Bob Hostetler
Deliver us from evil, Lord.
Deliver us from debt.
Deliver us from self-reliance.
Deliver us from deceitful people.
Deliver us from judgmental people.
Deliver us from perfectionism.
Deliver us from people-pleasing.
Deliver us from greed.
Deliver us from materialism.
Deliver us from schism.
Deliver us from arrogance.
Deliver us from self-deception.
Deliver us from favoritism.
Deliver us from faithlessness.
Deliver us from the fruits of our own stupidity.
Deliver us, in Jesus' name, amen.
Lord, I Know Not
(A prayer by François Fénelon)
Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee,
Thou only knowest what I need;
Thou lovest me better than I know how to love myself.
Father! Give to Thy child that which he himself knows not how to ask.
I dare not ask either for crosses or consolations;
I simply present myself before Thee.
I open my heart to Thee.
Behold my need, which I know not myself;
see and do according to Thy tender mercy.
Smile or heal, depress me, or raise me up;
I adore all Thy purposes without knowing them:
I am silent;
I offer myself in sacrifice;
I yield myself to Thee,
I would have no other desire than to accomplish Thy will.
Teach me to pray. Pray thyself in me.
Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee,
Thou only knowest what I need;
Thou lovest me better than I know how to love myself.
Father! Give to Thy child that which he himself knows not how to ask.
I dare not ask either for crosses or consolations;
I simply present myself before Thee.
I open my heart to Thee.
Behold my need, which I know not myself;
see and do according to Thy tender mercy.
Smile or heal, depress me, or raise me up;
I adore all Thy purposes without knowing them:
I am silent;
I offer myself in sacrifice;
I yield myself to Thee,
I would have no other desire than to accomplish Thy will.
Teach me to pray. Pray thyself in me.
My Psalm 30
Bob Hostetler
I praise you, Lord, for you rescue me.
You refuse to let my enemies get the best of me.
Lord God, I cry out to you for help,
and you heal me, body and soul.
You deliver me from the grave, O Lord.
You keep me from falling into the pit.
I sing to you, Lord, with all your saints!
I praise your holy name.
Your anger lasts an instant,
but your favor lasts a lifetime!
I suffer dark nights like anyone,
but then you bring a new dawn, time after time.
When things are going great,
I feel like nothing can stand in my way.
Your favor, O Lord, makes me feel secure.
But when you turn your face away from me, I am a mess.
I cry out to you, Lord.
I beg you for mercy, all over again.
I know you never tire,
but it’s hard to believe you’re not fed up with me.
If you gave up on me now, though,
I could never praise and glorify you any better than I do today!
So hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
Help me, O Lord.
You turn my worst moments into occasions for dancing.
You replace my prison garments with party garb,
so I will sing your praises as loud and long as I am able.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
I praise you, Lord, for you rescue me.
You refuse to let my enemies get the best of me.
Lord God, I cry out to you for help,
and you heal me, body and soul.
You deliver me from the grave, O Lord.
You keep me from falling into the pit.
I sing to you, Lord, with all your saints!
I praise your holy name.
Your anger lasts an instant,
but your favor lasts a lifetime!
I suffer dark nights like anyone,
but then you bring a new dawn, time after time.
When things are going great,
I feel like nothing can stand in my way.
Your favor, O Lord, makes me feel secure.
But when you turn your face away from me, I am a mess.
I cry out to you, Lord.
I beg you for mercy, all over again.
I know you never tire,
but it’s hard to believe you’re not fed up with me.
If you gave up on me now, though,
I could never praise and glorify you any better than I do today!
So hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
Help me, O Lord.
You turn my worst moments into occasions for dancing.
You replace my prison garments with party garb,
so I will sing your praises as loud and long as I am able.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
Envy
Bob Hostetler
Lord God, Adonai, please save me from envy.
Save me from wanting any other pastor's success,
any other church's growth,
anyone else's building,
anyone's circumstances,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Lord God, Adonai, please save me from envy.
Save me from wanting any other pastor's success,
any other church's growth,
anyone else's building,
anyone's circumstances,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Grant That I May Always Be Right
Lord, grant that I may always be right,
for Thou knowest I am hard to turn.
(An old Scottish-Irish prayer)
for Thou knowest I am hard to turn.
