One Prayer a Day

A Memorial Day Prayer

In the quiet sanctuaries of our own hearts,
let each of us name and call on
the One whose power over us
is great and gentle,
firm and forgiving,
holy and healing…

You who created us,
who sustain us,
who call us to live in peace,
hear our prayer this day.

Hear our prayer for all who have died,
whose hearts and hopes are known to you alone…

Hear our prayer for those who put the welfare of others
ahead of their own
and give us hearts as generous as theirs…

Hear our prayer for those who gave their lives
in the service of others,
and accept the gift of their sacrifice…

Help us to shape and make a world
where we will lay down the arms of war
and turn our swords into ploughshares
for a harvest of justice and peace…

Comfort those who grieve the loss of their loved ones
and let your healing be the hope in our hearts...

Hear our prayer this day
and in your mercy answer us
in the name of all that is holy.

Amen.

(from the Concord Pastor blog)

Blessed Trinity

Disturb Us

Disturb us, Lord,

when we are too well pleased with ourselves,

when our dreams have come true

because we have dreamed too little,

when we arrived safely

because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord,

when with the abundance of things we possess

we have lost our thirst for the waters of life;

having fallen in love with life,

we have ceased to dream of eternity,

and in our efforts to build a new earth,

we have allowed our vision

of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord,

to dare more boldly,

to venture on wider seas

where storms will show your mastery;

where losing sight of land,

we shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back

the horizons of our hopes;

and to push into the future

in strength, courage, hope, and love.

(attributed to Sir Francis Drake; John Glover painting of Isle of Wight via pixabay.com)

Water and Fire

I praise you today, Lord,

that you walk with me through the waters,

and dance with me in the fire.

I praise you for your presence,

for your faithfulness.

I thank you for this day that you have made,

and all the blessings that fill it,

in Jesus' name, amen.

Within Me

From a Church Door

O God, make the door

wide enough to receive all who need human love and fellowship;

narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride, and strife.

Amen.

(a prayer from St. Stephen's Walbrook in London)

Still So Thankful

So Thankful

We Need Another Pentecost

Be Near

We bring before You,

O God:

the cries of the weary,

the pains of the distressed,

the tears of the tragedies of life,

the anxious hours of the insecure,

the restlessness of the refugees,

the hunger of the oppressed.

Dear God,

be near to each.

Helper of the helpless,

Hope of the homeless,

The Strength of those tossed with tempests,

The Haven of those who sail:

Be all to all.

Be within us, to strengthen us;

without us, to keep us;

above us, to inspire us;

beneath us, to uphold us;

before us, to direct us;

behind us , to propel us;

around us, to sustain us.

Be all to all in present need.

(a prayer of Lancelot Andrewes; photo by jaefrench via pixabay.com)

Creator Praise

Praise to you, Most Holy, Most High; praise and glory to your name.

I praise you for bestowing life on your Creation; for granting reason to humankind, for making us a little lower than you, higher than the animals, for bestowing on us your likeness.

Thank you and praise to you for creating us as volitional creatures, though by that volition we fell.

Thank you for creating us as sensate beings, though in our sinfulness we serve our senses and sensation more than you.

I praise you for making us rational creatures, though our thoughts and imaginings are clouded by sin.

I praise you that you made us feeling, emotional beings, though we do not love you as we ought.

In all your works you are good and great, most excellent and most worthy of praise, which I offer you imperfectly, incompletely, but sincerely, in Jesus' name, amen.

(photo illustration by Glavo via pixabay.com)

Utmost Height

My heart has no desire to stay

Where doubts arise and fears dismay;

Though some may dwell where those abound,

My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,

Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;

For faith has caught the joyful sound,

The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height

And catch a gleam of glory bright;

But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,

By faith, on Heaven’s tableland,

A higher plane than I have found;

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Amen.

(From the hymn by Johnson Oatman, Jr; photo by Free-Photos via pixabay.com)

My Choice

I choose today, Lord,

to believe in you

and in your good plans for me.

I choose to walk in faith,

not to hurry or panic,

not to fear, not to stress,

but to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord (Exodus 14:13).

(photo via pixabay.com)

Restore

For Our Current and Future Financial Needs

Lord, help us to trust you completely with our current and future financial needs. We have tried to be good and responsible stewards of everything you have given us, and you have blessed our lives in so many ways. Help us not cling to money or material possessions but to hold our hands wide open to you as we acknowledge you as the giver of everything. We love you, and we trust you. Give us the continued grace to honor you by giving you our moments of fear.

(a prayer of Michele Howe, from her book, Strength for All Seasons: A Prayer Devotional; photo illustration by icame via pixabay.com)