From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!
(Traditional Scottish prayer; the artwork pictured above can be ordered here)
From Ghoulies and Ghosties
A Prayer for This Morning
(the daily morning prayer of Martin Luther; thanks to Leonard Sweet for posting this on Facebook)
For Prayerfulness
Resilience
Give me that resilience of spirit that bends, but is never broken.
For upon life's resistances, I will rise.
(a prayer of E. Stanley Jones)
From Stupid Things
deliver me, O Lord...
From my lack of thought and care,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my rash and headstrong judgments,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my impetuous quick temper,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my selfishness and greed,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my ego and my pride,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my foolishness and folly,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my delusions and my fantasies,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my wasting time and effort,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my stewing in self-pity,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my indifference and my apathy,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my jealousy and envy,
deliver me, O Lord...
From my grudges and resentments,
deliver me, O Lord...
From all my faults deliver me
and so deliver those whose hearts and lives
are bruised and hurt by mine, Lord...
Deliver me from all my faults
and in their place give me the grace
to be prudent
caring
understanding
peaceable
generous
selfless
wise
truthful
earnest
grateful
compassionate
accepting
and forgiving...
Deliver me from all my faults
and in their place give me the grace
to be faithful, Lord,
to you and to your Word...
Amen.
(a prayer from A Concord Pastor Comments; photo via everystockphoto.com)
The Echo of Heaven's Praise
Father, we rejoice that you have given us Sunday,the day when we remember that you created the world
and all that is within it,
the day when Jesus was raised from the dead
and death and hell laid waste,
the day in which all things were made and remade.
Father, may we approach Sunday
with longing and expectation;
as the hungry seek for bread,
so may we yearn for word and sacrament;
save our worship from all that is trivial;
rooted in the reality of the world in which we live,
may it yet glimpse the glory of your presence,
and stand in awe at the light of your holiness;
may we sense the presence of all who have gone before us,
hearing in our own songs the echo of unseen heaven's praise,
in Jesus' name, amen.
(From More Everyday Prayers)
A New Mizpah for Miles and Mia
all the while I can't.
Hold them close.
Keep them safe.
Shield and shelter them.
Bless and buoy them.
Let them remember their Crappaw and Mimi,
and their Aunt Aubrey and Uncle Kevin,
and their cousins, Calleigh, Ryder, and Avery,
and miss us all,
but not with the terrible pangs of longing
with which we miss them.
Keep them busy and happy and fruitful and joyful
while we are absent one from the other,
in Jesus' name, amen.
A Prayer for This Day and All Days
Glory be to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Glory to Thee who givest me sleep to recruit my weakness,
and to remit the toils of this fretful flesh.
To this day and all days,
a perfect, holy, peaceful, healthy, sinless course,
vouchsafe, O Lord.
The Angel of peace, a faithful guide,
guardian of souls and bodies,
to encamp around me,
and ever to prompt what is salutary,
vouchsafe, O Lord.
Pardon and remission of all sins and of all offenses
vouchsafe, O Lord.
To our souls what is good and convenient,
and peace to the world,
repentance and strictness
for the residue of our life,
and health and peace to the end,
vouchsafe, O Lord.
Whatever is true, whatever is honest,
whatever just, whatever pure,
whatever lovely, whatever of good report,
if there be any virtue, if any praise,
such thoughts, such deeds,
vouchsafe, O Lord.
A Christian close, without sin, without shame,
and, should it please Thee, without pain,
and a good answer
at the dreadful and fearful judgment seat
of Jesus Christ our Lord,
vouchsafe, O Lord.
Amen.
(a prayer of Lancelot Andrewes)
Till One Draws Near
A draught of the water of life,
But none can quench my soul's desire
For a draught of the water of life;
Till One draws near who the cry will heed--
Helper of men in their time of need--
And I, believing, find indeed
That You are the Water of Life.
(from "Life Is a Journey; Long Is the Road," by Albert Orsborn; slightly revised; photo by taliesin via everystockphoto.com)
A Post-Emmaus Prayer
as you were revealed to your friends in Emmaus
in the simplicity of breaking bread,
please disclose yourself to me today
in the simplest, tiniest
moments and movements
of my day.
Amen.