(An old Scottish-Irish prayer)
Thanks in a Heat Wave
Oh, my Lord, it's hot.
The heat these past few days has been nearly unbearable...
and it's not even summer yet!
It reminds me to thank you for shade,
for breezes,
for fans,
and for air conditioning.
Thank you that it's not always this hot.
Thank you for the variety of the seasons.
Thank you for heat waves
that bless us when they subside.
The heat these past few days has been nearly unbearable...
and it's not even summer yet!
It reminds me to thank you for shade,
for breezes,
for fans,
and for air conditioning.
Thank you that it's not always this hot.
Thank you for the variety of the seasons.
Thank you for heat waves
that bless us when they subside.
Batter My Heart
(A prayer by John Donne, in sonnet form)
Batter my heart, three-person’d God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
I, like an usurp’d town, to another due,
Labor to admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv’d, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth’d unto your enemy:
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
Batter my heart, three-person’d God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
I, like an usurp’d town, to another due,
Labor to admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv’d, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth’d unto your enemy:
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
Thanks for Sundays
Lord, thank you for Sundays,
as hard as they are,
as hard as I work,
as exhausted as they make me,
thank you for the privilege of worshiping you
and seeing you work,
in Jesus' name, amen.
as hard as they are,
as hard as I work,
as exhausted as they make me,
thank you for the privilege of worshiping you
and seeing you work,
in Jesus' name, amen.
General Intercession
(from the Book of Common Prayer)
Make your ways known upon earth, Lord God,
your saving power among all peoples.
Renew your church in holiness
and help us to serve you with joy.
Guide the leaders of this and every nation,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.
Let not the needy be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Make us instruments of your peace
and let your glory be over all the earth, in Jesus' name, amen.
Make your ways known upon earth, Lord God,
your saving power among all peoples.
Renew your church in holiness
and help us to serve you with joy.
Guide the leaders of this and every nation,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.
Let not the needy be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Make us instruments of your peace
and let your glory be over all the earth, in Jesus' name, amen.
If On My Soul
If on my soul a trace of sin remaineth,
If on my hands a stain may yet be seen,
If one dark spot a weary soul retaineth,
O wash me, Lord, that every part be clean;
For I would live that men may see thyself in me,
I would in faith ascend thy holy hill
And, with my thoughts in tune with thy divinity,
Would learn how best to do thy holy will.
If on my hands a stain may yet be seen,
If one dark spot a weary soul retaineth,
O wash me, Lord, that every part be clean;
For I would live that men may see thyself in me,
I would in faith ascend thy holy hill
And, with my thoughts in tune with thy divinity,
Would learn how best to do thy holy will.
My Psalm 29
Bob Hostetler
Lord, I praise you,
from what little strength I have,
for your glory and strength.
I give you glory, Lord, which is your due,
because of your great name.
I worship you for the beauty of your holiness.
You speak, Lord, in the rains:
your glory thunders in the skies
and pours out in torrents.
Your voice is powerful;
your voice is majestic.
Your voice splinters the mightiest trees;
a word from your mouth reduces them to kindling.
Your rumblings make the landscape dance;
your power rattles the mountains.
Your voice flames across the sky in the lightning.
Your voice shakes the forests,
and makes the deserts tremble.
Your voice uproots mighty oaks,
and denudes the forests,
and in your presence every knee bows
and every tongue cries out your glory.
You rule over the natural forces of this earth.
You reign as king over drought and flood,
tornado and hurricane,
volcanos and tides,
fire and ice.
Mighty Lord, Adonai, please give some of that strength to your people
and bless your people with peace, like the calm that follows the storm.
Lord, I praise you,
from what little strength I have,
for your glory and strength.
I give you glory, Lord, which is your due,
because of your great name.
I worship you for the beauty of your holiness.
You speak, Lord, in the rains:
your glory thunders in the skies
and pours out in torrents.
Your voice is powerful;
your voice is majestic.
Your voice splinters the mightiest trees;
a word from your mouth reduces them to kindling.
Your rumblings make the landscape dance;
your power rattles the mountains.
Your voice flames across the sky in the lightning.
Your voice shakes the forests,
and makes the deserts tremble.
Your voice uproots mighty oaks,
and denudes the forests,
and in your presence every knee bows
and every tongue cries out your glory.
You rule over the natural forces of this earth.
