A Prayer of St. Ambrose of Milan, Slightly Revised
Once more the sun is beaming bright, Once more to you I pray,
That your eternal light may guide
And cheer my soul today.
Amen.
In This Hour of Free-Fall
In this hour of free-fall,
be your good self again,
meet us not according to our flaw
but according to your generous self-giving:
Be our Christmas,
and start the world again;
Be our Easter,
and draw us from death to new life;
Be our Pentecost,
and breathe on us to begin again;
Be your full, generous self toward us;
we will begin again in obedience,
and as we can obey,
we will begin again
in wonder, love, and joy.
(Excerpt from a prayer by Walter Brueggemann, from his book, Prayers for a Privileged People)
be your good self again,
meet us not according to our flaw
but according to your generous self-giving:
Be our Christmas,
and start the world again;
Be our Easter,
and draw us from death to new life;
Be our Pentecost,
and breathe on us to begin again;
Be your full, generous self toward us;
we will begin again in obedience,
and as we can obey,
we will begin again
in wonder, love, and joy.
(Excerpt from a prayer by Walter Brueggemann, from his book, Prayers for a Privileged People)
Richer
Abba, what a joy to be home!
Thank you, Lord, that I am richer than David,
in the children and grandchildren who love me
and bless me with their company.
Thank you that I am richer than Solomon,
in the commodious confines of this home.
Thank you that I am richer than Herod,
in my ability to see your wonderful world,
the Andes one week,
the Smokies the next,
and the seven hills of Cincinnati the next...
and all in comfort and with a timeliness
unknown to the richest men of generations past.
I not only walk with the King, I live like a king!
Thank you, Lord, that I am richer than David,
in the children and grandchildren who love me
and bless me with their company.
Thank you that I am richer than Solomon,
in the commodious confines of this home.
Thank you that I am richer than Herod,
in my ability to see your wonderful world,
the Andes one week,
the Smokies the next,
and the seven hills of Cincinnati the next...
and all in comfort and with a timeliness
unknown to the richest men of generations past.
I not only walk with the King, I live like a king!
Dios Manda La Lluvia
Dios manda la lluvia,
derrama de tu espíritu,
desciende hoy tu fuego,
sana mis heridas,
restaurame Señor.
Dios manda la lluvia,
derrama de tu espíritu,
desciende hoy tu fuego,
sana mis heridas,
restaurame Señor.
Manda la lluvia,
el rocío de tu amor,
llenando las vidas,
de tu pueblo, oh Señor.
Manda la lluvia,
el rocío de tu amor.
Visita hoy mi vida
cámbiame Señor.
derrama de tu espíritu,
desciende hoy tu fuego,
sana mis heridas,
restaurame Señor.
Dios manda la lluvia,
derrama de tu espíritu,
desciende hoy tu fuego,
sana mis heridas,
restaurame Señor.
Manda la lluvia,
el rocío de tu amor,
llenando las vidas,
de tu pueblo, oh Señor.
Manda la lluvia,
el rocío de tu amor.
Visita hoy mi vida
cámbiame Señor.
Lord of the Pueblo
Lord of the pueblo,
King of my heart,
thank you for these people.
Thank you that in Christ
there is no East or West,
north or south,
light or dark,
insider or outsider,
but we are all one in Christ Jesus.
Thank you for Don and Christie,
and for Gianni and Giannina,
and Luis and Yvonne,
and Hebert,
Natalia,
Rueben,
Jack,
Juan,
and so many others I have met,
by your grace.
Be kind to them, Lord God Adonai,
and throw any blessings
you have planned for me
their way instead,
in Jesus´name, amen.
(Posted simultaneously on Bob Hostetler´s Prayer Blog, Desperate Pastor Blog, and ¨Hither & Yon¨Blog)
King of my heart,
thank you for these people.
Thank you that in Christ
there is no East or West,
north or south,
light or dark,
insider or outsider,
but we are all one in Christ Jesus.
Thank you for Don and Christie,
and for Gianni and Giannina,
and Luis and Yvonne,
and Hebert,
Natalia,
Rueben,
Jack,
Juan,
and so many others I have met,
by your grace.
Be kind to them, Lord God Adonai,
and throw any blessings
you have planned for me
their way instead,
in Jesus´name, amen.
(Posted simultaneously on Bob Hostetler´s Prayer Blog, Desperate Pastor Blog, and ¨Hither & Yon¨Blog)
Peru Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for safe travel,
for gracious hospitality,
for beautiful scenery,
for renewed fellowship,
for the privilege of serving,
and the awareness of your presence,
in Jesus´name, amen.
for gracious hospitality,
for beautiful scenery,
for renewed fellowship,
for the privilege of serving,
and the awareness of your presence,
in Jesus´name, amen.
Never Thanks
Abba, Father, I thank you for the nevers in my life.
I've never endured major surgery.
I've never contracted AIDS or hepatitis or cancer,
or ebola or malaria or any such thing.
I've never been forced to go hungry.
I've never been physically or sexually abused.
I've never been orphaned.
I've never gone bankrupt.
I've never been homeless.
I've never experienced a wife's betrayal.
I've never experienced the trauma of divorce.
I've never been arrested or imprisoned.
I've never been unemployed.
I've never awakened with a hangover.
I've never had to fight substance abuse.
I've never lost a limb or had an organ stop functioning.
I've never doubted my children's love.
I've never been completely alone, for you, Lord, are always with me,
and always faithful.
Amen.
I've never endured major surgery.
I've never contracted AIDS or hepatitis or cancer,
or ebola or malaria or any such thing.
I've never been forced to go hungry.
I've never been physically or sexually abused.
I've never been orphaned.
I've never gone bankrupt.
I've never been homeless.
I've never experienced a wife's betrayal.
I've never experienced the trauma of divorce.
I've never been arrested or imprisoned.
I've never been unemployed.
I've never awakened with a hangover.
I've never had to fight substance abuse.
I've never lost a limb or had an organ stop functioning.
I've never doubted my children's love.
I've never been completely alone, for you, Lord, are always with me,
and always faithful.
Amen.
Listen, Lord
(a Prayer by James Weldon Johnson)
O Lord, we come this morning
Knee-bowed and body-bent
Before Thy throne of grace.
O Lord--this morning--
Bow our hearts beneath our knees,
And our knees in some lonesome valley.
We come this morning--
Like empty pitchers to a full fountain,
With no merits of our own.
O Lord--open up a window of heaven,
And lean out far over the battlements of glory,
And listen this morning.
Lord, have mercy on proud and dying sinners--
Sinners hanging over the mouth of hell,
Who seem to love their distance well.
Lord--ride by this morning--
Mount Your milk-white horse,
And ride-a this morning--
And in Your ride, ride by old hell,
Ride by the dingy gates of hell,
And stop poor sinners in their headlong plunge.
And now, O Lord, this man of God,
Who breaks the bread of life this morning--
Shadow him in the hollow of Thy hand,
And keep him out of the gunshot of the devil.
Take him, Lord--this morning--
Wash him with hyssop inside and out,
Hang him up and drain him dry of sin.
Pin his ear to the wisdom-post,
And make his words sledge hammers of truth--
Beating on the iron heart of sin.
