Instead of the Man It's Easy to Be

Father, wean me from sin, my pet sins, my most grievous sins. I know that in me dwells no good thing, but I also know that you are able to keep me from falling. I know that when I sin, not only that moment is defiled, but my hunger for sin and its empty promises is fed, and my strength to resist and please you more is doubly diminished like an athlete who not only skips a workout but spends the workout hour in strength-sapping activity. So, Lord, please change me, strengthen me, wean me from pride, lust, greed, self-centeredness, faithlessness, laziness, and all such things, that I may build up the muscles of my character and be the man I want to be instead of the man it's easy to be, in Jesus' name, amen.

(photo by Zach Dischner)

Sunrise Prayer

O greater Maker of this Thy great sun,
Give me the strength this one day's race to run,
Fill me with light, fill me with sun-like strength,
Fill me with joy to rob the day its length.
Light from within, light that will outward shine,
Strength to make strong some weaker heart than mine,
Joy to make glad each soul that feels its touch;
Great Father of the sun, I ask this much.

(a prayer by James Weldon Johnson)

Window

Lord, your light has shined
into my life,
by grace through faith.

Let light shine out
of my life,
by grace through faith.

In Jesus' name, amen.

So Much Madness Everywhere Prevailing

Grant, Almighty God, that since the rule of your true and lawful worship is sufficiently known to us, and you continue to exhort us to persevere in our course and abide in that pure and simple worship which you have fully approved--O, grant that we may, in true obedience of faith, respond to you. And, though we now see the whole world carried here and there, and all places full of the awful examples of apostasy, and so much madness everywhere prevailing, that men become more and more hardened daily--O, grant that, being fortified by invincible faith against these many temptations, we may persevere in true religion, and never at any time turn aside form the teaching of your Word, until we be at length gathered to Christ our King, under whom, as our head, you have promised that we shall ever be safe, and until we attain that happy life which is laid up for us in heaven, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(a prayer of John Calvin, in his Commentary on Hosea, translated into English in 1846 and updated by me into modern English)

Give Us a Steadfast, Living Faith

We give you praise and thanks, holy Father, for you have created everything: heaven and earth, the sea and everything that is upon and within it. You are forever faithful; you give justice to those suffering injustice. You have saved all who have believed and trusted in you since the dawn of time, all who fear you. We ask you to give us a steadfast, living faith, a firm trust, a holy hope and a perfect love so that we may serve you wholeheartedly, with all our life and strength until our very end. Amen.

(from the book Amish Prayers, compiled by Beverly Lewis)

Evening Prayer

If I have wounded any soul today,
If I have caused one foot to go astray,
If I have walked in my own willful way,
Dear Lord, forgive!

If I have uttered idle words or vain,
If I have turned aside from want or pain,
Lest I myself shall suffer through the strain,
Dear Lord, forgive!

If I have been perverse or hard, or cold,
If I have longed for shelter in Thy fold,
When Thou hast given me some fort to hold,
Dear Lord, forgive!

Forgive the sins I have confessed to Thee;
Forgive the secret sins I do not see;
O guide me, love me and my keeper be,
Dear Lord, Amen.

I Will Arise

Weary and weak,--accept my weariness;
Weary and weak and downcast in my soul,
With hope growing less and less,
And with the goal
Distant and dim,--accept my sore distress.
I thought to reach the goal so long ago,
At outset of the race I dreamed of rest,
Not knowing what now I know
Of breathless haste,
Of long-drawn straining effort across the waste.

One only thing I knew, Thy love of me;
One only thing I know, Thy sacred same
Love of me full and free,
A craving flame
Of selfless love of me which burns in Thee.
How can I think of thee, and yet grow chill;
Of Thee, and yet grow cold and nigh to death?
Re-energize my will,
Rebuild my faith;
I will arise and run, Thou giving me breath.

I will arise, repenting and in pain;
I will arise, and smite upon my breast
And turn to Thee again;
Thou choosest best,
Lead me along the road Thou makest plain.
Lead me a little way, and carry me
A little way, and listen to my sighs,
And store my tears with Thee,
And deign replies
To feeble prayers;--O Lord, I will arise.

(a prayer by Christina Rossetti)

Request for Success

Lord God Adonai, you have been so good to bless me and the lovely Robin with the children and grandchildren we have. My cup runneth over.

And though the two youngest face the daily challenge presented by Cystic Fibrosis, I pray that it will not be a lifelong challenge, but that our efforts and the efforts of many others, including the CF Foundation, will result in eradication of this disease very soon.

