One Prayer a Day

Spring!

For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

For blue of stream and blue of sky;
For pleasant shade of branches high;
For fragrant air and cooling breeze;
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

(by Ralph Waldo Emerson; photo by ROverhate via pixabay.com)

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.

Continue making him like Enoch, who walked with you,

like Noah, who found grace in your sight,

like Abraham, who walked by faith,
like Joseph, a dreamer and doer,
like Moses, who walked on holy ground,
like his namesake Aaron, who led your people into your presence,
like Caleb and Joshua, who saw with eyes of faith,
like Elijah, who received food from your hand,
like Elisha, who was given a double portion,
like David, who danced before you, a man after your own heart,
like Jehoshaphat, who trusted in you,
like Hosea, who forgave largely,
like John, a beloved disciple,
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.

Breastplate

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.

(a prayer attributed to St. Patrick; photo by rgohery via pixabay.com)

I Ask

I ask, Lord, for daily bread,
but not for wealth, lest I forget the poor.
I ask for strength,
but not for power, lest I despise the meek.
I ask for wisdom,
but not for learning, lest I condemn the simple.
I ask for a clean name,
but not for fame, lest I condemn the lowly.
I ask for peace of mind,
but not for idle hours, lest I fail to hearken to the call of duty.

(a prayer of Inazo Nitobe; photo by CongerDesign via pixabay.com)

To Be a Blessing

O Man of Galilee

I Walk in Gift Today

These rude feet,

and this God's day,

this most resplendent hour!

Father of mercies,

give me eyes,

make me aware:

I walk in gift today.

(a prayer of Gerhard E. Frost, from his book, Blessed is the Ordinary, p. 65)

True Humanness

God forgive us
that we have imagined true humanness,
after the Enlightenment model,
to mean being successful,
having it all together,
knowing all the answers,
never making mistakes,
striding through the world as though we owned it

(a prayer of N. T. Wright, from The Challenge of Jesus, p. 193; photo by Amazos7 via pixabay.com).

Each Morning Broken

Lord! Make my heart your temple in which you live.
Grant that every impure thought,

every earthly desire might be like the idol Dagon--

each morning broken at the feet of the Ark of the Covenant.

Teach me to master flesh and blood

and let this mastery of myself be my bloody sacrifice

in order that I might be able to say with the Apostle:

"I die every day."
Amen.

(a prayer of Soren Kierkegaard, slightly revised; photo by pompi via pixabay.com)

A Writer's Education

Teach me your ways, Lord.

Teach me your Word.

Teach me your wit.

Teach me your winsomeness.

Teach me your wiles.

Teach me your will.

Teach me your wealth of creativity,

resources,

variety,

and beauty.

Teach me your wonders,

in Jesus' name, amen.

My Need

Come, My Light

Come, my Light,
and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life,
and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician,
and heal my wounds.
Come, Flame of divine love,
and burn up the thorns of my sins,
kindling my heart
with the flame of thy love.

(a prayer of Dimitrii of Rostov; photo by kloxklox_com via pixabay.com)