You reign as king over drought and flood,
tornado and hurricane,
volcanos and tides,
fire and ice.
Mighty Lord, Adonai, please give some of that strength to your people
and bless your people with peace, like the calm that follows the storm.
Dangerous God
Bob Hostetler
You are dangerous, God.
You scare me.
Not you, exactly,
but the things you call me to,
the places you take me to,
the bold, crazy leaps of faith
you expect of me.
I believe; help my unbelief.
You've shown me over and over again
that I can walk on water
if my eyes are on you.
You've proven that with my God
I can leap over a wall,
I can advance against an army,
I can do all things through the One who gives me strength.
So, dangerous God,
I will.
Help me,
in Jesus' name, amen.
You are dangerous, God.
You scare me.
Not you, exactly,
but the things you call me to,
the places you take me to,
the bold, crazy leaps of faith
you expect of me.
I believe; help my unbelief.
You've shown me over and over again
that I can walk on water
if my eyes are on you.
You've proven that with my God
I can leap over a wall,
I can advance against an army,
I can do all things through the One who gives me strength.
So, dangerous God,
I will.
Help me,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Creation Praise
A prayer from the journals of Thomas Merton (May 20, 1961)
Today, Father, the blue sky praises you.
The delicate green and orange flowers of the tulip poplar praise you.
The distant blue hills praise you,
with the sweet-smelling air that is full of brilliant light.
The bickering flycatchers praise you,
with the lowing bulls and the quails that whistle over there,
and I, too, Father, praise you with these creatures my brothers.
You have made us all together and you have placed me here this morning in the midst of them.
And here I am.
Today, Father, the blue sky praises you.
The delicate green and orange flowers of the tulip poplar praise you.
The distant blue hills praise you,
with the sweet-smelling air that is full of brilliant light.
The bickering flycatchers praise you,
with the lowing bulls and the quails that whistle over there,
and I, too, Father, praise you with these creatures my brothers.
You have made us all together and you have placed me here this morning in the midst of them.
And here I am.
John's Prayer
Bob Hostetler
Abba, I pray with my colaborer, John:
I love you, O Lord, my strength. Impart your strength to the leaders of your church called Cobblestone. We want to hear from you, and to be thrilled by the confirmation and continuity we'll hear when we next meet.
But Satan wants us to go in a fog, and to come together on May 22nd dazed and confused, and leave defeated. Crush the bones of our enemy, O Lord; grind them to dust and blow them away. Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle!
Fight for us, El Shaddai... bring glory to your name...bring victory to your people. Sustain us in our fasting, Father; protect us as we pray. Grant us wisdom, patience, and discernment, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So be it.
Abba, I pray with my colaborer, John:
I love you, O Lord, my strength. Impart your strength to the leaders of your church called Cobblestone. We want to hear from you, and to be thrilled by the confirmation and continuity we'll hear when we next meet.
But Satan wants us to go in a fog, and to come together on May 22nd dazed and confused, and leave defeated. Crush the bones of our enemy, O Lord; grind them to dust and blow them away. Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle!
Fight for us, El Shaddai... bring glory to your name...bring victory to your people. Sustain us in our fasting, Father; protect us as we pray. Grant us wisdom, patience, and discernment, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So be it.
Infinitude
Bob Hostetler
God in Christ, I see your infinitude displayed:
infinite love,
infinite mercy,
infinite sacrifice,
infinite grace,
infinite righteousness,
infinite beauty,
infinite purity,
infinite blessedness,
infinite worthiness,
infinite submission,
infinite compassion,
infinite honor,
infinite integrity,
infinite justice,
infinite praise,
infinite wealth,
infinite wisdom,
infinite glory,
infinite majesty,
infinite faithfulness,
infinite abandonment,
infinite condescension,
infinite power,
infinite strength,
infinite Godhead,
infinite manhood,
God in Christ, I praise your infinitude, amen.
God in Christ, I see your infinitude displayed:
infinite love,
infinite mercy,
infinite sacrifice,
infinite grace,
infinite righteousness,
infinite beauty,
infinite purity,
infinite blessedness,
infinite worthiness,
infinite submission,
infinite compassion,
infinite honor,
infinite integrity,
infinite justice,
infinite praise,
infinite wealth,
infinite wisdom,
infinite glory,
infinite majesty,
infinite faithfulness,
infinite abandonment,
infinite condescension,
infinite power,
infinite strength,
infinite Godhead,
infinite manhood,
God in Christ, I praise your infinitude, amen.
