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)

Lord, How I Love You

Words and music by Keith Banks; arrangement Leslie Condon.

Evening Prayer

Merciful God, in whom is no darkness at all, I come before you at the end of this day. Thank you that you have given me strength for my daily work, and have guided me safely through this day. Bless what was good in my labor and conduct.

Since you ordained that man should labor during the day and rest at night, give me and mine peaceful and undisturbed rest so that we may be able to take up our daily task again. Command your angels to guard us and cause your face to shine upon us.

I cast all my anxieties on you, for you care for me. Control my sleep and rule my heart, in order that I may not be defiled in any way but may glorify you even in my nightly rest. Defend and protect me against all assaults of the devil and take me into your divine protection.

I confess that I did not spend this day without grievously sinning against you. In your mercy please cover my sins as you cover the earth in the darkness of the night.

Grant comfort and rest to all who are ill, bowed down with grief, or afflicted with spiritual distress. Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not abandon the works of your hands.

All this I ask in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord, amen.

Song of Solomon Prayer

Lord Jesus, please seal me with the inscription:
"The Lord knows those who are his" (2 Timothy 2:19),
for your love is stronger than death,
unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.

THANK YOU that many waters cannot quench your love for me;
that rivers cannot sweep it away.

It is worth more to me
than all the wealth of my house,
all the wealth of the ages.

For the Libyan People

Oh, Lord, hear my prayer for the people of Libya.

Please protect those poor people.
Protect them from murder,
and from the evil plans
of evil people.
Please watch over them.

Show them that you are God,
and that you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness.

Let not the arrogant stand.
Oppose and frustrate
all who do wrong.
Stand against
the bloodthirsty and deceitful.

Lead them, LORD, into peace,
into righteousness.

Even as the people rebel against earthly tyrants,
teach them the kindness and mercy
of the King of Glory.

Let all who take refuge in you
be glad;
let them ever sing for joy,
now and when the dust settles.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you,
and those who do not know you
may be drawn to you,
in Jesus' name, amen.

A Prayer of Watchman Nee

Let me love
but not be thanked.

Let me serve
but not be recompensed.

Let me spend my strength
but not be noted.

Let me suffer much
but not be seen.

Let me pour my wine
without drinking.

Let me break my bread
without reaping.

A Prayer Jesus Commands Me To Pray

God of glory,
Judge of all the earth,
Lord of the harvest,
the harvest is so great,
but the workers are so few.

Please send out more workers into your fields, and use them to produce a bumper crop of souls for your kingdom (Luke 10:2), in Jesus' name, amen.

For Said Musa

Abba, Father,
hear my prayer for my brother Said Musa.
O God, come to his assistance;
O Lord, make haste to help him.

You know, gracious God,
that he is suffering (and has suffered)
for his faith in a way that I have never known,
that most have never known.

Thank you for the news that he has been moved to a safer prison.
Thank you that his wife and family are safely out of Afghanistan.

Please heal the wounds of torture and abuse.
Please strengthen him in his faith
and in his mind and body and soul.
Please sing to him in the night watches.
Please release him from captivity.
Please surround him with the host of heaven
to protect him from those who seek his life
because he has become a follower of your Son.

Please grant that he may not lose heart.
Please grant that his testimony glorify your Name.
Please grant that he may not be afraid of those who can only kill the body.
Please grant that he may yet know deliverance
and plenty
and kindness
and joy
and hope
and happiness,
in this life.

Thank you that his story is known to me;
please make it known to the world.
Please move American media, especially, to tell it
more often and more thoroughly,
that your Name may be lifted up
and your will be done.

Lord, have mercy on my brother Said Musa,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Stir the Embers of My Heart

As I stir the embers of my daily fire, I ask you, living God, to stir the embers of my heart into a flame of love for you, my family, my neighbor, and my enemy. Amen.

(an ancient Celtic prayer, used each morning as the embers in the household hearth were stirred)

Prayer For First Responders (to the New Zealand Earthquake)

Crisis and chaos,
Confusion and loss,
A scene of sweeping destruction,
The first responders arrive
Among the breathless and dazed,
The frenzied, driven wild with fear and grief,
The incapacitated, the dead,
The weary, the lost, the injured,
And survivors forcing themselves
Beyond their limits
To fight devastation.

