From Eden to Me

Lord God Adonai,
you provided every sort of seed-bearing plant
and tree in the Garden,
manna for Israel,
bread and meat for Elijah,
flour and oil for the widow of Zarephath,
wine for the wedding feast,
a feast for five thousand,
and a breakfast for the seven on Lake Kinnereth.

I trust you to provide for me and mine,
in ways
and at times
of your choosing.
Amen.

Zarephath Prayer 5

Lord God Adonai,
my defender and provider,
I pray once more
as I have prayed before:
let it be to me
as it was to the widow
of Zarephath.

You know my need of the moment;
you know my need in the future.
You know what is yet to come in,
and what is yet to go out.
You know the state of my jars,
the condition of my pantry.

I lean on you still,
I depend on you
to make much of little
and enough of not enough,
in Jesus' name, amen.

(Based on 1 Kings 17:14)

Incomplete

Abba, Father,
thank you that I am far from complete.

Thank you for the pleasure of reading,
the joy of learning,
the thrill of discovery.

Thank you that there is so much yet
to look forward to,
ideas to have,
skills to develop,
things to try.

I know there will come a time
when by your grace all things will be fulfilled
and I will be complete,
and will know as fully as I am known...
I thank you heartily for that promise
even as I thank you for the present incompleteness
that characterizes my life,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Prayer for Those Seeking Employment

Abba, Father, I know better
than to think it a coincidence
that I talked to
so many dear souls yesterday
who asked for prayer for work,
for an interview,
for a job offer.

Grant favor, Lord, to S.,
and open the door to that dream position;

favor to H.,
and give him the news we prayed for
in a call TODAY;

favor to M., that deliverance from debt and despair may come now;

favor to J. and M., that doors may open and jobs be granted.

I remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work.
Grant to all who are able and willing
suitable and fulfilling employment,
and just payment for their labor,
in Jesus' name, amen.

To Your Holy Mountain

Lord, bring me today to your holy mountain,
to Mount Zion,
to the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem,
to God himself,
to Jesus,
the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people,
and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives.

(based on Isaiah 66:20, Hebrews 12:22-24; painting: Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, by David Roberts in 1842, Library of Congress)

My Soul Waits

My soul waits on you, Lord.

I wait on you,
as a servant waits to be called,
as a dog looks to the master.

I wait on you, to hear your voice,
to be guided by your will
even in what I pray,
to follow in step with you.

I wait in silence.
In stillness.
In attentiveness.
Expectation.
Contentment.

Please guide my praying,
my thinking,
my sleeping,
my waking,
my planning,
my writing,
my speaking,
my reading,
my eating and drinking,
and direct me in all I do
to the fulfilling of your purpose,
for you are all and in all,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Mists

Lord, you have swept away my sins
like the morning mists.

You have scattered my offenses
like the clouds.

I praise you and thank you
for the unfathomable price you paid
to set me free.

Amen.

(based on Isaiah 44:22)

Sump Pump

Thank you, Lord,
for sump pumps,
that work unceasingly,
unseen,
unnoticed,
and yet prevent so much harm.
Kinda like your Spirit.
Amen.

Jerusalem

Lord God Adonai,
I pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
Let those who love her be secure.
Let there be peace within her walls
and security within her citadels.

For the sake of brothers and sisters and friends,
let there be peace within her.

For the sake of your name
and your heritage,
grant prosperity
and restore peace
in the city of our God,
the mountain of your holiness.

Amen.

(based on Psalm 122, Psalm 48)

You Suffice for Me

You are holy.
You are holy, Lord, the only God, and your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong, you are great.
You are the most high, you are almighty.
You, holy Father, are King of heaven and earth.
You are three and one, Lord God, all good.
You are good, all good, supreme good, Lord God, living and true.
You are love, you are wisdom.
You are humility, you are endurance.
You are rest, you are peace.
You are joy and gladness, you are justice and moderation.
You are all riches, and you suffice for me.
You are beauty, you are gentleness.
You are my protector, you my our guardian and defender.
You are courage, you are my haven and hope.
You are faith, my great consolation.
You are my eternal life, great and wonderful Lord,
God almighty, merciful Savior. Amen.

(by Francis of Assisi, slightly revised)

A Place for You in the Caverns of My Soul

Sometimes, O God, my thirst for you is pushed aside, ignored, or simply quenched by something other—something reasonable, something more popular—than you. But you never go away, never stop, never leave the depths of me. Like an underground spring, you are fresh and free, breaking through. Help me prepare a place for you in the caverns of my soul. Amen.

(a prayer by Pamela Hawkins, from page 36 of The Awkward Season: Prayers for Lent. Copyright 2009 by Pamela Hawkins)

My Heart is Full

My heart is full,
My joy complete,
My life is rich,
My prayers are sweet.
And I know how this came to be:
It's all of you, and none of me.

