Deadlines

Thank you, Lord, for deadlines met,
and deadlines beat.

Thank you for the honor and joy
of writing for you.

Thank you for the constant aid you gave
to enable the work to get done,
on time...
ahead of time, even.

Thank you for the sense of accomplishment,
the sense of relief,
and the joy of having more work waiting for me.

Amen.

The Trees

Oh, Lord, how we are all for invention and

advancement!

But I think

it would do us good if we would think about

these brothers and sisters, quietly and deeply.

The trees, the trees, just holding on

to the old, holy ways.

(excerpted from Mary Oliver's poem, "The Trees," found in her book Evidence)

Prayer for Storm Victims

Abba, Father,
look on your children in Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Georgia,
and everywhere else affected
by the recent storms and tornadoes
that have wreaked such devastation,
injury,
and loss of life.

Have mercy, Lord.
Help.
Heal.
Comfort.
Revive.
Restore hope.

Save from fear,
from separation,
from hopelessness,
from the sheer weight of loss and grief.

Bring beauty from ashes
and blessing from ruin,
in Jesus' name, amen.

A Prayer by Mary Oliver

Let me keep my distance, always, from those
who think they have the answers.

Let me keep company always with those who say
"Look!" and laugh in astonishment,
and bow their heads.

(excerpted from Mary Oliver's poem, "Mysteries, Yes," found in her book Evidence)

Like Warm Beeswax

God, make me strong in your holy love,
and make my soul soft and supple as a glove,
or like a ball of warm beeswax in your hands,
to be molded as you please.
Amen.

(a prayer of Jane de Chantal, slightly revised, found on the Daily Prayer blog)

A Prayer for My Dad on His Ninety-First Birthday

Loving Lord God,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God;
from one year to the next, you are there.

You were there
ninety-one years ago
in Hutchinson, Kansas,
when a boy was born
to David and Bessie Hostetler,
and named Charles Vernon.

Today, he turns ninety-one.
Wow, Lord. Just wow.

Thank you for his long life,
and continued health,
and the three sons he raised
with his wife, my mother.
Thank you for the heritage of faith
he received
and passed on.
Thank you for healing his hip,
for his successful move to Ohio,
and for the good care he receives at Westover Retirement Community.
Thank you that he still knows me (most of the time)
and his other sons (most of the time).
Thank you that he still enjoys his life and his days.

On this day
and every day hence,
please bless him mightily
and grant him yet more health,
love,
puzzles,
biscuits and gravy,
lame jokes,
security,
happiness,
and peace,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Jonah Prayer

Lord God Adonai,
incline my heart
to run to your will
and not from it...
when it pleases me,
and when it doesn't...
when I am at peace,
and when I am in turmoil...
when you call me to ease
and when you call me to sorrow,
for in your will
is your wisdom,
and in obedience
is my peace. Amen.

A Prayer for the Last Day of Passover

G-d of the past,
Source of the present,
Creator of the future,
Divine light
of compassion and hope,
My time is fleeting.
My days are numbered.
The course of my life unknown.
Where I am and where I’ll be
a mystery.

Heavenly hand of justice and mercy,
Keeper of secret truths,
You who give purpose and meaning to all things,
Grant me the grace and vision to live my life as a ceremony,
As a river of sacred moments that command my care,
That I honor with love and respect.
Give me the wisdom to see the spark,
The splendor and the spirit around me
And to choose the path of enthusiasm, energy, gentleness and peace.

You who know all things,
Guide me with Your wisdom,
Teach me Your laws,
Show me Your ways,
So that I live a life of joy and holiness,
Treating everyone and everything with dignity and honor,
In service to Your creation.

Blessed are You, G-d of all,
Source of life and love, abundance and peace.

© 2010 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

26 Thanks

Abba, Father, I praise you and bless you
and thank you today for...

Another day to serve you,
Brains to think,
Cake to celebrate my dad's birthday tonight,
Dad, who turns 91 tomorrow,
Easter, so wonderfully observed and recently passed,
Family that gladden my heart,
Grandchildren, three little apples of my eye,
Hands to work and fingers to type,
Ink in the printer,
Jesus, my Savior and Risen Lord,
Knees that still (mostly) bend,
Legs that walk,
Meatloaf,
Noodles,
Oranges and
Potatoes,
Quiet times in my prayer chair,
Robin, the love of my life,
Sweet tea,
Tiny footsteps on the floor in the morning, your
Unconditional love and unfailing kindndess,
Vowels and consonants, the writer's building blocks,
Words and sentences, and language itself,
paragraphs and plots instead of some cheesy word that starts with X, and your consuming
Zeal for your house, for my heart and life,
amen.

A Prayer on Easter Sunday

Glory and praise to You, Risen Savior, for You bring light to our darkness, joy to our sorrow, and the fullness of love to our reluctant hearts. Once and for all You have conquered sin and evil. In the glory of Your Resurrection we have been set free from all that keeps us from following You.

On this Easter Day, fill our hearts with Your Light and Grace that we might joyfully echo the words of Your Holy Angels: He is not here in the tomb: He is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

(from the Daily Prayer blog)

A Prayer on Holy Saturday

Jesus, I await you.
Be risen anew in my heart
as the light of Easter
dawns tomorrow,
amen.