(detail of Still Life with Hare, Duck, Loaf of Bread, Cheese and Flasks of Wine by Jean-Baptiste Oudry; public domain)
Getting Garbed
clothe me
in your protection
cloak me
in your care
enfold me
in your grace
array me.
With your justice
dress me
for your labor
garb me
by your love
envelop me
and fit me
for your work.
(art and prayer ©Jan Richardson via The Painted Prayerbook; used with permission)
Too Beautiful
God, I fear
You’ve made the World
too beautiful this year.
(a prayer of Edna St. Vincent Millay)
Dr. Samuel Johnson's Last Prayer
Have mercy upon me, and pardon the multitude of my offences. Bless my friends; have mercy upon all men. Support me, by thy Holy Spirit, in the days of weakness, and at the hour of death; and receive me, at my death, to everlasting happiness, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
(from Boswell's Life of Johnson, p. 556; photo in the public domain)
Today's Prayer from "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids"
Who Is Like You?
Jesus, sweet Jesus?
You are the light of those who are spiritually lost.
You are the life of those who are spiritually dead.
You are the liberation of those who are imprisoned by guilt.
You are the glory of those who hate themselves.
You are the guardian of those who are paralysed by fear.
You are the guide of those who are bewildered by falsehood.
You are the peace of those who are in turmoil.
You are the prince of those who yearn to be led.
You are the priest of those who seek the truth.
(a prayer of Johann Freylinghausen)
Playgrounds
Abba, thank you for the playgrounds of my childhood.
For the woods and streams,
the ponds and parks,
the fields and yards.
For the hours spent outside, in nature, in the dirt, in the grass, in this blessed world you created.
On My Daughter's Birthday
--to borrow a phrase from Yeats--
and granted her beauty and courtesy,
and kindness and charm and wisdom.
I give you praise and thanks
for my only daughter,
my firstborn, my Blossom;
for the child you gave me,
for the woman she grew into,
for the love we share,
for the pride and joy I feel in her,
for the blessings you've given her,
and the blessings you've given me
through her.
Please bless her today
and in the days to come, Lord.
Keep her safe and well.
Keep her marriage strong and beautiful.
Prosper her and her husband,
answer their prayers,
supply their needs.
Let their children's healing appear,
and reward their love and faithfulness
with beauty and grace,
prosperity and plenty.
Show her every kindness,
grant her your favor,
abundantly,
immeasurably,
in Jesus' name, amen.
At the Beginning of This New Day
my Father,
you have brought me in safety
to the beginning of this new day;
please preserve me
with your mighty power,
that I may not fall into sin
nor be overcome by adversity;
and in all I do,
please direct me to the fulfilling
of your purposes,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Prayer for a Blog
I pray for this new venture. I ask you to be in charge of it. I don't ask you to help me with; I ask you to let me help you with it. Let me follow you. Let me hear from you and share with others through this digital window of opportunity that is mine. Inspire me, please. Aid me in the writing of posts. Send me to people and send people to me to open a dialogue that will enlarge and enrich our prayer lives. Let the content move people to comment on posts. Prod readers to bookmark the blog and add it to their blog reader. Prompt people to tweet and retweet posts, to "share" them on Facebook and "pin" them on Pinterest. Suggest to readers friends who might appreciate an emailed link to a post. And start a conversation that will make a difference in people's lives and in their marriages, families, churches, neighborhoods, and world, in Jesus' name, amen.
A Prayer of Catherine of Siena
Prince of Peace,
Christ our King,
Christ our Brother,
Christ the Son of Man,
have mercy on us
and give us the courage
to suffer.
(attributed to Catherine of Siena)
Christ our King,
Christ our Brother,
Christ the Son of Man,
have mercy on us
and give us the courage
to suffer.
(attributed to Catherine of Siena)
Deliver Us
Let it be thy good pleasure to deliver us from impudent men, and from impudence: from an evil man and an evil chance; from an evil affection, an evil companion, and an evil neighbor: from Satan the destroyer, from a hard judgment, and a hard adversary.