Lord God, this morning--
Put his eye to the telescope of eternity,
And let him look upon the paper walls of time.
Lord, turpentine his imagination,
Put perpetual motion in his arms,
Fill him full of the dynamite of Thy power,
Anoint him all over with the oil of Thy salvation,
And set his tongue on fire.
And now, O Lord--
When I've done drunk my last cup of sorrow--
When I've been called everything but a child of God--
When I'm done traveling up the rough side of the mountain--
O--Mary's Baby--
When I start down the steep and slippery steps of death--
When this old world begins to rock beneath my feet--
Lower me to my dusty grave in peace
To wait for that great gittin'-up morning--Amen.
O Lord, we come this morning
Knee-bowed and body-bent
Before Thy throne of grace.
O Lord--this morning--
Bow our hearts beneath our knees,
And our knees in some lonesome valley.
We come this morning--
Like empty pitchers to a full fountain,
With no merits of our own.
O Lord--open up a window of heaven,
And lean out far over the battlements of glory,
And listen this morning.
Lord, have mercy on proud and dying sinners--
Sinners hanging over the mouth of hell,
Who seem to love their distance well.
Lord--ride by this morning--
Mount Your milk-white horse,
And ride-a this morning--
And in Your ride, ride by old hell,
Ride by the dingy gates of hell,
And stop poor sinners in their headlong plunge.
And now, O Lord, this man of God,
Who breaks the bread of life this morning--
Shadow him in the hollow of Thy hand,
And keep him out of the gunshot of the devil.
Take him, Lord--this morning--
Wash him with hyssop inside and out,
Hang him up and drain him dry of sin.
Pin his ear to the wisdom-post,
And make his words sledge hammers of truth--
Beating on the iron heart of sin.
Lord God, this morning--
Put his eye to the telescope of eternity,
And let him look upon the paper walls of time.
Lord, turpentine his imagination,
Put perpetual motion in his arms,
Fill him full of the dynamite of Thy power,
Anoint him all over with the oil of Thy salvation,
And set his tongue on fire.
And now, O Lord--
When I've done drunk my last cup of sorrow--
When I've been called everything but a child of God--
When I'm done traveling up the rough side of the mountain--
O--Mary's Baby--
When I start down the steep and slippery steps of death--
When this old world begins to rock beneath my feet--
Lower me to my dusty grave in peace
To wait for that great gittin'-up morning--Amen.
A Prayer by Johnson Oatman, Jr.
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.
Take My Life
(a prayer by Jeremy Camp)
Take my life,
take my mind;
take my soul,
take my will.
I am yours now,
and I give it all to you.
Amen.
Take my life,
take my mind;
take my soul,
take my will.
I am yours now,
and I give it all to you.
Amen.
My Psalm 88
O LORD, God of my salvation;
Morning and evening I lay my needs before you.
Listen, please, Lord.
Hear what I'm saying.
My soul is in need, as always.
My moods are too changeful.
While I feel renewed in your Spirit
and my mind and heart are hungrier than ever,
and I feel like I've come through a dark valley
into fields of green and gold,
I am still far too easily brought down
by the negativity of others
and the awareness of people's disapproval.
I am not a victim of circumstance...
but I too often act like one,
as though the pit is always a step or two ahead of me.
But, Lord, I say to you now,
while I have strength to say it,
let my companions shun me;
let people misunderstand me,
let the uninformed be ungracious toward me!
I rely upon you, O LORD;
I spread out my hands to you.
Your steadfast love is my food,
your faithfulness is my drink.
As long as you continue to reveal your wonders to me
and to your church,
I will trust you to teach me
not to care what others say or believe about me.
You know my heart.
Every morning my prayer comes before you.
Though it may feel like it at times, you never cast me away
or hide your face from me.
I am nothing without you.
I am helpless without you.
Whatever attacks you allow to come my way
I will do my best, by your grace, to withstand,
and to remember that even when former companions
believe lies or tell lies about me,
that every affliction you allow me to suffer
is an opportunity to learn and grow and conquer! Hallelujah! Amen.
Morning and evening I lay my needs before you.
Listen, please, Lord.
Hear what I'm saying.
My soul is in need, as always.
My moods are too changeful.
While I feel renewed in your Spirit
and my mind and heart are hungrier than ever,
and I feel like I've come through a dark valley
into fields of green and gold,
I am still far too easily brought down
by the negativity of others
and the awareness of people's disapproval.
I am not a victim of circumstance...
but I too often act like one,
as though the pit is always a step or two ahead of me.
But, Lord, I say to you now,
while I have strength to say it,
let my companions shun me;
let people misunderstand me,
let the uninformed be ungracious toward me!
I rely upon you, O LORD;
I spread out my hands to you.
Your steadfast love is my food,
your faithfulness is my drink.
As long as you continue to reveal your wonders to me
and to your church,
I will trust you to teach me
not to care what others say or believe about me.
You know my heart.
Every morning my prayer comes before you.
Though it may feel like it at times, you never cast me away
or hide your face from me.
I am nothing without you.
I am helpless without you.
Whatever attacks you allow to come my way
I will do my best, by your grace, to withstand,
and to remember that even when former companions
believe lies or tell lies about me,
that every affliction you allow me to suffer
is an opportunity to learn and grow and conquer! Hallelujah! Amen.
A Prayer from St. Stephen's Walbrook in London
O God, make the door (of my heart and life) wide enough to receive
all who need human love and fellowship;
narrow enough to shut out
all envy, pride, and strife.
Amen.
(Thanks to Elaine W. Miller, from whom I learned of this prayer)
Monday Thanks
Abba, thank you for answered prayer...
for yesterday's celebrations,
for my family,
for such kindness as you've shown me,
in Jesus' name, amen.
for yesterday's celebrations,
for my family,
for such kindness as you've shown me,
in Jesus' name, amen.
O Come Immanuel
O come, O come Immanuel,
come to me.
Come to us.
Come to our celebration.
Inhabit our praise.
Come.
Come and grace us with your presence,
your beauty,
your compelling power.
Let us all draw closer to you
and to each other
in our worship today,
amen.
come to me.
Come to us.
Come to our celebration.
Inhabit our praise.
Come.
Come and grace us with your presence,
your beauty,
your compelling power.
Let us all draw closer to you
and to each other
in our worship today,
amen.
Prayer for a Busy Week by Raymond Foss
Lord, we thank you for this day,
for the many gifts you have heaped on us,
for the laughter and wonder of these young hearts
who share our days and our nights;
for sun and rain and growing things,
gifts of companionship.
Watch over this family Lord,
see us through our challenges,
mark the days of our lives, this moment, this week,
with joys too great to measure,
Lives rich in your good grace,
your love, your guidance.
Unburden our hearts, relieve our pain,
still our quiet, our fears;
Bless us Lord in the busy week to come.
for the many gifts you have heaped on us,
for the laughter and wonder of these young hearts
who share our days and our nights;
for sun and rain and growing things,
gifts of companionship.
Watch over this family Lord,
see us through our challenges,
mark the days of our lives, this moment, this week,
with joys too great to measure,
Lives rich in your good grace,
your love, your guidance.