So what's to be done
With a blessed life like mine?
Lord, use it up,
Like oil and wine.
Then touch me again, my cup overflow,
And grant me once more
Your favor to know.

(with apologies to Keith Green)

For Spring

Shimmering, radiant air
Alive with new warmth.
Sunshine waking the earth,
Calling the grasses to grow,
Bulbs to prepare flowers.
Winds clear the last remnants of seasons past,
Old leaves and dry branches
Making way for new life.
And the rain joins the sun to feed the land.

Bless this day, G-d of seasons.
Bless the Spring with energy and hope.
Be present with us as we celebrate the glory of creation
Planting the land and our lives with Your gifts,
These gardens of holiness and love.

G-d of time and space,
May this season be a blessing and a teacher.
Make me like the sunshine, a source of light.
Make me like the earth, a source of bounty, ready to give.
Bless my days with service and my nights with peace.
Make me like a garden,
A source of beauty and purpose,
Sustenance and splendor.

© 2010 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

May Thy Strong Hand

May Thy strong hand, O Lord,
be ever my defence;
Thy mercy in Christ
my salvation;
Thy all‑veritable word,
my instructor;
the grace of Thy life‑bringing Spirit,
my consolation,
all along, and at last.

The Soul of Christ hallow me,
and the Body strengthen me,
and the Blood ransom me,
and the Water wash me,
and the Bruises heal me,
and the Sweat refresh me,
and the Wound hide me.

The peace of God
which passeth all understanding,
keep my heart and thoughts
in the knowledge and the love
of God.

(a prayer of Lancelot Andrewes, from The Private Devotions of Lancelot Andrewes, “Prayer for Grace” for the Sixth Day)

My Eyes Are Dry

My eyes are dry,
My faith is old,
My heart is hard,
My prayers are cold.
And I know how I ought to be:
Alive to You and dead to me.

So what can be done
For an old heart like mine?
Soften it up
With oil and wine.
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love.
Please wash me anew
With the wine of your blood.

(a prayer by Keith Green)

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.

A Writer's Prayer (With Apologies to William Williams, Author of "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah")

Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
as I write with feeble hand.
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me till I want no more;
feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain,
whence the streams of inspiration flow;
let the fire and cloudy pillar
light the way you'd have me go.
Strong deliverer, strong deliverer,
be thou still my strength and shield;
be thou still my strength and shield.

When I hit the wall in writing,
all my anxious fears forfend;
keep me thinking, keep me writing,
till I reach the happy end.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to thee;
I will ever give to thee.

Lamentations 3 Prayer

Lord, I praise you
because your unfailing love
never ends!
By your mercies I have been kept from complete destruction.
Great is your faithfulness;
your mercies begin afresh each day.

You are my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in you.

You are unfailingly good
to those whose hope is in you,
to those who seek you.

Teach me to wait quietly for your salvation.
Help me to submit to your yoke of discipline.
Let me sit alone in silence beneath your demands.
Amen.

(Drawn from Lamentations 3:22-26)

Best Friend Prayer

God,
thank you
that I'm
in love
with my
best friend.
Amen.

Fanny Crosby Prayer

There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon me, O Lord;
Grant to me now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor your Word.

Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing I need:
Mercy drops round me are falling,
But for the showers I plead.

A Prayer for Japan by John Piper

Father in heaven, you are the absolute Sovereign over the shaking of the earth, the rising of the sea, and the raging of the waves. We tremble at your power and bow before your unsearchable judgments and inscrutable ways. We cover our faces and kiss your omnipotent hand. We fall helpless to the floor in prayer and feel how fragile the very ground is beneath our knees.

O God, we humble ourselves under your holy majesty and repent. In a moment—in the twinkling of an eye—we too could be swept away. We are not more deserving of firm ground than our fellowmen in Japan. We too are flesh. We have bodies and homes and cars and family and precious places. We know that if we were treated according to our sins, who could stand? All of it would be gone in a moment. So in this dark hour we turn against our sins, not against you.

And we cry for mercy for Japan. Mercy, Father. Not for what they or we deserve. But mercy.

Have you not encouraged us in this? Have we not heard a hundred times in your Word the riches of your kindness, forbearance, and patience? Do you not a thousand times withhold your judgments, leading your rebellious world toward repentance? Yes, Lord. For your ways are not our ways, and your thoughts are not our thoughts.

Grant, O God, that the wicked will forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Grant us, your sinful creatures, to return to you, that you may have compassion. For surely you will abundantly pardon. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus, your beloved Son, will be saved.

May every heart-breaking loss—millions upon millions of losses—be healed by the wounded hands of the risen Christ. You are not unacquainted with your creatures’ pain. You did not spare your own Son, but gave him up for us all.

