Lord, help me to see and hate my sin more than I hate the sin I see in anyone else.
(photo by Sasha Freemind via unsplash.com)
My Little Vessel
O My God, Thou fairest, greatest,
first of all objects,
my heart admires,
adores,
loves thee,
for my little vessel
is as full as it can be,
and I would pour out
all that fullness before thee
in ceaseless flow.
When I think upon and converse with thee
ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,
ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,
ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,
crowding into every moment of happiness.
I bless thee for the soul thou hast created,
for adorning it, for sanctifying it,
though it is fixed in barren soil;
for the body thou hast given me,
for preserving its strength and vigour,
for providing senses to enjoy delights,
for the ease and freedom of my limbs,
for hands, eyes, ears that do thy bidding;
for thy royal bounty providing my daily support,
for a full table and overflowing cup,
for appetite, taste, sweetness,
for social joys of relatives and friends,
for ability to serve others,
for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,
for a mind to care for my fellow-men,
for opportunities of spreading happiness around,
for loved ones in the joys of heaven,
for my own expectation of seeing thee clearly.
I love thee above the powers of language to express,
for what thou art to thy creatures.
Increase my love, O my God,
through time and eternity.
(from The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers, edited by Arthur Bennett)
My Heartfelt Thanks Outpour
My Maker and my King,To you my all I owe;
Your sovereign bounty
is the spring
Whence all my blessings flow.
The creature of your hand,
On you alone I live;
My God, your benefits demand
More thanks than I can give.
Lord, what can I impart
When all is yours before?
Your love demands a thankful heart;
My gift, alas! how poor.
O! let your grace inspire,
My heartfelt thanks outpour;
Let every word and each desire
And all my days be yours.
Amen.
(a prayer by hymnwriter Anne Steele, slightly updated)
Instead
Lord God, please make me
grateful instead of grabbing,
giving instead of greedy,
and gracious instead of so awfully critical,
in Jesus' name, amen.
(photo by Mohamed Nohassi via unsplash.com)
Praying This Today for My Kids, Grandkids
Blessed Lord, in You is Refuge
Safety for my trembling soul;
Pow’r to lift my head when drooping
’Midst the angry billows’ roll.
I will trust you;
All my life you shall control.
In the past too unbelieving
’Midst the tempest I have been,
And my heart has slowly trusted
What my eyes have never seen.
Blessèd Jesus,
Teach me on your arm to lean.
Give me trust that brings the triumph
When defeat seems strangely near;
Grant me faith that changes fighting
Into vict’ry’s ringing cheer!
Faith triumphant,
Knowing not defeat nor fear,
amen.
(a prayer of Herbert Booth, slightly revised; photo via pixabay.com)
Make Them Kind
My prayer today for my kids and my grandkids, from the "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids" app for iPhone and iPad:
On Veterans' Day
God of peace,
we pray for those
who have served our nation
and who laid down their lives
to protect and defend our freedom.
whose spirits and bodies
are scarred by war,
whose nights are haunted by memories
too painful for the light of day.
We pray for those who serve us now,
especially for those in harm's way:
shield them from danger
and bring them home.
Turn the hearts and minds
of our leaders and our enemies
to the work of justice and a harvest of peace.
Spare the poor, Lord, spare the poor!
May the peace you left us,
the peace you gave us,
be the peace that sustains,
the peace that saves us.
Christ Jesus, hear us!
Lord Jesus, hear our prayer!
Amen.
(from A Concord Pastor Comments blog; photo by KaraSuva via pixabay.com)
My Soul Glorifies You
My soul glorifies you,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
my Father in heaven,
for you see me in my humble state,
you are attentive to me right where I am.
You are able to bless me abundantly,
so that in all things at all times,
having all that I need, I will abound in every good work.
You are the Mighty One
who has already done great things for me—
the Holy One, whose mercy extends to all who fear you,
from generation to generation.
You have performed mighty deeds with your arm;
you have scattered the proud
and deposed rulers from their thrones
but you have lifted up the humble.
You have filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
You have helped me,
always present, always close, all-powerful, and all-willing.
Father in heaven, increase my faith,
and embolden my prayers,
in Jesus’ name, amen.
(a prayer from The Red Letter Prayer Life)
O Keeper of the Faith
O Keeper of the Faith,
to keep the faith entrusted to us,
faith in a world worth saving,
faith in a dream worth sharing,
faith in a heritage worth keeping
even as we invigorate it
to have meaning for us now.
Help us keep faith in you,
and help us not lose faith in ourselves,
for faith is the substance of our hope,
and hope, the assurance of love.
Praise to you, O Faithful One,
now and forever.
(a prayer of Miriam Therese Winter, from The Complete Book of Christian Prayer; photo via everystockphoto.com)
Election Day
I pray for safe and secure elections. Let cheaters and abusers of the system be exposed and prosecuted. Bless poll workers and election officials with honor, stamina, focus, and integrity.
I pray for every candidate for every office, and the people who love them: God, be merciful to them and bless them; look on them with kindness (Psalm 67:1), whether they win or lose, and accomplish what is best for them, their loved ones, and their constituents.
I pray Isaiah 11:2 for every voter: Holy Spirit, speak to every person who votes in this election. Send the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD on everyone who casts a ballot.
I pray for justice to roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream, through my neighborhood, city, state, and nation (Amos 5:24).
I pray for your people to participate in this election and respond to the results not in a spirit of fear and timidity, but in a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).
As Jesus prayed, I ask for your will rather than mine (Matthew 26:39). Dispel suspicion and hatred, heal divisions, repair the damage to and by your church, and restore unity and sanity to our nation.
And, finally, Father, I ask for the faith to see your hand in the results of this election, even as I remember those people around the world who have no voice and no vote. Let my reaction to this election reveal my faith in You and my awareness of my privilege and responsibility as a citizen, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Stay with Me
let no word cross my lips that is not your word,
no thoughts enter my mind that are not your thoughts,
no deed ever be done or entertained by me that is not your deed.
(a prayer by Malcolm Muggeridge)
(a prayer by Malcolm Muggeridge)
Just As I Am
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd'st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.
I come.
Catch and Cushion Your Children
catch and cushion your children...
let your everlasting arms shield
and strengthen
and support us all,
in Jesus' name, amen.
(photo via everystockphoto.com)
For Saints Past and Present
you have knit together your elect
in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body
of Your Son, Christ our Lord,
and kindled the flame of your love
in the hearts of the saints.
I praise you for the holy men and women
you have raised up
in every time and place.
Give me grace so to follow their example
in devotion and godliness
that I may come
to those ineffable joys
that you have prepared for those
who unfeignedly love you,
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
(updated and modernized from the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours, the Gothic Missal, and The Book of Common Prayer, 1979)