Unburden our hearts, relieve our pain,
still our quiet, our fears;
Bless us Lord in the busy week to come.
How Shall I Pray?
(a prayer by Ted Loder in his book, Guerrillas of Grace)
How shall I pray?
Are tears prayers, Lord?
Are screams prayers,
or groans
or sighs
or curses?
Can trembling hands be lifted to you,
or clenched fists
or the cold sweat that trickles down my back
or the cramps that knot my stomach?
Will you accept my prayers, Lord,
my real prayers,
rooted in the muck
and mud and rock of my life,
and not just the pretty,
cut-flower,
gracefully arranged
bouquet of words?
Will you accept me, Lord,
as I really am,
messed up mixture of glory and grime?
How shall I pray?
Are tears prayers, Lord?
Are screams prayers,
or groans
or sighs
or curses?
Can trembling hands be lifted to you,
or clenched fists
or the cold sweat that trickles down my back
or the cramps that knot my stomach?
Will you accept my prayers, Lord,
my real prayers,
rooted in the muck
and mud and rock of my life,
and not just the pretty,
cut-flower,
gracefully arranged
bouquet of words?
Will you accept me, Lord,
as I really am,
messed up mixture of glory and grime?
I Need to Breathe Deeply
(a prayer from Ted Loder's Guerrillas of Grace)
Eternal Friend,
grant me an ease
to breathe deeply of this moment,
this light,
this miracle of now.
Beneath the din and fury
of great movements
and harsh news
and urgent crises,
make me attentive still
to good news,
to small occasions,
and the grace of what is possible
for me to be,
to do,
to give,
to receive,
that I may miss neither my neighbor's gift
nor my enemy's need.
Eternal Friend,
grant me an ease
to breathe deeply of this moment,
this light,
this miracle of now.
Beneath the din and fury
of great movements
and harsh news
and urgent crises,
make me attentive still
to good news,
to small occasions,
and the grace of what is possible
for me to be,
to do,
to give,
to receive,
that I may miss neither my neighbor's gift
nor my enemy's need.
Rebuke Him
Abba, I confess, as Watchman Nee says in Let Us Pray,
that my Enemy has been wearing me down
for much of the past year--
my friendships,
my physical strength,
my spiritual fervor, etc.
Through 2008 (and more)
he has been chipping away.
I will not have it!
In Jesus' name and by your grace,
I stand against the devil and his wiles!
I refuse to be worn down.
Rebuke him, Lord God Adonai.
Curse him; I know it is your will to curse him.
Cast him down and cast him away
from me and mine, in Jesus' name.
Please let 2009 be for me a year
of renewed strength
and a surge of passion
and enthusiasm for you and your church.
Teach me again to care...and not to care.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
in Jesus' name, amen.
that my Enemy has been wearing me down
for much of the past year--
my friendships,
my physical strength,
my spiritual fervor, etc.
Through 2008 (and more)
he has been chipping away.
I will not have it!
In Jesus' name and by your grace,
I stand against the devil and his wiles!
I refuse to be worn down.
Rebuke him, Lord God Adonai.
Curse him; I know it is your will to curse him.
Cast him down and cast him away
from me and mine, in Jesus' name.
Please let 2009 be for me a year
of renewed strength
and a surge of passion
and enthusiasm for you and your church.
Teach me again to care...and not to care.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Tree
Lord, make me like a tree
planted by streams of living water.
Let my roots go down deep into you,
your love and kindness.
Let me grow stronger and taller
and give shade to many,
in Jesus' name, amen.
planted by streams of living water.
Let my roots go down deep into you,
your love and kindness.
Let me grow stronger and taller
and give shade to many,
in Jesus' name, amen.
More Varied
Abba, thank you for yesterday's worship at Cobblestone.
Thank you that you are kindly
answering my prayer
to defy statistics and demographics
and make us a multi-racial,
inter-national church!
Nothing is too hard for you.
Make us ever more varied,
ever more colorful,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Thank you that you are kindly
answering my prayer
to defy statistics and demographics
and make us a multi-racial,
inter-national church!
Nothing is too hard for you.
Make us ever more varied,
ever more colorful,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Sunday Morning Prayer
Abba, Lord God Adonai,
please visit your people Cobblestone today
with power
and grace...
and joy.
Bless the ministry of Dr. Faust.
Bless the ministry of Con Brio.
Bless the ministry of greeters
and teachers
and parking lot attendants
and coffee makers
and technicians
and prayer team members
and worshipers
and people who wipe things up
and people who recognize friends
and people who respond to your call.
Abba, Lord God Adonai,
please visit your people Cobblestone today
with power
and grace...
and joy.
please visit your people Cobblestone today
with power
and grace...
and joy.
Bless the ministry of Dr. Faust.
Bless the ministry of Con Brio.
Bless the ministry of greeters
and teachers
and parking lot attendants
and coffee makers
and technicians
and prayer team members
and worshipers
and people who wipe things up
and people who recognize friends
and people who respond to your call.
Abba, Lord God Adonai,
please visit your people Cobblestone today
with power
and grace...
and joy.
Water and Fire
I praise you today, Lord, though I do not feel like it.
You walk with me through the waters,
you 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.
You walk with me through the waters,
you 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.
Thanks Overflows
Father, my thanks overflows.
Thank you for black ink and blank journals.
Thank you for loyal friends.
Thank you for disloyal friends,
who make loyal friends all the more valuable.
Thank you for a faithful wife.
Delightful kids.
A healthy and charming grandson.
A beautiful and healthy granddaughter.
Another on the way.
My own health.
Two reliable (and paid off!) cars in the garage.
Absorbing books.
Sight, and color.
Taste, and food and drink.
Sound, and music and laughter
and the throb of a distant train.
Your closeness.
Your kindness.
Oh, Lord, your constancy.
Thank you for being my rock,
my fortress,
my strong tower,
my refuge,
my God in whom I trust,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Thank you for black ink and blank journals.
Thank you for loyal friends.
Thank you for disloyal friends,
who make loyal friends all the more valuable.
Thank you for a faithful wife.
Delightful kids.
A healthy and charming grandson.
A beautiful and healthy granddaughter.
Another on the way.
My own health.
Two reliable (and paid off!) cars in the garage.
Absorbing books.
Sight, and color.
Taste, and food and drink.
Sound, and music and laughter
and the throb of a distant train.
Your closeness.
Your kindness.
Oh, Lord, your constancy.
Thank you for being my rock,
my fortress,
my strong tower,
my refuge,
my God in whom I trust,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Pondering the Small Ways
We ponder you in your greatness.
We bless you in your wonders of creation.
We magnify you for your miracles of deliverance.
We relish the news of your gift of newness give us in Jesus of Nazareth.
We make our doxology as large as we can,
in order to match your
massive presence in the world.
But then, in slow times and in lesser venues,
we know you to be the God of small things:
one widow and one orphan,
one touch of healing,
one lunch turned to much food,
one small temple for a small people in a small city,
one small scroll to power the small city.
On good days we are among those,
who do not occupy ourselves
with things too great and too marvelous.
It is enough that short of glory and magnificence,
you hang in to make small places your venue for governance.
We are grateful for your "tidbits"
that bespeak life among us.