(attributed to Rabbi Judah ben Tema)
(attributed to Rabbi Judah ben Tema)
O Most Bountiful
(a prayer of Robert Farrar Capon from Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection, suggested by Ray Hollenbach)
Expectations
In this fallen world, help me to have realistic expectations about my earthly home. Prepare me for troubles that are sure to come. Remind me that I can accept my circumstances without liking them. Help me to be heaven-minded so that I can grow through adversity, knowing that these difficulties will end with this earthly life. I accept whatever comes from your hand, and I trust your wisdom.
(an excerpt from the book, 365 Pocket Prayers, by Ron Beers)
That They May Love Your Word
Shaalu Shalom Yerushalayim
I pray for the peace of Jerusalem
and all its people:
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)
Libraries
Lord, thank you for libraries.
Thank you for the luxury of reading and referencing so many books without having to buy them.
And thank you for the added blessing of the interlibrary loan system, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Lesser Thanks
Thank you, Lord, that I am not fatter than I am,
older than I am,
homelier than I am,
and more foolish than I am.
Amen.
older than I am,
homelier than I am,
and more foolish than I am.
Amen.
A Tree in Autumn
Into a tree in autumn
And let my dying
Be a blaze of glory!
Drape me in a
Crimson, leafy gown,
And deck my soul
In dancing flakes of gold!
And then when Death
Comes by, and with his hands
Strips off my rustling garment
Let me stand
Before him, proud and naked,
Unashamed, uncaring,
All the strength in me revealed
Against the sky!
Oh, God
Make me an autumn tree
If I must die!
(a prayer of Esther Pope, 1896-1958)
For Persevering Prayer
(from Principles of Prayer, by Charles G. Finney)
This Wondrous Life of Never-Ceasing Prayer
O my God! Keep me ever so dwelling and walking in the presence of Thy glory, that prayer may be the spontaneous expression of my life with Thee.
(a prayer of Andrew Murray, from With Christ in the School of Prayer; photo by David Paul Ohmer via everystockphoto.com)
A Short Prayer of T. S. Eliot
O Lord, deliver me from the man of excellent intention and impure heart: for the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.
Today's Prayer from "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids"
It Goes So Fast
Make Him a Ballplayer
Give him a great start
to a life of "Let's play some ball!"
Let him have a blast.
Give him early success
that increases the joy of the game.
Give him focus and concentration
beyond his years.
Give him laughter and fun.
Give him the thrill of catching the foul ball,
of throwing the runner out,
of hitting a frozen rope,
of running the bases,
flashing some leather,
sliding into home,
and being part of a team.
Amen.
On the First Day of Fall
When I must go, dear God, please let it beA golden autumn day; when red leaves fall,
When purple grapes in shining clusters hang
And bittersweet glows bright against the wall,
When o'er the barren fields and russet meads
Their last farewells the crickets cry.
Let me make my silent journey
When the homing birds fly south across the sky.
When I must go, dear God, please let me go
As silently as autumn rain,
As still as lacy shadows 'neath the willow trees,
As calm as is the moon above the hill.
So let me go--and may there be no grief
When life is done and I must say goodbye.
I'll take my leave with flowers and falling leaf
And lie in peaceful sleep beneath the sky.
(unattributed)
For Seasons
Great Creator, thank you for the seasons that unfold right outside my windows,and display your beauty and creativity,
and remind me of your many blessings and provisions.
Thank you for the colors of Fall,
the crisp air and crackling leaves,
the cooling days and Indian Summers.
Thank you for the glistening Winters,
the shimmer of sun on snow and the crack of branches under ice,
for biting winds and welcoming fireplaces.
Thank you for the vibrancy of Spring,
the budding of trees and blooming of flowers,
the return of the birds and smell of the air.
Thank you for the pleasures of Summer,
the bright sunny days and perfect moonlit evenings,
the smells of mowed grass and air thick with rain.
Great Creator, thank you for the seasons of this earth,
and likewise for the seasons of my life,
that teach me one after the other
that you are good.
Amen.
For the Kurds
Lord God, please have mercy on the tens of thousands of Kurds fleeing the brutality of ISIS. Please rescue these broken towns, broken families, broken people, from further brokenness. Please give them safe passage and safe haven. Please scatter their enemies and prompt the leaders and peoples of the world to do something--to do more--to help, in Jesus' name, amen.
Laudate Pueri Dominum
I praise you, LORD.I have been so blessed
by men and women who fear you
and find great delight in your commands.