G-d whose ways are secret,
Bless these first responders with endurance
To be of maximum service in this moment of immeasurable need.
Bless their limbs with strength,
Their eyes with courage,
Their hands with gentleness,
So that they become a source of hope and love.
Give them the tools they need in the days and hours ahead.
Protect them from physical harm,
Shield them from emotional pain,
And guard them from taking this trauma into themselves.
G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of New Zealand.
Let the world rally on their behalf.
May the deeds of the first responders
Find favor in Heaven
And bring healing on earth.

© 2011 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

In Devastation (Prayer for the People of New Zealand)

G-d beyond my understanding,
The earth has turned violent,
Sweeping our brothers and sisters off their feet,
Crushing homes and lives,
Upending dreams,
Toppling the foundations of hope and sustenance.
A shallow breath
beneath the rubble
And wailing in the streets.
The injured, the dead, the starving.
The new widow,
The new orphan,
The newly bereft turn to You
Divine Source of abundance and grace.
G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of New Zealand,
And the victims of any disaster,
Any violence, suffering or despair.
Grant them shelter and solace,
Comfort and consolation,
Blessing and renewal.
May a world of justice, righteousness and mercy
Come swiftly to their aid.
Grant them endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild,
Faith to mourn,
Courage to heal,
And devotion to each other.
Heavenly Guide,
Hand of love and shelter,
Grant the people of New Zealand Your protection,
Your radiance,
And Your peace.

© 2011 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Zarephath Prayer 3

Abba, Father,
Yahweh Yireh,
my Provider,
I know that what looks to me
like severe cash flow challenges
in the weeks and months to come
are no different to you than
a handful of flour in a jar
and a little olive oil in a jug.

What you did for the widow of Zarephath
through your servant Elijah,
please do for me and,
more importantly,
for my household,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Lord, Why Did You Tell Me to Love All Men, My Brothers?

Lord, why did you tell me to love all men, my brothers?

I have tried, but I come back to you, frightened…
Lord, I was so peaceful at home,
I was so comfortably settled.
It was well furnished, and I felt cozy.
I was alone, I was at peace.
Sheltered from the wind, the rain, the mud.
I would have stayed unsullied in my ivory tower.

But, Lord, you have discovered a breach in my defences,
You have forced me to open my door,
Like a squall of rain in the face,
the cry of men has awakened me;
Like a gale of wind a friendship has shaken me,
As a ray of light slips in unnoticed,
your grace has stirred me…
and, rashly enough, I left my door ajar.

Now, Lord, I am lost!

Outside men were lying in wait for me.
I did not know they were so near;
in this house, in this street, in this office;
my neighbour, my colleague, my friend.
As soon as I started to open the door I saw them,
with outstretched hands, burning eyes, longing hearts,
like beggars on church steps.

The first ones came in, Lord.
There was after all some space in my heart.
I welcomed them.
I would have cared for them and fondled them,
my very own little lambs, my little flock.
You would have been pleased, Lord,
I would have served and honoured you in a proper, respectable way.
Till then, it was sensible…

But the next ones, Lord, the other men,
I had not seen them; they were hidden behind the first ones.
There were more of them, they were wretched;
they over-powered me without warning.
We had to crowd in, I had to find room for them.
Now they have come from all over, in successive waves, pushing one another, jostling one another.
They have come from all over town, from all parts of the country, of the world;
numberless, inexhaustible.
They don’t come alone any longer but in groups,
bound one to another.
They come bending under heavy loads;
loads of injustice, of resentment and hate, of suffering and sin…
They drag the world behind them, with everything rusted, twisted, or badly adjusted.
Lord, they hurt me!
They are in the way, they are everywhere,
They are too hungry, they are consuming me!
I can’t do anything any more;
as they come in, they push the door, and the door opens wider…

Lord! My door is wide open!
I can’t stand it any more!
It’s too much!
It’s no kind of life!
What about my job? My family? My peace? My liberty? And me?

Lord, I have lost everything, I don’t belong to myself any longer;
There’s no more room for me at home.

Don’t worry, God says, you have gained all.
While men came in to you, I, your Father, I, your God,
Slipped in among them.

(from the book, Prayers of Life)

Sunday Night Thanks

Abba,
thank you for this day,
for time spent with my family,
with your people,
and with you,
amen.

It's Sunday Morning, Lord

It's Sunday morning, Lord.
Thank you for another day of life
a dawning day of worship.

Grant that your people everywhere
will worship you
in spirit and in truth.
Grant that I may.

Grant an awareness
of your Holy Spirit.
Grant humility and submission.
Grant repentance and renewal.