(a prayer by Walter Brueggemann, from his book, Prayers for a Privileged People, p. 101)
We bless you in your wonders of creation.
We magnify you for your miracles of deliverance.
We relish the news of your gift of newness give us in Jesus of Nazareth.
We make our doxology as large as we can,
in order to match your
massive presence in the world.
But then, in slow times and in lesser venues,
we know you to be the God of small things:
one widow and one orphan,
one touch of healing,
one lunch turned to much food,
one small temple for a small people in a small city,
one small scroll to power the small city.
On good days we are among those,
who do not occupy ourselves
with things too great and too marvelous.
It is enough that short of glory and magnificence,
you hang in to make small places your venue for governance.
We are grateful for your "tidbits"
that bespeak life among us.
(a prayer by Walter Brueggemann, from his book, Prayers for a Privileged People, p. 101)
Faithful Ignorance
Abba, how come Daniel could see the future
in dreams and visions,
and I can't even understand my present?
Can you give me some of his spirit,
his wisdom (which I know was yours)?
Can you please help me to see things
as they really are?
Or are you more concerned
about my willingness
to follow you
in faithful ignorance?
in dreams and visions,
and I can't even understand my present?
Can you give me some of his spirit,
his wisdom (which I know was yours)?
Can you please help me to see things
as they really are?
Or are you more concerned
about my willingness
to follow you
in faithful ignorance?
A Prayer of John Waller
I'm waiting,
I'm waiting on You, Lord,
And I am hopeful.
I'm waiting on You, Lord,
Though it is painful.
But patiently, I will wait.
I will move ahead, bold and confident,
Taking every step in obedience,
While I'm waiting
I will serve You,
While I'm waiting
I will worship,
While I'm waiting
I will not faint,
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait.
I'm waiting,
I'm waiting on You, Lord,
And I am peaceful,
I'm waiting on You, Lord,
Though it's not easy,
But faithfully, I will wait,
Yes, I will wait.
I will serve You while I'm waiting,
I will worship while I'm waiting,
I will serve You while I'm waiting,
I will worship while I'm waiting,
I will serve you while I'm waiting,
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord.
I'm waiting on You, Lord,
And I am hopeful.
I'm waiting on You, Lord,
Though it is painful.
But patiently, I will wait.
I will move ahead, bold and confident,
Taking every step in obedience,
While I'm waiting
I will serve You,
While I'm waiting
I will worship,
While I'm waiting
I will not faint,
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait.
I'm waiting,
I'm waiting on You, Lord,
And I am peaceful,
I'm waiting on You, Lord,
Though it's not easy,
But faithfully, I will wait,
Yes, I will wait.
I will serve You while I'm waiting,
I will worship while I'm waiting,
I will serve You while I'm waiting,
I will worship while I'm waiting,
I will serve you while I'm waiting,
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord.
A Prayer for Tax Day
Father God, thank you
for placing no greater burden on man
than to do justly,
to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with our God.
Grant that I may also fulfill my civic duties,
pay my taxes,
and still provide for my family
and generously support your work in this world,
in Jesus' name, amen.
for placing no greater burden on man
than to do justly,
to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with our God.
Grant that I may also fulfill my civic duties,
pay my taxes,
and still provide for my family
and generously support your work in this world,
in Jesus' name, amen.
A Prayer on Reading In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day
Give me this day
my daily lion,
in Jesus' name, amen.
my daily lion,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Help Me Listen
(a prayer from Ted Loder's Guerrillas of Grace)
O Holy One,
I hear and say so many words,
yet yours is the word I need.
Speak now,
and help me listen;
and, if what I hear is silence,
let it quiet me,
let it disturb me,
let it touch my need,
let it break my pride,
let it shrink my certainties,
let it enlarge my wonder.
O Holy One,
I hear and say so many words,
yet yours is the word I need.
Speak now,
and help me listen;
and, if what I hear is silence,
let it quiet me,
let it disturb me,
let it touch my need,
let it break my pride,
let it shrink my certainties,
let it enlarge my wonder.
A Prayer of Nan C. Merrill
(excerpted from Psalm 26 in her book, Psalms for Praying)
Keep me always in your presence,
Ever ready to praise your Name.
Make me holy, complete in You,
Write my name among the saints.
Amen.
Keep me always in your presence,
Ever ready to praise your Name.
Make me holy, complete in You,
Write my name among the saints.
Amen.
Easter Prayer
You are risen, Lord Jesus!
You are risen from the dead!
You are risen indeed!
Hallelujah!
You died.
You have risen.
You will come again.
Hallelujah!
I praise you, Risen One!
I praise you, Conqueror of Death!
I praise you, Banisher of Darkness!
Hallelujah!
I bow before you.
I kneel at your feet.
I prostrate myself,
Rabboni!
My Lord and my God!
The First and the Last!
The Alpha and Omega!
The One who is, who was, and is to come!
Hallelujah!
You are risen from the dead!
You are risen indeed!
Hallelujah!
You died.
You have risen.
You will come again.
Hallelujah!
I praise you, Risen One!
I praise you, Conqueror of Death!
I praise you, Banisher of Darkness!
Hallelujah!
I bow before you.
I kneel at your feet.
I prostrate myself,
Rabboni!
My Lord and my God!
The First and the Last!
The Alpha and Omega!
The One who is, who was, and is to come!
Hallelujah!
Prayer for Holy Saturday
May our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who alone by his powerful word governs all things, yet has buried the shame of the Cross and iron bonds, who has broken the bars of the bronze doors and has descended into hell, who has shone with the brightness of a new light on those who were sitting in the shadow of death — may he, the sun of justice, rising from the tomb, shine upon our darkness with the marvelous light of his risen Body.
A Good Friday Prayer by Christina Rossetti
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.
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.
My Psalm 87
God, you have set your foundation on your holy mountain;
yours is a singular love
for the gates of Zion,
that glorious city of God.
No matter how great the cities of the earth,
it remains an honor to be born in Zion,
a blessing to be able to say, "I was born there."
Let me return there, Lord God;
let me see Jerusalem again;
let me live there sometime before I die.
And let my lifesong sing:
"All my fountains are in you."
Amen.
yours is a singular love
for the gates of Zion,
that glorious city of God.
No matter how great the cities of the earth,
it remains an honor to be born in Zion,
a blessing to be able to say, "I was born there."
Let me return there, Lord God;
let me see Jerusalem again;
let me live there sometime before I die.
And let my lifesong sing:
"All my fountains are in you."
Amen.
A Prayer of Henry David Thoreau
Great God, I ask for no meaner pelf
Than that I may not disappoint myself,
That in my action I may soar as high
As I can now discern with this clear eye.
And next in value, which thy kindness lends,
That I may greatly disappoint my friends,
Howe'er they think or hope that it may be,
They may not dream how thou'st distinguished me.
That my weak hand may equal my firm faith
And my life practice what my tongue saith
That my low conduct may not show
Nor my relenting lines
That I thy purpose did not know
Or overrated thy designs.
Than that I may not disappoint myself,
That in my action I may soar as high
As I can now discern with this clear eye.
