One Prayer a Day: March 2019

It is good to praise you, LORD,
and sing songs to you, O Most High,
to start out my day with praise
and end it with thanks,
to sing songs that remind me of your
great love and faithfulness.

For praising you
is the best mood-lifter in the world,
and worship always screws my head back on right.

I will focus on your works, O LORD,
and try to think your thoughts after you!

I will not be distracted by the works of senseless men,
and fools who lack understanding,
for though their words and deeds may frustrate me,
they flourish only for a time,
and don't even know how soon their lives will end.

But you, O LORD, are exalted forever.
Your enemies will be scattered.
You have entrusted great things to me,
and have blessed me far, far beyond what I deserve.
My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries;
my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes,
time and time again, by your great mercy.

You will make me flourish like a palm tree,
you will cause me to grow like a cedar of Lebanon,
watered by worship,
sustained by fountains of blessing in the house of the LORD,
the courts of our God.

By your grace, I will still bear fruit in old age,
I will stay fresh and green,
always proclaiming, "The LORD is upright;
he is my Rock, and he has been nothing but good to me."

Amen.

Create and Renew

For Baseball

Thank you, God, for baseball:
for outfields of green
and the crack of the ball on a wooden bat.
For pitchers with eccentric windups,
for stolen bases
and diving catches.
For double plays
and double steals,
bunts and brushbacks,
squeeze plays and home runs.
For "cold beer here!" and ballpark franks.
For the seventh inning stretch.
For day games and night games.
For OBPs and ERAs,
pickoff plays and headfirst slides,
for opening days and hope springing eternal.
Amen.

Cling to You

(my prayer today for my kids and my grandkids, from the "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids" app for iPhone and iPad).

For Unconquerable Hearts

Give us, O Lord,
a steadfast heart,
which no unworthy affection may drag downwards;
give us an unconquered heart,
which no tribulation can wear out;
give us an upright heart,
which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.

Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God,
understanding to know you,
diligence to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(a prayer by Ignatius of Loyola; photo via everystockphoto.com)

Admiration

Lord,

Often I want others to respect me, so I emphasize my accomplishments. Still, I know that reflecting your love through faithful service is a more admirable quality. Open my eyes so that I may see others from your perspective, Lord. Soften my heart so I can love them as you do. And if others admire me, may it because of your work in me.

(an excerpt from the book, 365 Pocket Prayers, by Ron Beers)

Need You Now

Saturday Psalm #91

I'm here, LORD, dwelling in the shelter of the Most High.
I rest in the shadow of your wings, Almighty God, my Savior.

You are my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.

Save me from the traps that surround me
and the sickness that pervades this sad world.

Cover me with your feathers,
and grant me refuge under your wings;
Your faithfulness is my shield and fortification.

Let not worries assail me at night,
nor stresses by day,
nor the darkness of discouragement,
and depression.

Though attacks may swirl around me
and the Enemy's presence seem oh, so near,
I trust in your protection..

Let me see clearly into the spirit realm,
and know that you are fighting for me.

You, Most High, are my home,
you are my defense,
and no harm will befall me,
no disaster will come near me.

Command your angels to surround me,
guard me in all my ways;
lift me up in their hands,
so that I won't even so much as stub a toe.

In your strength I can tread upon the lion and the cobra;
with you, my God, I will trample the great lion and the serpent.

Because I love you, I know you will rescue me;
you will protect me, for I acknowledge your name.

I call upon you, and you answer me;
you are with me in times of trouble,
and will deliver me and honor me.

With long and fruitful life, satisfy me, LORD,
and save me day by day. Amen.

Dispose

Jesus, my Savior,
you are the Sovereign Good;
here is my life and my will.

Dispose of me according to your good pleasure.

I acknowledge, Lord,
that of myself I can do nothing;
but, provided that after having given me
the grace of drawing me to you
and having given me the knowledge of the truth,
you do not withdraw from me,
nothing will be impossible to me.

Amen.

(from the Daily Prayer blog)

As Ready as the Robins

Father in the wind-blown heavens, we watch in wonderment as you set plumb again the axle of our greening earth.

Even at the sixth hour this morning we needed no lantern to attend those blessed yeaning things on the bright rye straw in the big red barn.

Now when the daytime gets as long as the night, God's new springtime is here surely enough.

Make us as ready as the robins are.

For whenever the time may come, we want to turn over to you more than five barley loaves and two little fishes.

Make us strong but humble; just but kind; and every day, rain or shine, smiling.

Amen.

(from the book, The Farmer Gives Thanks; photo via everystockphoto.com)

Spring Prayer

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
To which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends he will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.

(by Robert Frost, from A Boy's Will)

Never Forsaken

For Aaron

Oh, Lord, my God,

gone are the days

when my little boy

could climb into my lap

and melt my heart with a smile.

Gone are the nights

when I could read him a book

and smile with joy

at his plea for more.

But oh, what a son he still is today.

Oh, how you've blessed me,

not only with a boy,

but with such a son,

and such a husband,

and such a father,

and such a friend as he is.