A Prayer for Good Friday

Am I a stone, and not a sheep,
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy blood's slow loss,
And yet not weep?

Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;
Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;

Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon--
I, only I.

Yet give not o'er,
But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look once more
And smite a rock.

(by Christina Rosetti)

A Prayer on Maundy Thursday

Lord,
wash,
not my feet only,
but also my hands
and my head (John 13:9).
And my heart.
And my mind.
And my life.
Amen.

A Prayer for Holy Wednesday

Lord Jesus, gracious Savior, I come to you in this sacred week to ponder your great and wondrous love; love that led you to the cross that my sin might be blotted out and that I might be reconciled to my heavenly Father. O Christ, give me strength and grace to crucify my sinful desires and dedicate myself anew to you, who has loved me with an everlasting love and brought to me eternal salvation.

I confess to You my sins. They are many, and You know them all. For each and every one of them you suffered the agony of the cross and shed your precious blood that I may be cleansed and made acceptable in your sight. Thank you for the forgiveness and cleansing that is mine. Thank you that none of the sins of yesterday cling to me. Humbly I come, grateful for your mercy. Daily let me fulfill the tasks and duties to which You have called me with joy, confessing you as my Lord and Savior, and being of service to my neighbor.

Grant that your suffering and death, proclaimed for the salvation of mankind, may by the power of the Holy Spirit awaken in many a deeper love to You. O Lord, have mercy upon me and all sinful mankind, and create in me and all that seek you a clean heart, holy desires, and an undying love. Hear my prayer, gracious Redeemer. Amen.

(borrowed and revised from http://scotkinnaman.com)

Prayer on the First Night of Passover

Long ago,
at this season,
on such a night as this,
your people, Lord,
set out on a journey.
All but crushed
by their enslavement,
they yet recalled
the far-off memory
of a happier past
and heard the voice
of their God,
bidding them
to summon the courage to be free.

Boldly, they went forth from Egypt,
crossed the Sea,
and headed through the desert for the Promised Land.

What they experienced, they remembered, and told their children, and they to theirs.

From generation to generation,
the story was retold,
and we are here to tell it yet again.

We too give thanks for Israel's liberation
and in doing so we too remember what it means to be a slave.

And so we pray for all who are still fettered,
still denied their human rights.
Let all God's children sit at your table,
drink the wine of deliverance,
and eat the bread of freedom:

Freedom from bondage
And freedom from oppression,

Freedom from hunger
And freedom from want,

Freedom from hatred
And freedom from fear,

Freedom to think
And freedom to speak,

Freedom to learn
And freedom to love,

Freedom to hope
And freedom to rejoice;

Soon in our days,

Amen.

Revelation Prayer

Lord Jesus, I praise you because you are mighty.
You are Faithful and True.
You judge fairly.
Your eyes are like blazing fire,
and on your head are many crowns.
You wear a robe dipped in blood,
and your name is the Word of God.
You lead the armies of heaven.
From your mouth issues a sharp sword,
with which to humble the nations,
which you rule with an iron rod.
You tread the winepress of the fierce wrath of almighty God.
You bear the title: King of kings and Lord of lords,
and I praise you,
my King and my Lord, amen.

(based on Revelation 19:11-16).

Prayer for Holy Monday

God of love,
My prayer is simple:
Your son, Jesus, suffered and died for me.

I know only
that I cannot have real strength
unless I rely on you.

I cannot feel protected
from my many weaknesses
until I turn to you
for forgiveness and your unalterable love.

Help me to share this
strength, protection and love with others.

(from One Prayer a Day for Lent)

Palm Sunday Prayer

On this day of great rejoicing,
Lord Jesus Christ,
when we welcome You
as our King and Savior,
we also walk in the shadow
of Your cross.
Hosanna! we cry.
Blessed are You
who come in God’s name to save us.
Hosanna!
Strengthen our faith
on this Palm Sunday
so that when the time comes
to carry the cross
we might still call out to You
with heartfelt praise.
Give us the grace and the courage
to follow You this Holy Week
from death to resurrection,
from darkness to the fullness of light.
We need You, Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Hosanna!
Amen.

My Regular Prayer on Sermon Writing Day

I am your servant
And I am listening;
Speak to me Lord, speak to me.
I need your wisdom
And truth and comfort;
Speak to me Lord, speak to me.



Speak to me,
Speak to me,
Through your word,
Through your Spirit,
Speak your words of life.
Speak to me,
Speak to me,
I am listening,
I am waiting,
Speak to me.

I am your servant
And I am listening;
Speak to me Lord, speak to me.
My heart is silent,
My soul is longing,
Speak to me Lord, speak to me.

(a prayer of Tommy Walker)

Tax Day Prayer

Lord Jesus, I've been there,
or very near,
where you sent Peter
to cast his line
and catch a fish
in whose mouth
was a coin that paid
your taxes,
and his.

I'm no fisherman, Lord,
but I would not be averse
to a similarly miraculous provision from you
that would meet my need
and satisfy the IRS.
Amen.