And next in value, which thy kindness lends,
That I may greatly disappoint my friends,
Howe'er they think or hope that it may be,
They may not dream how thou'st distinguished me.
That my weak hand may equal my firm faith
And my life practice what my tongue saith
That my low conduct may not show
Nor my relenting lines
That I thy purpose did not know
Or overrated thy designs.
Excerpt from A Prayer by Claude McKay
'Mid the discordant noises of the day I hear thee calling;
I stumble as I fare along Earth's way; keep me from falling.
I stumble as I fare along Earth's way; keep me from falling.
O God, You Have Made of One Blood
(from the Book of Common Prayer)
O God, you have made of one blood
all the peoples of the earth
and sent your blessed Son to preach peace
to those who are far off and those who are near.
Grant that people everywhere may seek after you
and find you.
Bring the nations into your fold;
pour out your Spirit upon all flesh
and hasten the coming of your kingdom,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
amen.
O God, you have made of one blood
all the peoples of the earth
and sent your blessed Son to preach peace
to those who are far off and those who are near.
Grant that people everywhere may seek after you
and find you.
Bring the nations into your fold;
pour out your Spirit upon all flesh
and hasten the coming of your kingdom,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
amen.
Palm Sunday Benediction
(My prayer for the people of Cobblestone today,
based on a prayer by Brother Roger of Taize)
May the blood of Christ save you,
the water from his side cleanse you,
his outstretched arms enfold you,
and his resurrection raise you to new life and new heights,
amen.
based on a prayer by Brother Roger of Taize)
May the blood of Christ save you,
the water from his side cleanse you,
his outstretched arms enfold you,
and his resurrection raise you to new life and new heights,
amen.
A Prayer of Brother Roger of Taize
Soul of Christ, sanctify me,
Body of Christ, save me,
Blood of Christ, refresh me,
Water from the side of Christ, wash me,
Passion of Christ, strengthen me,
O good Jesus, hear me,
Within your wounds, hide me,
Let me never be separated from you,
From the powers of darkness, defend me,
In the hour of my death call me,
And bid me come with you,
That with your saints I may praise you
For ever and ever. Amen.
Body of Christ, save me,
Blood of Christ, refresh me,
Water from the side of Christ, wash me,
Passion of Christ, strengthen me,
O good Jesus, hear me,
Within your wounds, hide me,
Let me never be separated from you,
From the powers of darkness, defend me,
In the hour of my death call me,
And bid me come with you,
That with your saints I may praise you
For ever and ever. Amen.
A Prayer in Spring by Robert Frost
OH, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.
Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.
And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.
For this is love and nothing else is love,
To which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends he will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.
Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.
And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.
For this is love and nothing else is love,
To which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends he will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.
My Psalm 86
Hear, O LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and in great need.
Defend me, for I am devoted to you.
You are my God;
save your servant who trusts in you.
Be gentle with me
and be kind to me, O Lord;
I'm calling on you right now.
Give me back my joy, O Lord,
for your joy is my strength.
You are gracious and good, O Lord,
overflowing with love to all who call to you.
So overflow in my direction, LORD,
please be moved to action by my cry for mercy.
I'm in trouble, as you know;
I'm in need; that's nothing new.
I call to you, and wait for your answer.
What else can I do?
There is no one else to whom I can turn.
There is no god but you,
and I have no hope but in you.
Let all the nations come and worship before you, O Lord;
let all your people bring glory to your name.
For you are awesome and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I glorify your name,
and I will glorify it forever.
I know your love for me is great,
and you've saved me so many times before.
So come to my aid now, O God,
as the fur flies all around me.
Save me from every temptation and attack,
even the well-intentioned ones.
For there is no one else to whom I can turn.
There is no god but you,
and I have no hope but in you.
Turn to me and have mercy on me;
give me strength,
give me energy,
give me hope,
give me joy,
give me clarity,
and wisdom,
and effectiveness.
Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Amen.
for I am poor and in great need.
Defend me, for I am devoted to you.
You are my God;
save your servant who trusts in you.
Be gentle with me
and be kind to me, O Lord;
I'm calling on you right now.
Give me back my joy, O Lord,
for your joy is my strength.
You are gracious and good, O Lord,
overflowing with love to all who call to you.
So overflow in my direction, LORD,
please be moved to action by my cry for mercy.
I'm in trouble, as you know;
I'm in need; that's nothing new.
I call to you, and wait for your answer.
What else can I do?
There is no one else to whom I can turn.
There is no god but you,
and I have no hope but in you.
Let all the nations come and worship before you, O Lord;
let all your people bring glory to your name.
For you are awesome and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I glorify your name,
and I will glorify it forever.
I know your love for me is great,
and you've saved me so many times before.
So come to my aid now, O God,
as the fur flies all around me.
Save me from every temptation and attack,
even the well-intentioned ones.
For there is no one else to whom I can turn.
There is no god but you,
and I have no hope but in you.
Turn to me and have mercy on me;
give me strength,
give me energy,
give me hope,
give me joy,
give me clarity,
and wisdom,
and effectiveness.
Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Amen.
A Fool's Prayer
(from a poem by Edward Rowland Sill)
O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!
No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool;
The rod must heal the sin: but Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!
'Tis not by guilt the onward sweep
Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay;
‘Tis by our follies that so long
We hold the earth from heaven away.
These clumsy feet, still in the mire,
Go crushing blossoms without end;
These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust
Among the heart-strings of a friend.
The ill-timed truth we might have kept–
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?
The word we had not sense to say–
Who knows how grandly it had rung!
Our faults no tenderness should ask.
The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;
But for our blunders — oh, in shame
Before the eyes of heaven we fall.
Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;
Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool
That did his will; but Thou, O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!
O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!
No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool;
The rod must heal the sin: but Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!
'Tis not by guilt the onward sweep
Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay;
‘Tis by our follies that so long
We hold the earth from heaven away.
These clumsy feet, still in the mire,
Go crushing blossoms without end;
These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust
Among the heart-strings of a friend.
The ill-timed truth we might have kept–
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?
The word we had not sense to say–
Who knows how grandly it had rung!
Our faults no tenderness should ask.
The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;
But for our blunders — oh, in shame
Before the eyes of heaven we fall.
Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;
Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool
That did his will; but Thou, O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!
Sunshine Prayer
Lord God Adonai,
I know if I pray for rain and testing and hardship
you will answer,
out of love,
but today I pray for sunshine
and rest from testing,
and joy,
out of love,
in Jesus' name, amen.
I know if I pray for rain and testing and hardship
you will answer,
out of love,
but today I pray for sunshine
and rest from testing,
and joy,
out of love,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Walk in the Day
Grant, Lord, that I may walk in the day,
and not stumble,
because I see the Light of this world (John 11:9),
in Jesus' name, amen.
and not stumble,
because I see the Light of this world (John 11:9),
in Jesus' name, amen.
Common Supplication
(from the Book of Common Prayer)
Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
Amen.
How Can I Judge
Abba, Father,
how can I judge my brother or sister
for the very sins I have committed,
for the wayward paths I myself have taken?
Am I not the chief of sinners?
Am I not unworthy of your grace?
Am I not an undeserving recipient
of your kindness and mercy?
Save me, Lord,
from compounding my sin
with a superior
and self-righteous attitude.