I am blessed to be among them now,
to be one of those who fears you
and loves your Word.
Oh, Lord, please
make my children mighty in the land;
let the next generation be blessed
beyond my wildest dreams.
Grant them true wealth
and enduring riches;
let the walls of their homes be adorned
with righteousness.
Let your light dawn in their lives,
and dispel all darkness for them.
Make them gracious and compassionate and righteous.
Make them generous and anxious to give.
Make them just in all their affairs.
Let them never be shaken;
give them a sterling reputation.
Save them from rumor and gossip.
Make their hearts steadfast, always trusting in you.
Make them confident and fearless.
Give them victory over every enemy, every obstacle.
Bless their efforts on behalf of the poor
and needy
and sick.
And give them influence and honor,
for your name's sake.
Let the wicked look at them and be vexed,
wondering at the blessings of the righteous,
in Jesus' name, amen.
(based on Psalm 112)
Fill
I lift it up, Lord,
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup,
Fill it up
And make me whole.
(from the hymn by Richard Eugene Blanchard Sr.)
The Welfare of Your Servant
my life,
my temperament,
my marriage,
my health,
my home,
my writing,
my earning,
my spending,
my giving,
my saving,
my growing,
my smiling,
my singing,
my coming,
staying,
and going
cause people to say,
"Great is the Lord,
who delights in the welfare
of his servants" (Psalm 35:27),
in Jesus' name, amen.
A Short Prayer for Freelance Writers
I forgive myself for not writing enough, or well enough, or fast enough.
I am thankful today for my unique creative gifts. Instead of dwelling on regrets about what I haven’t accomplished yet, I will focus on what I can do now to develop my craft.
Let me take at least one, small step today to put my writing out there.
When my query letters go unanswered, I will remain serene and remember that it’s often not about me or my writing.
I will listen and learn from people whose feedback I value, but trust that my most important guiding voice and source of confidence as a writer lies within.
When opportunities arise, let me evaluate them with clear eyes and have the wisdom to pass if the gig isn’t right for me. I will not let feelings of panic or desperation lead me to make bad choices, but trust that if I do my marketing, the right gigs will come to me.
Because the people who matter to me are important, I will strive to set aside device-free time today in which I am fully present for them.
I will make time to move my body, stay healthy, and take in the beauty that surrounds me. I know it will fuel more creativity.
Grant that I lie down in peace tonight, grateful for the chance I’ve had today to write, to grow, and to send my message out into the world.
(by Carol Tice, on the "Making a Living Writing" blog)
What I See You Do
Father,
make me like Jesus in this:
help me to do only what I see
you doing.
(based on John 5:19)
make me like Jesus in this:
help me to do only what I see
you doing.
(based on John 5:19)
For Avery
I give you thanks.
For all seven pounds and eleven ounces,
I give you thanks.
For ten fingers and ten toes,
clear eyes and strong lungs,
and freedom from cystic fibrosis,
I give you thanks.
For her mother's wisdom, courage, and faith,
and her safety through pregnancy and labor,
and in delivery,
I give you thanks.
For her father's faithfulness, support, and encouragement,
his watchful care and constant presence,
his tender heart and strong hands,
I give you thanks.
For her big sister's interest and motherly tenderness,
and her big brother's wary watchfulness,
I give you thanks.
For the love and visits of Avery's extended family
and the encouragement of so many friends,
I give you thanks.
For her red hair,
regular heartbeat,
and beautiful features,
I give you thanks.
For her,
and all the blessing
and joy
and promise
and purpose
that await her,
I give you thanks.
Amen.
A Prayer on September 11
Give wisdom and vigilance to those men and women who are on the front lines of our nation's defense, at home and abroad. Make them alert. Keep them safe. And help them to do their jobs well.
Deliver us from dangers known and unknown, seen and unseen, in city and town. Protect those who travel, those who assemble, those who provide services, those who may be most exposed, whether they know it or not.
Let this day--and those to come--end in peace and safety for young and old, high and low, rich and poor, religious and irreligious, and please give this world's leaders greater wisdom, vision, and courage to do what is right and what is best for the safety of those they lead, in Jesus' name, amen.
All in All
Abba, I am nothing without you. I can do nothing without you.
I am lost and helpless without you.
Be thou my vision.