In Jesus you tasted loss. In Jesus you shared the overwhelming flood of our sorrows and suffering. In Jesus you are a sympathetic Priest in the midst of our pain.

Deal tenderly now, Father, with this fragile people. Woo them. Win them. Save them.

And may the floods they so much dread make blessings break upon their head.

O let them not judge you with feeble sense, but trust you for your grace. And so behind this providence, soon find a smiling face.

In Jesus’ merciful name, Amen.

(from the Desiring God blog)

Sentinel

I long for you, Lord,
more than sentries long for the dawn (Ezekiel 33:2);
please come to me in all your fullness today (Psalm 130:6 ).

For Earthquake and Tsunami Victims

Lord God Adonai, lover of all humanity, hear my prayer for the people of Japan and all places throughout the lands that are and will be affected by last night's earthquake and the resulting tsunamis:

Have mercy, Lord,
on all the displaced,
the injured,
the bereaved.

Have mercy, Lord,
on all who lose homes
and farms
and businesses
and livelihoods.

Have mercy, Lord,
on all who join in relief and rescue efforts,
who risk their lives to save others,
who sacrifice for the sake of your children.

Have mercy, Lord,
on leaders and decision-makers
and grant them clarity
and decisiveness,
wisdom and effectiveness.

Have mercy, Lord,
on the souls of those who are swept away
by this great tragedy,
and grant remission of sins and your merciful pardon,
through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Have mercy, Lord,
and move your church,
the Body of Christ,
to compassion
and service
for the victims of this tragedy,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Job 5:7 Prayer

Lord,
like all people,
I am born to trouble
as surely as
the sparks fly upward.

Help me not to expect
a smooth ride through life,
as though I deserve comfort,
even luxury.

Help me to greet adversity as opportunity,
and to trust you and glorify
whether my way is easy or hard,
stormy or smooth,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Tweety Prayer

Another Ash Wednesday Prayer

Father in Heaven,
the light of your truth bestows sight
to the darkness of sinful eyes.

May this season of repentance
bring us the blessing of your forgiveness
and the gift of your light.

Grant this through Christ our Lord,
Amen.

May We Remember and Give Thanks

God may we remember
All of life is held together with nails
Piercing flesh of the son of man
May we remember and give thanks

God may we remember
The power of sin and death are forever ended
Hung upon a cross and crucified
May we remember and give thanks

God may we remember
The bread of life broken for us
That we may eat and filled with abundance of life
May we remember and give thanks

God may we remember
God’s blood poured out for us
The deep wounds of love suffered for us
May we remember and give thanks

God may we remember ashes on foreheads
And kneel before the one whose love knows no end
With humbled hearts and repentant spirits
May we remember and give thanks

God may we remember we are but dust
And walk together into tomorrow’s unkowns
Breaking bars, building bridges, setting captives free
May we remember and give thanks

God may we remember and give thanks
Let us take up our cross and follow
Believing that in Christ all things work together for good
May we remember and give thanks


(a prayer of Christine Sine, on the GodSpace blog)

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Father in Heaven,
protect us
in our struggle against evil.

As we begin the discipline of Lent,
make this season holy
by our self-denial.

Grant this
through our Lord Jesus Christ
who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit
one God, for ever and ever.

Prayer for Fat Tuesday

Blessed are you,
Lord God of all creation,
for it is from your goodness
that we have this day
to celebrate on the threshold
of the Season of Lent.
Tomorrow we will fast
and abstain from meat.
Today we feast.

We thank you for the abundance of gifts you shower upon us.
We thank you especially
for one another.
As we give you thanks,
we are mindful of those who have so much less than we do.
As we share these wonderful gifts together,
we commit ourselves to greater generosity toward those
who need our support.

Prepare us for tomorrow.
Tasting the fullness of what we have today,
let us experience some hunger tomorrow.
May our fasting make us more alert
and may it heighten our consciousness
so that we might be ready to hear your Word
and respond to your call.

As our feasting fills us with gratitude
so may our fasting and abstinence hollow out in us
a place for deeper desires
and an attentiveness to hear the cry of the poor.
May our self-denial turn our hearts to you
and give us a new freedom for
generous service to others.

We ask you these graces
with our hearts full of delight
and stirring with readiness for the journey ahead.
We ask them with confidence
in the name of Jesus the Lord,
Amen.

You Are the Sea

Dear Lord, today I thought of the words of Vincent van Gogh:

"It is true there is an ebb and flow, but the sea remains the sea."

You are the sea. Although I experience many ups and downs in my emotions and often feel great shifts and changes in my inner life, you remain the same. Your sameness is not the sameness of a rock, but the sameness of a faithful lover. Out of your love I came to life; by your love I am sustained; and to your love I am always called back. There are days of sadness and days of joy; there are feelings of guilt and feelings of gratitude; there are moments of failure and moments of success; but all of them are embraced by your unwavering love.