Save me, who knows what it is to be forgiven,
from withholding forgiveness
from anyone,
in Jesus' name, amen.
how can I judge my brother or sister
for the very sins I have committed,
for the wayward paths I myself have taken?
Am I not the chief of sinners?
Am I not unworthy of your grace?
Am I not an undeserving recipient
of your kindness and mercy?
Save me, Lord,
from compounding my sin
with a superior
and self-righteous attitude.
Save me, who knows what it is to be forgiven,
from withholding forgiveness
from anyone,
in Jesus' name, amen.
In Memoriam
Lord, thank you for Ralph Michaels,
who made a difference in my life.
Thank you for a lifetime of faithful,
surrendered,
consecrated,
effective service to you and your kingdom.
Thank you for his example.
Thank you for his wisdom.
Thank you for his graciousness.
Have mercy on Mattie,
and his family,
and all those who grieve his loss.
May flights of angels sing him to his rest,
in Jesus' name, amen.
who made a difference in my life.
Thank you for a lifetime of faithful,
surrendered,
consecrated,
effective service to you and your kingdom.
Thank you for his example.
Thank you for his wisdom.
Thank you for his graciousness.
Have mercy on Mattie,
and his family,
and all those who grieve his loss.
May flights of angels sing him to his rest,
in Jesus' name, amen.
World Apart
(A prayer by Jars of Clay)
I am the only one to blame for this,
Somehow it all ends up the same,
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride,
I flew too high and like Icarus I collide,
With a world I try so hard to leave behind,
To rid myself of all but love,
to give and die...
To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loves
more deeply than the oceans,
more abundant than the tears
Of a world embracing every heartache.
Can I be the one to sacrifice
Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow?
To love you - take my world apart;
To need you - I am on my knees;
To love you - take my world apart;
To need you - broken on my knees.
All said and done I stand alone
Amongst remains of a life I should not own;
It takes all I am to believe
In the mercy that covers me.
Did you really have to die for me?
All I am for all you are,
Because what I need and what I believe are worlds apart.
I look beyond the empty cross,
forgetting what my life has cost,
and wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain;
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour,
the battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago,
So steal my heart and take the pain
and wash the feet and cleanse my pride,
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide.
Take the beauty, take my tears,
the sin-soaked heart and make it yours.
Take my world all apart,
take it now, take it now,
and serve the ones that I despise,
speak the words I can't deny,
watch the world I used to love
fall to dust and thrown away,
I look beyond the empty cross,
forgetting what my life has cost,
so wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain,
so steal my heart and take the pain,
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide.
Take the beauty, take my tears,
take my world apart, take my world apart.
I pray, I pray, I pray,
take my world apart.
Amen.
I am the only one to blame for this,
Somehow it all ends up the same,
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride,
I flew too high and like Icarus I collide,
With a world I try so hard to leave behind,
To rid myself of all but love,
to give and die...
To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loves
more deeply than the oceans,
more abundant than the tears
Of a world embracing every heartache.
Can I be the one to sacrifice
Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow?
To love you - take my world apart;
To need you - I am on my knees;
To love you - take my world apart;
To need you - broken on my knees.
All said and done I stand alone
Amongst remains of a life I should not own;
It takes all I am to believe
In the mercy that covers me.
Did you really have to die for me?
All I am for all you are,
Because what I need and what I believe are worlds apart.
I look beyond the empty cross,
forgetting what my life has cost,
and wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain;
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour,
the battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago,
So steal my heart and take the pain
and wash the feet and cleanse my pride,
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide.
Take the beauty, take my tears,
the sin-soaked heart and make it yours.
Take my world all apart,
take it now, take it now,
and serve the ones that I despise,
speak the words I can't deny,
watch the world I used to love
fall to dust and thrown away,
I look beyond the empty cross,
forgetting what my life has cost,
so wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain,
so steal my heart and take the pain,
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide.
Take the beauty, take my tears,
take my world apart, take my world apart.
I pray, I pray, I pray,
take my world apart.
Amen.
My Psalm 85
Lord, you have poured out blessings on your people!
You have guided and been good to us all the way.
You forgave us our many sins,
our stupid mistakes,
our poor leadership,
our petty controversies,
and more.
You held back your fury.
And from time to time, I'm sure, your laughter.
Now restore us again, O God of our salvation.
As you have done before, once more lay aside what we deserve
and shower on us what your love decrees.
Revive us again,
and we will be careful to thank you and celebrate your goodness.
Show us your unfailing love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
I will listen carefully to you,
I will lean in to catch your whispers,
and watch your face closely to pick up on your signals.
Speak peace to your faithful people.
Speak wisdom and victory and righteousness.
Your salvation is near to those who fear you,
so our land will be filled with your glory.
In you are joined unfailing love and uncompromising truth.
In your presence is found righteousness and peace!
In your presence, truth springs up like crocuses from the earth,
and righteousness beams down like starshine from heaven.
Pour down your blessings.
Pour out your bounty.
Send on us a bountiful harvest,
and let your church take to the streets
with news of your kindness.
You have guided and been good to us all the way.
You forgave us our many sins,
our stupid mistakes,
our poor leadership,
our petty controversies,
and more.
You held back your fury.
And from time to time, I'm sure, your laughter.
Now restore us again, O God of our salvation.
As you have done before, once more lay aside what we deserve
and shower on us what your love decrees.
Revive us again,
and we will be careful to thank you and celebrate your goodness.
Show us your unfailing love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
I will listen carefully to you,
I will lean in to catch your whispers,
and watch your face closely to pick up on your signals.
Speak peace to your faithful people.
Speak wisdom and victory and righteousness.
Your salvation is near to those who fear you,
so our land will be filled with your glory.
In you are joined unfailing love and uncompromising truth.
In your presence is found righteousness and peace!
In your presence, truth springs up like crocuses from the earth,
and righteousness beams down like starshine from heaven.
Pour down your blessings.
Pour out your bounty.
Send on us a bountiful harvest,
and let your church take to the streets
with news of your kindness.
O God, If Still the Holy Place
(A prayer of General Albert Orsborn)O God, if still the holy place
Is found of those in prayer,
By all the promises of grace
I claim an entrance there.
Give me a self-denying soul,
Enlarged and unconfined;
Abide within me, and control
The wanderings of the mind.
Give me the strength of faith that dares
To die to self each day,
That bravely takes the cross, nor cares
To find an easier way.
Help me to make more sacrifice,
To walk where Christ would lead,
That in my life He may arise
To hallow every deed.
Amen.
A Prayer for the Oxford, Ohio, Metroplex
(A prayer of U2)
Take this city,
A city should be
shining on a hill;
Take this city,
If it be your will.
What no man can own,
no man can take;
Take this heart,
Take this heart,
Take this heart,
And make it break.
Amen.
Take this city,
A city should be
shining on a hill;
Take this city,
If it be your will.
What no man can own,
no man can take;
Take this heart,
Take this heart,
Take this heart,
And make it break.
Amen.
God, Give Me the Head of a Baptist
God, as J.D. Greear says,
give me the head of a Baptist,
the heart of a Pentecostal,
and the feet of a Jehovah’s Witness.
