Isaiah 12 Prayer

God, you are my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.

You, Lord God Adonai, are my strength and my song;
you have become my salvation.

With joy I draw water
from the wells of salvation,
for you, God, are my salvation.

I drink from your fulness,
your freshness,
your sweetness,
your beauty,
your ever-replenishing depths.
Amen.

Ordinary Days

Thank you, God,
for ordinary days,
of simple moments
and familiar sights
and welcome routine,
which are rare enough
to make me remember
to be grateful.
Amen.

Question Is

Like a Gentle Rain

Almighty God,
my King,
let me feel
the warmth of your smile
on all I do today;
let your favor refresh my heart
like a gentle rain.
Amen.

Bifocals of Faith

Father, give me the bifocals of faith that see the despair and the need of the hour but also see, further on, the patience of my God working out his plan in the world he has made, in Jesus' name, amen.

(a prayer of Peter Marshall, slightly revised)

Hope

My prayer today for my kids and my grandkids, from the "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids" app for iPhone and iPad.

For a Keynote

Please let my keynote address this evening be
what you want
and what others need.
Amen.

For An Easy Smile

Abba, please give me an easy smile.
Make me quick to laugh,
ready to dance,
always willing to have fun.

You have made my joy full,
I just don't often enough give vent to it.

So teach me to skip again, Lord,
like a child in Summer,
in Jesus' name, amen.

For Spices

Blessed are you, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of all the spices.

(Havdalah prayer)

A Father's Day Prayer

Father, thank you for _____________.
Please continue and complete your work in him,
granting that he may walk with you like Enoch,
believe you like Abraham,
obey you like Isaac,
wrestle with you like Jacob,
know your hand on his life like Joseph,
speak face-to-face with you like Moses,
win victories for you like Gideon,
speak boldly for you like Elijah,
worship you like David,
see you high and lifted up like Isaiah,
and carry Jesus’ cross like Simon of Cyrene.

(one of "7 Great Prayers for Father's Day" on my "A Thousand Ways to Pray" blog)

For Lavish Summer

Thank you, God, that 

"There is no price set on the lavish summer, 

And June may be had by the poorest comer." 

(from "The Vision of Sir Launfal" by James Russell Lowell)

Charleston

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

On our brothers and sisters at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church,
Lord, have mercy.

On the grieving family, friends, and parishioners of Rev. Clementa Pinckney,
Lord, have mercy.

On those who mourn the loss of Depayne Middleton Doctor,
Lord, have mercy.

On the family, friends, and neighbors of Ethel Lance,
Lord, have mercy.

On those who love and will miss Susie Jackson,
Lord, have mercy.

On the loved ones of Cynthia Hurd,
Lord, have mercy.

On those who hurt most at the loss of Tywanza Sanders,
Lord, have mercy.

On the family, friends, parishioners, and student athletes who mourn for Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton,
Lord, have mercy.

On those who weep for Myra Thompson,
Lord, have mercy.

On the family, friends, and church members and staff who grieve the loss of Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr.,
Lord, have mercy.

On all who weep with the victims and their loved ones,
on the Charleston community,
on your own Body,
on those who feel fear and rage and bitterness and hopelessness in the wake of this crime,
Lord, have mercy.

Please grant your comfort and strength;
please send your grace and peace;
please be their strong tower, their mighty fortress, their refuge and strength.

Have mercy, Lord, have mercy.
Show your kindness.
In the darkness, shine your light.
In the horror, give hope.
In the sorrow, send healing,
in Jesus' name, amen.

For Money Spent

Abba, thank you for all the money over the years I haven’t spent
on alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, and various other vices.

And thank you for every cent I have spent on date nights, family vacations, and books. Amen.

Prayer From Ugliness

Dear Lord, we live in an ugly world, we live with polluted TV programing, we live with many corrupt people in high places. Everywhere we turn we are subject to hearing and seeing things we do not want, yet we cannot hide under a rock and pretend it doesn't exist. I believe the answer, dear Lord, is in your Holy Word as Paul tells us how to deal with this godless world system we live in.

Father, every day let my thoughts be on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. When I see or hear something that is not, give me the strength to turn away, or brave enough to stand up and say a word of truth.

Lord, hasten the day that you will return and make everything right. But until then may we be faithful to live each day acting out these attitudes of love, and give us opportunity to share your Gospel with those who will listen. I love You. Amen.

(from the Daily Prayer blog; image from googleimages.com).

Whate'er the Future Holds

Whate'er the future holds, 

I'm in your hands.  

The days I cannot see,  

Have all been planned for me... 

I'm in your hands. 

(revised from the song by Stanley Ditmer)

Today's Prayer for My Kids and Grandkids

My prayer today for my kids and my grandkids, from the "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids" app for iPhone and iPad.

On the Anniversary of My Ordination

Most loving Jesus, today is the thirty-fifth anniversary of the day on which, despite my unworthiness and through your goodness, you graciously ordained me to the ministry.

You have taken me through many twists and turns since that day, and yet your hand is still on me and your presence still with me, granting the privilege of ministering to others the message of reconciliation, the voice of your sublime wisdom, and the divine mysteries. My soul is filled with joy, love, and gratitude for this wholly undeserved privilege I have received. At the same time, I am sad and troubled for having so often, and without reason, failed to respond as I should to your great generosity.

I beg the continual assistance of your infinite goodness which will enable me to accomplish the sublime work for which you have commissioned me. Grant your light in my mind and your strength in my heart that I may daily dispense in greater abundance the fruits of your redemption to all people. Amen.

A Choral Cry for Help

A choral prayer of Henry Purcell, based on Psalm 102:1 ("Hear my prayer, O LORD; and let my cry for help come to you"), by the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge.

For Pepper

This, that once launched ships,
established fortunes,
and enriched kingdoms,
is so common to my table
that I have neglected until now
to give thanks for it.

Thank you for pepper.

Amen.

Jar My Complacency

O God,
make me discontented
with things the way they are in the world,
and in my own life.
Make me notice
the stains when people get spilled on.
Make me care
about children and adults in poverty,
the misfit at work,
the people crammed into the mental hospital,
the men, women, and youth behind bars.
Jar my complacency,
expose my excuses,
get me involved in the life of my city and world.
Give me integrity once more, O God,
as we seek to be changed and transformed,
with a new understanding and awareness of our common humanity.

(a prayer of Robert Raines, adapted; by way of Leonard Sweet's Facebook page; photo via everystockphoto.com)