Quicken
(a prayer by Caryll Houselander, slightly revised)
Lord, I am the mediocre,
I am the half-giver,
I am the half-lover,
I am the savorless salt.
Lord Jesus Christ,
restore me now,
to the primal splendor
of first love,
to the austere light
of the breaking day;
Let me hunger and thirst,
let me burn in the flame.
Break the hard crust
of complacency.
Quicken in me
the sharp grace of desire,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Lord, I am the mediocre,
I am the half-giver,
I am the half-lover,
I am the savorless salt.
Lord Jesus Christ,
restore me now,
to the primal splendor
of first love,
to the austere light
of the breaking day;
Let me hunger and thirst,
let me burn in the flame.
Break the hard crust
of complacency.
Quicken in me
the sharp grace of desire,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Cyprian's Prayer
(a prayer of Cyprian of Carthage, revised)
Lord, I pray for those in danger of falling away,
that they may recover their footing.
I pray for those standing firm,
that they may not be tempted to their downfall.
I pray for those who have fallen,
that they may admit the gravity of their sin
and realize that it calls for a serious remedy,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Lord, I pray for those in danger of falling away,
that they may recover their footing.
I pray for those standing firm,
that they may not be tempted to their downfall.
I pray for those who have fallen,
that they may admit the gravity of their sin
and realize that it calls for a serious remedy,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Repentance
Bob Hostetler
Abba, how I thank you for your rebukes and warnings.
I repent,
and bow before you in submission
and great gratitude that you have chosen
mercy over judgment,
and kindness instead of humiliation for me.
Now, please, set my feet on higher ground,
and grant that I may serve you in newness of life,
now and forevermore, in Jesus' name, amen.
Abba, how I thank you for your rebukes and warnings.
I repent,
and bow before you in submission
and great gratitude that you have chosen
mercy over judgment,
and kindness instead of humiliation for me.
Now, please, set my feet on higher ground,
and grant that I may serve you in newness of life,
now and forevermore, in Jesus' name, amen.
Novelist's Prayer
Bob Hostetler
Lord, as I work on this book,
let your creativity flow through me,
along with your wisdom,
your insight,
your interest in people,
and your ability to love even those with desperate flaws.
Please give me focus beyond my abilities,
and productivity beyond my capacity.
You who can juggle galaxies and worlds,
and oversee the activity of angels and humans,
please help me to keep all the balls in the air:
setting,
character,
plot,
subplot,
flow,
pace,
etc.
Make me more like you than I can hope,
you who started my story,
and wove it into the great story
of you and your plans for this world,
this cosmos,
and every soul in it,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Lord, as I work on this book,
let your creativity flow through me,
along with your wisdom,
your insight,
your interest in people,
and your ability to love even those with desperate flaws.
Please give me focus beyond my abilities,
and productivity beyond my capacity.
You who can juggle galaxies and worlds,
and oversee the activity of angels and humans,
please help me to keep all the balls in the air:
setting,
character,
plot,
subplot,
flow,
pace,
etc.
Make me more like you than I can hope,
you who started my story,
and wove it into the great story
of you and your plans for this world,
this cosmos,
and every soul in it,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Non-traveler's Prayer
Bob Hostetler
Lord God, I thank you that I am home.
Thank you that I have no flight to catch today,
that I have no distance to drive,
that I will sleep in my own bed tonight,
that I will be here to kiss my wife goodnight.
Thank you that I have no worries about traffic jams,
detours,
delays,
connections,
and luggage.
Thank you that I will not spend $2 for bottled water,
$5 for a "value meal" (!),
and $10 to park my car.
Thank you for days like these,
when I am a non-traveler.
Lord God, I thank you that I am home.
Thank you that I have no flight to catch today,
that I have no distance to drive,
that I will sleep in my own bed tonight,
that I will be here to kiss my wife goodnight.
Thank you that I have no worries about traffic jams,
detours,
delays,
connections,
and luggage.
Thank you that I will not spend $2 for bottled water,
$5 for a "value meal" (!),
and $10 to park my car.
Thank you for days like these,
when I am a non-traveler.
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