And I add, please give me the hands of a Salvationist,
the joy of the Church of God in Christ,
and the commitment of a Mormon.
Give me please the integrity of Billy Graham,
the generosity of Rick Warren,
the prayer life of Hudson Taylor,
the servant heart of Mother Theresa.
Help me also to work like an Arminian
and sleep like a Calvinist,
in Jesus' name, amen.
give me the head of a Baptist,
the heart of a Pentecostal,
and the feet of a Jehovah’s Witness.
And I add, please give me the hands of a Salvationist,
the joy of the Church of God in Christ,
and the commitment of a Mormon.
Give me please the integrity of Billy Graham,
the generosity of Rick Warren,
the prayer life of Hudson Taylor,
the servant heart of Mother Theresa.
Help me also to work like an Arminian
and sleep like a Calvinist,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Betrayal and Desertion
Lord Jesus, I've never thanked you
for enduring the betrayal and desertion
of your closest friends.
But I thank you now.
It means something to know
that you know
that pain,
and you forgive.
for enduring the betrayal and desertion
of your closest friends.
But I thank you now.
It means something to know
that you know
that pain,
and you forgive.
Morning Prayer
Whatever comes my way today,
whatever men may do or say,
have your way in me
so everyone may see
I belong to you.
In all my hands may find to do,
let all the glory go to you,
give grace and peace I pray,
let all my actions say
I belong to you.
In waking and in sleeping, Lord,
give what strength your will affords,
and keep me through it all,
make sure I do not fall,
for I belong to you.
(copyright 2005, Bob Hostetler )
whatever men may do or say,
have your way in me
so everyone may see
I belong to you.
In all my hands may find to do,
let all the glory go to you,
give grace and peace I pray,
let all my actions say
I belong to you.
In waking and in sleeping, Lord,
give what strength your will affords,
and keep me through it all,
make sure I do not fall,
for I belong to you.
(copyright 2005, Bob Hostetler )
On My Son's Birthday
Abba, Father, how I thank you for my son, Aaron, and all the good things you have placed in him.
On this, his twenty-sixth birthday,
please bless him and keep him,
make your face shine upon him and be gracious to him,
smile on him and give him peace,
in the name of Jesus, your Son, amen.
The Lorica, or St. Patrick's Breastplate
I arise today Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength
of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength
of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength
of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength
of his descent for the judgment of Doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches
and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ to shield me today
Against poison,
against burning,
Against drowning,
against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.
People Pleaser's Prayer
Abba, Father, please save me from the error
of believing I can please everyone;
and grant me the wisdom
to be satisfied if you are pleased.
Amen.
of believing I can please everyone;
and grant me the wisdom
to be satisfied if you are pleased.
Amen.
Prayer for Church Finances
Lord, I lift up our church finances. May we sow generously into our church without reluctance or compulsion. Make all grace abound so we have all we need for every good work You’ve assigned us. Make us rich in ways that result in generosity on our part so You will be praised. Keep reminding us of your promise to throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out blessing on all who bring the whole tithe into Your house (2 Cor. 9:6-11; Mal. 3:10).
(A prayer from http://prayerleader.com)
(A prayer from http://prayerleader.com)
Prayer for Cobblestone
Lord, for your church,
my family, Cobblestone, I pray.
Inspire our worship,
empower John's speaking,
inhabit the praises of your people,
show your glory,
make the fellowship of the saints glorious,
and let the distant be drawn close,
and the close be drawn closer,
in Jesus' name, amen.
my family, Cobblestone, I pray.
Inspire our worship,
empower John's speaking,
inhabit the praises of your people,
show your glory,
make the fellowship of the saints glorious,
and let the distant be drawn close,
and the close be drawn closer,
in Jesus' name, amen.
My Psalm 84
I love your dwelling place,
Lord God Adonai!
I hunger to worship you,
I thirst to gather with your people,
and commune with you.
Like a sparrow in its nest,
or a swallow sheltering in a chimney,
I am utterly at home in your presence,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
I love your house;
I love your people.
I love being around those whose strength is in you,
who enter your house intent on worship.
Thank you for those who worship you
wherever you show up,
in a tiny chapel or a majestic cathedral,
in a desert or a rainforest.
You lead such true worshipers from strength to strength,
you show yourself to them without fail.
Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Look upon us, Lord God;
look with favor on your servants and ministers.
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand anywhere else;
I would rather sweep your floors, O Lord,
than be exalted in the palaces of the wicked.
For you, LORD God, are a sun and shield;
you bestow favor and honor;
you withhold no good thing
from those who walk with you.
O LORD Almighty,
I am thrilled and honored to trust in you
and call you mine.
Lord God Adonai!
I hunger to worship you,
I thirst to gather with your people,
and commune with you.
Like a sparrow in its nest,
or a swallow sheltering in a chimney,
I am utterly at home in your presence,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
I love your house;
I love your people.
I love being around those whose strength is in you,
who enter your house intent on worship.
Thank you for those who worship you
wherever you show up,
in a tiny chapel or a majestic cathedral,
in a desert or a rainforest.
You lead such true worshipers from strength to strength,
you show yourself to them without fail.
Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Look upon us, Lord God;
look with favor on your servants and ministers.
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand anywhere else;
I would rather sweep your floors, O Lord,
than be exalted in the palaces of the wicked.
For you, LORD God, are a sun and shield;
you bestow favor and honor;
you withhold no good thing
from those who walk with you.
O LORD Almighty,
I am thrilled and honored to trust in you
and call you mine.
The Magnificent
(A prayer of U2, believe it or not)
I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise...
Justified till [I] die....I will magnify
The Magnificent.
I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise...
Justified till [I] die....I will magnify
The Magnificent.
A Prayer of Clement XI
O my God, I believe in Thee; do Thou strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in Thee; do Thou secure them. I love Thee; teach me to love Thee daily more and more. I am sorry that I have offended Thee, do Thou increase my sorrow.I adore Thee as my first beginning; I aspire after Thee as my last end. I give Thee thanks as my constant benefactor; I call upon Thee as my sovereign protector.
Vouchsafe, O my God! To conduct me by Thy wisdom, to restrain me by Thy justice, to comfort me by Thy mercy, to defend me by Thy power.
To Thee I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings; that henceforward I may think of Thee, speak of Thee, refer all my actions to Thy greater glory, and suffer willingly whatever Thou shalt appoint.
Lord, I desire that in all things Thy will may be done because it is Thy will, and in the manner that Thou willest.
I beg of Thee to enlighten my understanding, to inflame my will, to purify my body, and to sanctify my soul.
Give me strength, O my God! To expiate my offenses, to overcome my temptations, to subdue my passions, and to acquire the virtues proper for my state of life.
Fill my heart with tender affection for Thy goodness, hatred of my faults, love of my neighbor, and contempt of the world.
May Thy grace help me to be submissive to my superiors, [gracious] to my inferiors, faithful to my friends, and charitable to my enemies.
Assist me to overcome sensuality by mortification, avarice by alms-deeds, anger by meekness, and tepidity by devotion.
O my God! Make me prudent in my undertakings, courageous in dangers, patient in affliction, and humble in prosperity.
