You Struck the Rivers
Lord, I praise you
because you struck the rivers
and parted the sea;
you sent your chariots of salvation for your people.
You commanded your weapons of power!
You split open the earth with flowing rivers!
The mighty deep cried out, lifting its hands to you.
You are mighty, and worthy of praise!
(from Habakkuk 3:8-10)
Heavenly Wisdom
O God of the ages, grant that I, who am the heir of all the ages, may not fail to profit by the heavenly wisdom which in time past Thou didst grant to Thy servants.
A wise man wrote,
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise man wrote,
Our wills are ours to make them Thine.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise king said,
Nothing for me is too early or too late which is in due time for Thee.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise man said,
Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise man said,
In His Will is our peace.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise woman said,
The divine moment is the present moment.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise woman said,
He asks too much to whom God is not sufficient.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise man prayed,
Give what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise man wrote,
My past life hide; my future guide.
(Quod vixi tege, quod vivam rege.)
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
Grant, O Father, that I may go about this day's business with an ever-present remembrance of the great traditions wherein I stand and the great cloud of witnesses which at all times surround me, that thereby I may be kept from evil ways and inspired to high endeavor. So keep me until evening in the might of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
(a prayer of John Baillie, from the book A Diary of Private Prayer; photo via everystockphoto.com)
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise man wrote,
Our wills are ours to make them Thine.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise king said,
Nothing for me is too early or too late which is in due time for Thee.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise man said,
Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise man said,
In His Will is our peace.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise woman said,
The divine moment is the present moment.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise woman said,
He asks too much to whom God is not sufficient.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise man prayed,
Give what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt.
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
A wise man wrote,
My past life hide; my future guide.
(Quod vixi tege, quod vivam rege.)
O God, give me grace to profit by this word.
Grant, O Father, that I may go about this day's business with an ever-present remembrance of the great traditions wherein I stand and the great cloud of witnesses which at all times surround me, that thereby I may be kept from evil ways and inspired to high endeavor. So keep me until evening in the might of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
(a prayer of John Baillie, from the book A Diary of Private Prayer; photo via everystockphoto.com)
Whether Friendly or Adverse
make my eyes keen and watchful,
in order that I may discern your purpose
at every turning of the way.
Help me to hallow all my circumstances
whether they appear friendly or adverse,
and may I subdue them all to my King's will.
Amen.
(from J. H. Jowett, The Whole Armour of God, p. 152; photo via everystockphoto.com).
A Memorial Day Prayer
In the quiet sanctuaries of our own hearts, let each of us name and call on
the One whose power over us
is great and gentle,
firm and forgiving,
holy and healing…
You who created us,
who sustain us,
who call us to live in peace,
hear our prayer this day.
Hear our prayer for all who have died,
whose hearts and hopes are known to you alone…
Hear our prayer for those who put the welfare of others
ahead of their own
and give us hearts as generous as theirs…
Hear our prayer for those who gave their lives
in the service of others,
and accept the gift of their sacrifice…
Help us to shape and make a world
where we will lay down the arms of war
and turn our swords into ploughshares
for a harvest of justice and peace…
Comfort those who grieve the loss of their loved ones
and let your healing be the hope in our hearts...
Hear our prayer this day
and in your mercy answer us
in the name of all that is holy.
Amen.
(from the Concord Pastor blog)
Watchful Eye
Lord, I know there are millions of travelers on the roads and rails, on the seas and in the skies today,
and you love and care for them all.
But please keep a watchful eye on me and the lovely Robin,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Dread Warrior
please defend us
and mend us
and superintend us,
in Jesus' name,
amen.
(based on Jeremiah 20:11, ESV;
photo by mamjodh via everystockphoto.com)
Showers and Streams
Lord God Adonai,
please send to me and mine
showers of blessing
and streams of refreshing
today,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Another Pentecost
We need another Pentecost,
Send the fire!
(from a song written by William Booth, founder (with his wife) of The Salvation Army; photo by music4life via pixabay.com)
My Great Strides Effort
Less, More
Gracious God,
grant that I may
eat less, and move more,
buy less, and save more,
stress less, and trust more,
hurry less, and relax more,
take less, and give more,
do less, and be more.
Amen.
(photo via everystockphoto.com)
On Mother's Day
how blessed I am
by the wife you've given to me,
and the kind of mother she has been--
and is--
to our children.
She walks in beauty, like the night
of cloudless climes and starry skies
(to quote Byron).
She showers blessing, like August rain,
on every dry and needy place.
She denies herself, like the pelican of myth,
feeding her loved ones with her own lifeblood.
She fights with passion, like a badger,
to defend and protect her home and family.
What a gift she is to me and to this family.
Lift her up in our love,
encourage her with our gratitude,
and let her feel your favor
flowing through ours,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Praise and Petition
and with my mind,
and ask that you bring my heart along,
so that I can praise you with my whole self.
I praise you for your majesty,
evident in the skies;
your artistry
evident in the clouds;
your power
evident in the storm;
your gentleness
evident in the breeze;
your beauty
evident in the trees;
your grace
evident in the fawn that feeds by the tree;
your strength
evident in the firmness of the earth beneath it all.
I praise you Lord, Adonai,
for your greatness and your goodness,
for all splendor and majesty,
glory and power belongs to you,
and you are the sum
and the source
of all that is good, amen.
Nepsis
Lord, teach me nepsis:
to be watchfull, alert, vigilant,
to control my thoughts
instead of being controlled,
in Jesus' name, amen.
(photo by elmaurer via unsplash.com)
Ever Sounding
Make my life to be like a melody,
Ever sounding out the message of the Cross.
(from a hymn by John Wells; photo detail by Gift Habeshaw via unsplash.com)
All Ague
What I have treasur'd in my memory!
Since, if my soul make even with the week,
Each seventh note by right is due to thee.
I find there quarries of pil'd vanities,
But shreds of holiness, that dare not venture
To show their face, since cross to thy decrees:
There the circumference earth is, heav'n the centre.
In so much dregs the quintessence is small:
The spirit and good extract of my heart
Comes to about the many hundredth part.
Yet Lord restore thine image, hear my call:
And though my hard heart scarce to thee can groan,
Remember that thou once didst write in stone.
(by George Herbert; photo by kentro via unsplash.com)
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.
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)
Tumult
into your presence.
There show me what I am,
and what you have purposed me to be.
Than hide me from your tears.
O King and Savior,
what is your gift to me?
And do I use it to your pleasing?
(a prayer of Hild of Whitby)
I Bow
At Thy feet I bow, adoring,
Bending lower, lower still;
Giving up my all to follow,
Just to do my Master's will.
(photo by Jeremy Yap via unsplash.com)
A Prayer in Sadness
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Look on me, Lord,
look on my sad heart,
look on my low spirit.
Come to me where I am,
and carry me out of here.
You are the Lifter of my head.
You are my Shield and Strength.
You give me songs in the night.
Gracious God, please turn my mourning into dancing,
and replace this shroud of sadness
with the garment of gladness,
with a crown of joy.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with your Holy Spirit,
in Jesus' name, amen.
(photo by Lasse Møller via unsplash.com)
