalm 47

I clap my hands, God of all nations;
I shout to you, Lord, with joyful phrases.

You are awesome, LORD Most High,
you are the great King over all the earth!

In Christ, whole nations are under my feet;
seated with him, I am more than conqueror.

You chose a great inheritance for me,
greater even than Jacob, whom you loved, knew in his day.

Ascend with shouts of joy, Lord God;
let your kingdom come in like the noisiest royal procession.

I sing praises to you, God, I sing praises;
I sing praises to my King, and will sing even more praises.

For you, O God, are the King of everything there is;
I sing to you my psalm of praise.

You reign over Hamilton and Oxford;
you look down on Ohio from your holy throne.

There is no nobility or significance
apart from you, Lord God,
apart from my position in the people of the God of Abraham,
for even kings and presidents and prime ministers belong to you;
you are exalted high above the highest of the high.

Wonder

Abba, when I compare your goodness
to my gratitude,
your faithfulness
to my mindfulness,
your blessings
to my praise,
I wonder that you
regard me at all.

New Psalm 86

Hear, O Lord, and quickly answer me,
Guard my life, for you are what I need.
Hear my prayer, hear my cry,
You, O Lord, you’re the Lord of my life.

Save my life, my God I trust in you,
Show me grace, I throw myself on you,
Hear my prayer, hear my cry,
You, O Lord, you’re the Lord of my life.

Every day, every night,
You, O Lord, you’re the Lord of my life.

When I cry, your mercy comes to me,
When I call, you always answer me,
You bring joy to my life,
You, O Lord, you’re the Love of my life.

Every day, every night,
You, O Lord, you’re the Love of my life.

Among the gods, O Lord, there’s none like you,
No one else can do the things you do,
Let me walk in your light,
You, O Lord, you’re the Light of my life.

Every day, every night,
You, O Lord, you’re the Light of my life.

Every day, every night,
You alone are the Lord of my life.

Timing

Your timing, O Lord,
touches my heart.
You break through
just when I need you to.

Thank you, amen.

My Symphony

by William Ellery Channing (from Bedside Prayers)

Dear God,
Help me
To live content with small means,
to seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion,
to be worthy, not respectable,
and wealthy, not rich,
to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly,
to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart,
to bear all cheerfully,
do all bravely,
await occasions,
hurry never--
in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious,
grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony.
Amen.

A Prayer of John Bunyan

He that is down needs fear no fall,
He that is low, no pride.
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it or much;
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because thou savest such.

Amen.

(From John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress)

My Psalm 46

God, you are my refuge and strength;
you are always present to help when I am in trouble.
So why do I so often fear, as though the earth might give way
and the mountains might crumble into the heart of the sea?
Why do I react to troubles as though the sea is going to roar and foam
and the earth might run away and cower in fear?

At such times, remind me of the spring that waters the city of God,
the holy place where you, Most High, have repeatedly shown yourself.
Remind me that just as you are within those walls,
so you will surround me and not let me fall;
You will come to help as surely as the sun rises in the morning.

When people around me get all "up in arms,"
When the wheels seem to be coming off the car,
remind me: you need only to lift your voice, and the whole earth would melt.
LORD Almighty, you are with us;
God of Jacob, you are our fortress.

Let others see the works of the LORD,
let them notice the things you are doing on the earth.
Break down barriers and heal divisions, Lord;
defeat those who are weapons in the Enemy's arsenal.

Stop us in our tracks, and remind us of your sovereign power and love;
Be exalted among those who don't know you;
Be exalted in us and all around us.

LORD Almighty, you are with us;
God of Jacob, you are our fortress. Amen.

Dying and Living

Risen Christ,
your resurrection saves me from the fear of dying.
Make it also free me from the fear of living,
Amen.

God of Hope

God of Hope,
I don't know why I so often let circumstances and words and attitudes of others get me down. I let my enemy rob me of hope and optimism. But you, O Lord God, are a God of hope. In you I put my trust. Let me not be put to shame, in Jesus' name, amen.

A Killing Prayer

Lord God, Adonai,
kill in me
the need to control
and manage
and manipulate.

Kill my tendency
to think I am in control
(when I never am)
and that you are not in control
(when you always are).

Kill my unbelief,
my ignorance
and waywardness,
my prayerlessness
and haste,

in Jesus' name,
amen.

Thanks

Lord God, Adonai, thank you.
Thank you for such wonderful weather on Sunday,
for our groundbreaking,
and for the response of your people! Hallelujah!

Thank you for music,
for rhythm,
for melody and harmony.

Thank you for allergy medicine.
Thank you for clear lungs,
and full breaths.

Thank you for Spring, and baseball,
and grilled hot dogs and screen doors and windows.

Thank you for friends,
for giving me children I can't get enough of.
Thank you for the ability
to give you thanks,
in Jesus' name, amen.

A Writer's Prayer

Bob Hostetler

Lord God, please help me to write better than I can write, in Jesus' name, amen.