And though I know it is selfish

to ask more when you have given so much already,

I ask.

Lord, I ask.

Please make his every dream

come true.

Please.

Make him like Enoch, who walked with you.

Make him like Noah, who found grace in your sight.

Make him like Abraham, who walked by faith.

Make him like Joseph, a dreamer and doer.

Make him like Moses, who walked on holy ground.

Make him like his namesake Aaron, who led your people into your presence.

Make him like Caleb and Joshua, who saw with eyes of faith.

Make him like Elijah, who received food from your hand.

Make him like Elisha, who was given a double portion.

Make him like David, who danced before you, a man after your own heart.

Make him like Jehoshaphat, who trusted in you.

Make him like Hosea, who forgave largely.

Make him like John, a beloved disciple.

Make him like Barnabas, a mentor and encourager.

Make him more than anything, like Jesus, lover of souls.

Bless him, Lord, on his birthday,

and every day to come,

as you have so blessed me with him,

in Jesus' name, amen.

Lorica

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here is the famous prayer attributed to St. Patrick, called The Lorica, or Breastplate of St. Patrick:

Today I put on
a terrible strength
invoking the Trinity
confessing the Three
with faith in the One
as I face my Maker.

Today I put on the power
of Christ's birth and baptism,
of his hanging and burial,
His resurrection, ascension,
and descent at the Judgement.

Today I put on the power
of the order of the Cherubim,
angels' obedience,
archangels' attendance,
in hope of ascending
to my reward;
patriarchs' prayers,
prophets' predictions,
apostles precepts,
confessors' testimony,
holy virgins' innocence
and the deeds of true men.

Today I put on
the power of Heaven,
the light of the Sun,
the radiance of the Moon,
the splendour of fire,
the fierceness of lightning,
the swiftness of wind,
the depth of the sea,
the firmness of earth
and the hardness of rock.

Today I put on
God's strenghth to steer me,
God's power to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye for my vision,
God's ear for my hearing,
God's word for my speech,
God's hand to protect me,
God's pathway before me,
God's shield for my shelter,
God's angels to guard me
from ambush of devils,
from vice's allurements,
from traps of the flesh,
from all who wish ill,
whether distant or close,
alone or in hosts.

I summon these powers today
to take my part against every implacable power
that attacks my body and soul,
the chants of false prophets,
dark laws of the pagans,
false heretics' laws,
entrapments of idols,
enchantments of women
or smiths or druids,
and all knowledge that poisons
man's body or soul.

Christ guard me today
from poison, from burning,
from drowning, from hurt,
that I have my reward.

Christ beside me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ within me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me.
Christ on my right hand,
Christ on my left,
Christ where I lie,
Christ where I sit,
Christ where I rise.
Christ in the hearts of all who think of me,
Christ in the mouths of all who speak to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Today I put on
a terrible strength,
invoking the Trinity,
confessing the Three,
with faith in the One
as I face my Maker.

(photo via everystockphoto.com)

Saturday Psalm #90

Lord, you have been my shelter
and that of my family for many generations.

Long before that,
before the mountains were born,
before matter existed,
from everlasting to everlasting,
from eternity past to eternity future,
you are God.

You will pick the day
when my heart stops beating.
You know just how many steps remain
along my way.

For you, it is already accomplished,
for a thousand years are like a single day to you;
in you there is no difference between now and then.

You must laugh at my daily stresses,
for you know that in the grand scheme of your plan,
they are not so much as a blip on a radar screen.

And yet, I know you care.
I know your heart breaks when mine does,
and you long to carry my burdens
as you have carried my sins far away.

Only you know how long I have left,
to love and serve my family,
my church,
my community and world.

But whether my earthly future
will be measured in hours or decades,
I know this is the only time in history
that I get to partner with you in bringing your kingdom.

So teach me to use my time wisely,
and passionately.

Satisfy me each morning with your unfailing love,
and hear my songs of joy each night,
for the rest of my days.

Let my joys outnumber my sorrows,
and let your deeds be shown among my people,
your splendor to us and all our children.

May your favor, Lord God, rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.
Amen.

I Plead Thyself

Jesus, Lord God from all eternity,
Whom love of us brought down to shame,
I plead Thy life with Thee,
I plead Thy death, I plead Thy name.

Jesus, Lord God of every living soul,
Thy love exceeds its uttered fame,
Thy will can make us whole,
I plead Thyself. I plead Thy name.

(a prayer of Christina Rossetti)

Circumstances

Teach me, O God,
to use all the circumstances of my life to-day
that they may bring forth in me
the fruits of holiness rather than the fruits of sin.
Let me use disappointment as material for patience:
Let me use success as material for thankfulness:
Let me use suspense as material for perseverance:
Let me use danger as material for courage:
Let me use reproach as material for long-suffering:
Let me use praise as material for humility:
Let me use pleasures as material for temperance:
Let me use pains as material for endurance.
Amen.

(a prayer of John Baillie from his book, A Diary of Private Prayer)

Pure Hearts

My prayer today for my kids and my grandkids, from the "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids" app for iPhone and iPad.