Be thou my wisdom
and my righteousness.
Be thou my peace, my wholeness, my Shalom.
Be thou my kindness and grace,
my health and rest,
my light and salvation.
Be my joy,
my everything,
my all-in-all,
in Jesus' name, amen.
From Yesterday's Writing
You teach me to forgive, even as you show me how much I have to learn.
You remind me how much I’ve been forgiven, and how much mercy and grace have been showered on me, and then you invite me to be like that.
I can be like that? I can forgive as I have been forgiven?
As willingly?
As fully?
As constantly?
Seems crazy, but you must mean it, because you command it.
If you command it, you can do it, in me and through me.
So I pray, forgive me as I forgive others.
I want my mercy to be expanded until it is like yours.
I want my forgiving to echo yours.
I want your grace and kindness to flow through me…even to those who have hurt me, who have sinned against me.
Forgive me as I forgive.
Amen.
(photo via everystockphoto.com)
Without Thee I Cannot Live, And I Dare Not Die
I needed thee when sorrow came, when shadows were thrown across the threshold of my life, and thou didst not fail me then. I needed thee when sickness laid a clammy hand upon my family, and I cried to thee, and thou didst hear. I needed thee when perplexity brought me to a parting of the ways, and I knew not how to turn. Thou didst not fail me then, but in many ways, big and little, didst indicate the better way. And though the sun is shining around me today, I know that I need thee even in the sunshine, and shall still need thee tomorrow.
I give thee my gratitude for that constant sense of need that keeps me close to thy side. Help me to keep my hand in thine and my ears open to the wisdom of thy voice.
Speak to me, that I may hear thee giving me courage for hard times and strength for difficult places; giving me determination for challenging tasks. I ask of thee no easy way, but just thy grace that is sufficient for every need, so that no matter how hard the way, how challenging the hour, how dark the sky, I may be enabled to overcome.
In thy strength, who hast overcome the world, I make this prayer. Amen.
(from The Prayers of Peter Marshall)
Retreat
as I retreat into silence,
into solitude,
into you,
come
to my heart,
to my emptiness,
to fill me once more,
my Abba, my Father, my all.
For Little Things
The song of birds, the rapture of the rose;
Cloud-dappled skies, the laugh of limpid springs,
Drowned sunbeams and the perfume April blows;
Bronze wheat a-shimmer, purple shade of trees -
Let us be thankful, Lord of Life, for these!
Let us be praiseful, Sire, for simple sights; -
The blue smoke curling from a fire of peat;
Keen stars a-frolicking on frosty nights,
Prismatic pigeons strutting in a street;
Daisies dew-diamonded in smiling sward -
For simple sights let us be praiseful, Lord!
Let us be grateful, God, for health serene,
The hope to do a kindly deed each day;
The faith of fellowship, a conscience clean,
The will to worship and the gift to pray;
For all of worth in us, of You a part,
Let us be grateful, God, with humble heart.
(a prayer by Robert William Service; photo courtesy of http://www.everystockphoto.com/)
Prayer for a Prayer App
Now, as you know, it's available as an iPhone and iPad app. So I ask you to bless it, Lord. Multiply its use and effectiveness. Let it energize the prayers of your people in new ways and with even greater regularity. Make it appear in people's searches. Let it be found by all who would find it helpful. And spread these prayers--and thus your good, perfect, and pleasing will--around the world, in Jesus' name, amen.
(the "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids" app can be purchased here)
Labor Day Prayer
O God, creator of the world,of sun and moon and stars,
you chose to fashion us, your own,
your handiwork of love.
Indeed, we are your hands’ own work
and yet into our hands
you give the care
of every living thing.
In more ways than we can count
our work builds up
or tears apart what came
as gift from you.
Keep us faithful in preserving
all you’ve given
lest we harm the smallest part
of all you’ve made.
Give us good and honest work to do
and rest at each day’s end.
Let a fair and good day’s wage be paid
for a good day’s work well done.
Give us work that nurtures and sustains
the ones who serve and those they serve.
Let those who labor work in peace,
in freedom, without fear.
Give those in need a job to do
and to the tired well earned rest.
Let all our work and toil, Lord,
give glory to your name.
Amen.
(from A Concord Pastor Comments)
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