To that end, Lord, I beseech your help in my family's GREAT STRIDES efforts this year. Please guide me in my efforts to get the word out. Please bring to me five or more team members to work with and walk with. Please stir up the hearts of those I'm contacting to participate, donate, and otherwise support this effort. Please make this year's GREAT STRIDES efforts a success from YOUR perspective, and use our efforts--and every donation--to bring about a cure, in Jesus' name, amen.

(Visit my GREAT STRIDES homepage here)

Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Grant, Lord, that during this season of Lent, I may
fast from discontent and feast on gratitude;
fast from anger and feast on patience;
fast from bitterness and feast on forgiveness;
fast from self-concern and feast on compassion;
fast from discouragement and feast on hope;
fast from laziness and feast on commitment;
fast from complaining and feast on acceptance;
fast from lust and feast on respect;
fast from prejudice and feast on understanding;
fast from resentment and feast on reconciliation;
fast from lies and feast on the truth;
fast from wasted time and feast on honest work;
fast from grimness and feast on joy;
fast from suspicion and feast on trust;
fast from idle talk and feast on prayer and silence;
fast from guilt and feast on the mercy of God.

(based on lines attributed to William Arthur Ward)

Prayer for Watchfulness

Keep us, O Lord,
while we tarry on this earth,
in a serious seeking after you,
and in an affectionate walking with you,
every day of our lives;
that when you come,
we may be found not hiding our talent,
nor serving the flesh,
nor yet asleep with our lamp unfurnished,
but waiting and longing for our Lord,
our glorious God forever,
amen.

(a prayer of Richard Baxter)

Free

Thank you for my freedom
To love anyone and everyone,
To show grace
And have mercy
And give hospitality
And extend blessing
To one and all,
In Jesus' name, amen.

My Prayer Before Worship

Lord, let me worship you truly today.

Quicken my conscience with your holiness.
Purge our imagination with your beauty.
Open my heart to your love.
And help me to fully devote my will to your purpose, in Jesus' name, amen.

(Based on a stanza by Dr. William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury).

A Simple Prayer of Praise and Thanks

We give you praise and thanks, glory and honor, and eternal blessing, O holy Father in heaven, that you have had mercy on us. You have given us food and drink, clothing and shelter, sanctuary and sustenance for body and soul. All good things come from you alone, O Lord. Give them to us to use according to your holy will.

We ask you all this, O holy Father, in the name of your dear Son, Jesus Christ, along with the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit. May you be highly praised, glorified, and blessed now and forever. Amen, amen.

(from the book Amish Prayers, compiled by Beverly Lewis)

The Lowest Place

Give me the lowest place: not that I dare
Ask for that lowest place, but Thou hast died
That I might live and share
Thy glory by Thy side.

Give me the lowest place: or if for me
That lowest place too high, make one more low
Where I may sit and see
My God and love Thee so.

(a prayer by Christina Rossetti)

Zarephath Prayer 7

Lord God Adonai, you have been to me
as you were to the widow of Zarephath.

You have supplied
and sustained
and showered
your blessing on me,
my home,
my work,
my life.

Please let your faithfulness to me
through these scary times
of need
and adjustment
and faith
be remembered in the future
whenever I am tempted
to doubt your provision,
In Jesus' name, amen.

(Based on 1 Kings 17:14)

Long Barren

Thou who didst hang upon a barren tree,
My God, for me;
Though I till now be barren, now at length,
Lord, give me strength
To bring forth fruit to Thee.

Thou who didst bear for me the crown of thorn,
Spitting and scorn;
Though I till now have put forth thorns, yet now
Strengthen me Thou
That better fruit be borne.

Thou Rose of Sharon, Cedar of broad roots
Vine of sweet fruits,
Thou Lily of the vale with fadeless leaf,
Of thousands Chief,
Feed Thou My feeble shoots.

(a prayer of Christina Rossetti; photo by Yogendra174)

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,
thorn-wearing
cross-bearing 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.

My Everything

A Prayer at the End of Sunday

Father,

at the close of this day
I thank you
for truths expounded from your word
for tasks accomplished in your name
for time well spent with your children

in the hours of sleep
I trust you
for the certainty of your presence
for the safety of your protection
for the tranquillity of your peace

and at the start of a new day
I ask you
for intimacy as I walk with you
for energy as I work for you
for authority as I witness for you

in Jesus' name
amen

(a prayer of Chick Yuill)

Fairest Lord Jesus, Slightly Adapted

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair is the snowfall, fairer still the snowmelt,
That heralds all the joys of spring;
Jesus, you're fairer, Jesus, you're purer,
You make the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
You, Lord, shine brighter, you shine far purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than you, my Savior, are to me.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.