My only real temptation is to doubt in your love, to think of myself as beyond the reach of your love, to remove myself from the healing radiance of your love. To do these things is to move into the darkness of despair.

O Lord, sea of love and goodness, let me not fear too much the storms and winds of my daily life, and let me know that there is ebb and flow but that the sea remains the sea. Amen.

(A prayer of Henri J.M. Nouwen; hat tip to Concord Pastor)

A Prayer of Keith Green, Slightly Revised

Make my life a prayer to you;
I want to do what you want me to:
No empty words and no white lies,
No token prayers, no compromise.

I want to shine the light you gave
Through your Son you sent to save us
From ourselves and our despair;
It comforts me to know you're really there.

I want to thank you now
for being patient with me.
Oh, it's so hard to see
when my eyes are on me.
I guess I'll have to trust,
and just believe what you say
Until you come again
or come to take me away.

Naked Dance

I would dance before you, Lord,
like David before the ark.

I strip.
I disrobe.
I uncover.
That I may dance.

I want to hold on to nothing,
not to pride,
not to propriety,
not to safety
or sin
or self-regard.

I will celebrate.
I will become undignified.
I will be humiliated.

I will let go.
I will let loose.
And I will dance.

By your grace,
I dance.

A Prayer for Me and My Family

Lord, help us to see trouble coming long before it gets here. And when it arrives, give us the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to do it (Proverbs 27:12).

(A prayer of Andy Stanley, from the book The Principle of the Path, slightly modified).

You See My Problem

So here's the problem, Lord:

If I could find a way to remember to thank you for all the things for which I should thank you, I would have time for nothing but to thank you, for your blessings, your kindnesses, your graces, your answers to prayer, are too numerous to speak. But they are too numerous not to speak.

You see my problem.

So, though I know it will be woefully inadequate, I offer to you my thanks:
for healing from that nagging neck pain,
for the ability to wake up this morning,
for a new book contract,
for the nourishment of this day,
for water to drink,
for coffee,
the love and respect of my wife,
the love and company of my children,
the love and proximity of my grandchildren,
the books I'm reading right now,
the books I've read before now,
the gas in my car's gas tank,
the heat in my home,
the words I wrote yesterday,
the words I will write today,
the friends I will hear from,
the furnishings in my home,
your Word, the Bible,
the music I will listen to,
the safety of my home and community,
the clothes I wear,
a hot shower,
shampoo,
soap,
toothpaste,
legs that work,
eyes that work,
arms,
heart,
fingers,
mind,
memory,
senses,
organs....

You see my problem.

It's not even a bare beginning.
But I thank you anyway for the grace to thank you,
and for the grace to know I can never exhaust the thanks
of which you are worthy.

My Prayer at the Ohio Statehouse Yesterday

Great God and Father of all humanity,
God of great and small,
God of every tribe and tongue,
male and female,
Democrat and Republican,
hear our prayer.

Grant each man and woman here
The wisdom,
Energy,
Humility,
Cooperation,
Determination,
Communication skills,
And resources
To discharge their responsibilities
And serve the people of this great state.

Open our eyes
To injustice in government and in ourselves.

Save us from the stupidity of others
And save them from ours.

Heal our diseases and dysfunctions
So that we do not spread them among those we serve.

Lift our gaze FROM the things that divide us
And focus us ON the things that unite us.

Bring about progress
And purpose,
Effectiveness
And accomplishment.

If we did not need your help,
We would not need to ask.
But we ask,
and I do so in Jesus' name, amen.

You Walk on the High Places of the Earth

Mighty God, I praise you
because you walk on the high places of the earth;
they melt beneath your feet
and flow into the valleys like wax in a fire,
like water pouring down a hill.

Calleigh Praise

Praise belongs to you, O Lord my God!

Praise belongs to you, and thanks,
for the good report
Aubrey and Kevin received today
concerning Calleigh
during her appointment
at Children's Hospital!

Praise and thanks to you
for a glowing progress report:
increasing weight,
increasing height,
encouraging blood tests,
signs that encourage more faith
in your healing work
in her precious, priceless little body.

Praise belongs to you, O Lord my God,
and thanks,
and thanks.
Amen.

Zarephath Prayer 4

I cling to You,
Receiver of My Trust,
for none other
can I turn to
as I look for consolation
in my desperate hour of need.

I place all my hope
into Your hands
and await what lies before me,
trusting in miracles,
trusting in Your holy power
and in Your providence.

I will not be disappointed,
now or ever.
Amen.

(a prayer of Miriam Therese Winter, in her book, WomanWitness, p. 136)