Grant that your servants who lead worship,
and your servants who teach,
and your servants who facilitate the service of the day
may be led by you
and rewarded by fruit for their efforts.
Grant that I may.

Grant healing and hope.
Grant strength and support.
Grant brokenness and beauty.

Let this day change your church.
Let this day change your people.
Let this day change this world.
Let this day change me.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Morning Fog

Lord, protect me
from taking tomorrow for granted.
For I know that my life
is like the morning fog—
it's here a little while,
then it's gone.
Help me to live with an attitude that says instead,
"If the Lord wants us to,
we will live and do this or that" (James 4:14-16).

Proverbs 16:15 Prayer

Almighty King,
let me feel
the warmth of your smile
on all I do today;
let your favor refresh my heart
like a gentle rain.
Amen.

Lord, Lay Some Soul Upon My Heart

Lord, lay some soul upon my heart,
And love that soul through me;
And may I bravely do my part
To win that soul for Thee.

Weather Praise

Nice job with today's weather, Lord! I know it will change again in a day or two (it IS February, after all), but I appreciate it nonetheless. Thank you.

Zephaniah 3:17 Prayer

Lord Jesus,
you are a mighty Savior.

Thank you
for rejoicing over me
with great gladness.

Thank you
for calming
all my fears.

Thank you
for exulting over me
in song.

(The art at left is a plaque that can be obtained here)

An Eighth Century Prayer

Riches I heed not,
nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance,
now and always:
Thou and Thou only,
first in my heart,
High King of heaven,
my Treasure Thou art.

(Author unknown, 8th Century; translated from ancient Irish to English by Mary E. Byrne, in “Eriú,” Journal of the School of Irish Learning, 1905)

Valentine

Like summer snow
floating from a sun-filled sky,
draping airy-white on flowered fields,
Your love astonished me.

No frilly show,
no assorted-chocolate pledge,
no candy hearts or silver kisses
disclosed your care for me;

But unsparing,
cross-bearing,
thorn-wearing love
that opened hands and feet and side
to spill your heart for me,

To recreate,
inundate my longing soul
with giving, holding, accepting,
enfolding love for me.

Amos 4:13 Prayer

Lord God Almighty, I praise you because you are the one who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals your every thought. You turn the light of dawn into darkness and tread the mountains under your feet.

Grace Prayer

Gracious God and Father of all humanity,
thank you for granting me the grace
to show grace.
Amen.

Your Ways Are Equal

Lord, your ways are equal (Ezekiel 18:25),
and my ways are unequal.
And you are without equal,
unexcelled,
incomprehensible,
incomparable,
and I praise you also for that.

In your mercy and kindness, Lord,
consider me.
Show me your ways, that I might know you.
Teach me,
guide me,
uphold me,
protect me,
and enlarge my capacity for you
and for doing your will,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Ambrose's Prayer

Come, very Sun of heaven’s love,
In lasting radiance from above,
And pour the Holy Spirit’s ray
On all I think or do today.

(A prayer of Ambrose of Milan,
4th Century
(Splendor paternae gloriae),
translated by Louis Fitzgerald Benson, 1910;
adapted)

Ezekiel 26:12 Prayer

Father, let me not take pride in riches or merchandise;
let me not rely for security on the walls of my home
or the strength of its construction.
Let me boast only in you
and trust you alone for my security.

(Based on Ezekiel 26:12)

Nebuchadnezzar's Praise

God, I praise you because your rule is everlasting, and your kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to you. You have the power to do as you please among the angels of heaven and with those who live on earth. No one can stop you or challenge you, saying, 'What do you mean by doing these things?'

(Based on Daniel 4:34-35)

The Pleiades and Orion

A Prayer of Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

O my God, if Thy creations are so full of beauty, delight and joy, how infinitely more full of beauty, delight and joy art Thou Thyself, Creator of all!

A Prayer of Abandonment

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)

The Kind of Day I'm Sorry to See End

Lord, I thank you tonight
for the kind of day
I'm sorry to see end.

I know that this night
some people will watch night fall
with disappointment--even despair--
and greet the coming morning with dread.
I pray for such hurting souls, God,
even as I rejoice that I--
though undeserving--
can say "thank you!"

For the beauty, rest, grace, nourishment, health, security, comfort, enjoyment, fellowship, service, joy, learning and accomplishment of this day, I say thank you, in Jesus' name, amen.