Closer

Come, King of Grace

Come, King of Grace, and fill me with your grace in this life, just as you will fill me in heaven with your eternal glory. Reign over me in the gracious kingdom of your Holy Spirit; yes, prepare your kingdom in me, which is justice, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Enlighten my heart, rule my life, and sanctify my thoughts so that they all may be reverent and pleasing to you. Surround me with your grace, that I may never be removed from it.

Come to me, Holy Trinity! Make me your dwelling and your temple. Spark in me the light of your knowledge, faith, hope, humility, patience, prayer, perseverance, and reverence. Amen.

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

Can It Be

Saturday Psalm #61

Hear my cry, O Lord my God;
listen to my prayer.
I call to you
from this dark little corner;
I call out from a weak and wounded heart:
lead me to the rock that is higher than I,
my towering rock of safety,
my sheltering overhang,
a commanding overlook,
a new and inspiring peak.

For you have always been my refuge,
my sanctuary from the storm
and shelter against the foe.
I want nothing more
than to dwell in your tent forever
and nestle safely in the shadow of your wings.
For you have heard my vows, O God;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
Give me more days of life as long as I can serve you,
extend my years until my mission is accomplished.
Then take me.
Take me into your presence just as soon as you please
where your love and faithfulness will triumph,
where I will sing unfiltered ecstatic praise to your name
and find absolute fulfillment at last.

The Chaste Path We Follow

Holy Father, may we shine as a light in the world so that when others see the chaste path we follow in Christ, they may be won over and edified through our example, even without instruction. May this serve to praise and honor your holy name, and to bring comfort and salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord, almighty God and heavenly Father! For the love and faithfulness that you demonstrate to us at all hours of every day, we faithfully praise and thank you. May you be praised forever and ever, O Lord, now and always. Amen.

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

Set Our Feet

Holy Father, always be our path and guide,
our protection and shield,
our consolation and strength.

Set our feet, minds, and hearts onto your path of divine peace. Make your holy and divine Word, which you allow us to hear, vibrant and active in our hearts so we might please and serve you until the end of our lives. Amen.

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

Translate

He whom I bow to only knows to whom I bow
When I attempt the ineffable Name, murmuring Thou,
And dream of Pheidian fancies and embrace in heart
Symbols (I know) which cannot be the thing thou art.
Thus always, taken at their word, all prayers blaspheme
Worshiping with frail images a folk-lore dream,
And all men in their praying, self-deceived, address
The coinage of their own unquiet thoughts, unless
Thou in magnetic mercy to thyself divert
Our arrows aimed unskillfully, beyond desert;
And all men are idolaters, crying unheard
To a deaf idol, if thou take them at their word.

Take not, O Lord, our literal sense. Lord, in thy great,
Unbroken speech our limping metaphor translate.

(a prayer by C.S. Lewis; photo by zsbenko via everystockphoto.com)

Fountain of All Wisdom

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom,
you know my necessities before I ask
and my ignorance in asking:
Have compassion on my weakness,
and mercifully give me those things which
for my unworthiness I dare not,
and for my blindness I cannot ask;
through the worthiness of your Son,
Jesus Christ my Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen. 

(photo via pixabay.com)

Guard

After All You've Done

Saturday Psalm #60

You have humbled me, O God,
and you have broken me;
you have let me suffer,
now please restore me!
I’ve felt the ground quake beneath me
and open up as if to swallow me;
now please close its fissures and end its shaking.
You have shown your people desperate times,
confusing times like a drunken jag.
But sober us, Lord;
raise a banner
of victory to be displayed for your glory.
Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.

You have spoken from your sanctuary:
you have granted a good land to your people,
and a gracious plenty.
You have marshaled a wonderful company,
and brought us together for your purposes.
Now bring us into your land,
lead us to possess the promise.
Refine us completely as you wish,
give us aid against the enemy,
for the help of man is worthless.
With you and you alone we will gain the victory,
and you will trample down our enemies.

Debt

And deliver us from debt, that we may owe no one anything but love, in Jesus' name, amen.

(photo via pixabay.com)

For a Sense of Your Timing

Oh God, grant us a sense of your timing.
In this season of short days and long nights,
of grey and white and cold,
teach us the lessons of beginnings;
that such waitings and endings may be the starting place,
a planting of seeds which bring to birth
what is ready to be born--
something right and just and different,
a new song,
a deeper relationship,
a fuller love--in the fullness of your time.

O God, grant us the sense of your timing.

(by Ted Loder, from his book Guerrillas of Grace. Used with permission)

Known

Into the Light

God, thank you

for calling me out of darkness

and into the light.

Again.

Today.

(based on 1 Peter 2:9; photo via pixabay.com)

How Great

O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep (Psalm 92:5, KJV).

Psalm 91

On Robin's Birthday

Abba, you have granted me the loveliest bride,
the perfect woman for me,
and I am grateful.
Thank you for hearing my heart's cry 44 years ago
and thank you for giving her in marriage to me 41 years ago.
And thank you for every day with her since then,
days that could not have been
so wonderful,
so beautiful,
so warm and loving,
without her,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Empty Cup

I come to this day, Lord,
and lift my empty cup
to the overflowing fountain
of your strength
and sufficiency.

You are more than enough
for all I need this day.

Lend