Grant that I may be ever attentive at my prayers, temperate at my meals, diligent in my employments, and constant in my resolutions.
Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, my exterior modest, my conversation edifying, and my comportment regular.
Assist me, that I may continually labor to overcome nature, to correspond with Thy grace, to keep Thy commandments, and to work out my salvation.
Make me realize, O my God, the nothingness of this world, the greatness of Heaven, the shortness of time, and the length of eternity.
Grant that I may prepare for death; that I may fear Thy judgments, and in the end obtain Heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Today is the Day
(A prayer of Lincoln Brewster)
I'm casting my cares aside,
I'm leaving my past behind,
I'm setting my heart and mind on You, Jesus,
I'm reaching my hands to Yours,
Believing there's so much more,
Knowing that all You have in store for me is good,
It's good.
Today is the day You have made;
I will rejoice and be glad in it,
And I won't worry about tomorrow,
I'm trusting in what You say,
Today is the day.
I'm putting my fears aside,
I'm leaving my doubts behind,
I'm giving my hopes and dreams to You, Jesus,
I'm reaching my hands to Yours,
Believing there's so much more,
Knowing that all You have in store for me is good,
It's good.
I will stand upon Your truth
And all my days I'll live for You.
Amen.
I'm casting my cares aside,
I'm leaving my past behind,
I'm setting my heart and mind on You, Jesus,
I'm reaching my hands to Yours,
Believing there's so much more,
Knowing that all You have in store for me is good,
It's good.
Today is the day You have made;
I will rejoice and be glad in it,
And I won't worry about tomorrow,
I'm trusting in what You say,
Today is the day.
I'm putting my fears aside,
I'm leaving my doubts behind,
I'm giving my hopes and dreams to You, Jesus,
I'm reaching my hands to Yours,
Believing there's so much more,
Knowing that all You have in store for me is good,
It's good.
I will stand upon Your truth
And all my days I'll live for You.
Amen.
To My Dread Warrior
Lord God Adonai, Dread Warrior,
please shield me and mine
from the Enemy's attacks.
Please defend us
and mend us
and superintend us,
in Jesus' name, amen.
please shield me and mine
from the Enemy's attacks.
Please defend us
and mend us
and superintend us,
in Jesus' name, amen.
God You Reign
(A prayer of Lincoln Brewster)
You paint the night,
you count the stars and call them by name;
the skies proclaim:
God, you reign!
Your glory shines;
you teach the sun when to bring a new day;
Creation sings: God, you reign!
God, you reign,
God, you reign,
forever and ever,
God, you reign!
You part the seas,
you move the mountains with the words that you say;
my song remains:
God, you reign!
You hold my life,
you know my heart and you call me by name;
i live to say: God, you reign!
You paint the night,
you count the stars and call them by name;
the skies proclaim:
God, you reign!
Your glory shines;
you teach the sun when to bring a new day;
Creation sings: God, you reign!
God, you reign,
God, you reign,
forever and ever,
God, you reign!
You part the seas,
you move the mountains with the words that you say;
my song remains:
God, you reign!
You hold my life,
you know my heart and you call me by name;
i live to say: God, you reign!
What Trials
Lord God, you know what trials afflict me,
and what trials await me.
You know all things.
In your wisdom, love, and power,
come to my assistance;
make haste to help me,
in Jesus' name, amen.
and what trials await me.
You know all things.
In your wisdom, love, and power,
come to my assistance;
make haste to help me,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Lord of the Starfields
(A prayer by Bruce Cockburn)
Lord of the starfields,
Ancient of Days,
Universe Maker,
Here's a song in your praise.
Wings of the storm cloud,
Beginning and end,
You make my heart leap
Like a banner in the wind.
O love that fires the sun,
Keep me burning.
Lord of the starfields,
Sower of life,
Heaven and earth are
Full of your light.
Voice of the nova,
Smile of the dew,
All of our yearning
Only comes home to you.
O love that fires the sun,
keep me burning.
Lord of the starfields,
Ancient of Days,
Universe Maker,
Here's a song in your praise.
Wings of the storm cloud,
Beginning and end,
You make my heart leap
Like a banner in the wind.
O love that fires the sun,
Keep me burning.
Lord of the starfields,
Sower of life,
Heaven and earth are
Full of your light.
Voice of the nova,
Smile of the dew,
All of our yearning
Only comes home to you.
O love that fires the sun,
keep me burning.
Small Thanks
God, thanks so much for the things in my life--
big and small--
that give me pleasure.
Help me to notice all of the ways that you've blessed me. Amen.
big and small--
that give me pleasure.
Help me to notice all of the ways that you've blessed me. Amen.
Visit
Abba, visit your people Cobblestone today with your love and power. Send a mighty rushing wind, in Jesus' name, amen.
Morning Prayer
Lord, let my every thought, movement, word, and deed today be guided and inspired and approved by you, in Jesus' name, amen.
A Prayer of Richard Slater
I have not much to give Thee, Lord,
For that great love which made Thee mine;
I have not much to give Thee, Lord,
But all I have is Thine.
For that great love which made Thee mine;
I have not much to give Thee, Lord,
But all I have is Thine.
A Spring of Living Water
Abba, Father, Lord God Almighty, make me a spring of living water,
rising up and rushing forth.
Let my ministry, my life,
be an outflow of your gracious work in me,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Games
My Enemy plays games with me; I know that. And my mind and moods, on a natural level, play games with me, too. Maybe it's also in the nature of things, working with people, to periodically be overwhelmed, panicked, attacked, misunderstood, whatever. So, Lord, when will I be "grown up" enough to greet such times with "My help is in the name of the Lord," or "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" and truly KNOW it? Let it be soon, please, even now--from now on. Amen.
Exceedingly Blessed
Lord, thank you that my son is a much better, healthier, brighter, more talented man than I am, and thank you that my daughter is better, healthier, brighter, and more talented than me...and so very much like her lovely mother! I am abundantly blessed, beyond all that I could ever have asked or even imagined! Oh, my, if their children exceed them as much as they have exceeded me, oh, what will be?
My Psalm 83
O God, do not keep silent;
O Lord, don't choose now to hold your tongue.
Your enemies are not holding back;
they are yet plotting and scheming.
Evil takes no holiday;
their cunning has not ceased.
Though they may hide,
they still act against your people.
Though they may lie under cover,
they continue to oppose you,
to hinder your work,
to divide your people,
to prevent your kingdom from expanding.
Do to them as you did to Midian,
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon;
defeat all evil
and rout all workers of evil
and drive them from our midst.
Blow them away,
like tumbleweed, O my God,
like chaff before the wind.
As fire consumes the forest
and sets whole mountainsides ablaze,
so pursue them with your fury
and dispel them with your rage.
Humiliate our Enemy,
break his teeth before our eyes,
so that men will seek your name, O LORD,
so that all will know that you, LORD, King of my heart,
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
O Lord, don't choose now to hold your tongue.
Your enemies are not holding back;
they are yet plotting and scheming.
Evil takes no holiday;
their cunning has not ceased.
Though they may hide,
they still act against your people.
Though they may lie under cover,
they continue to oppose you,
to hinder your work,
to divide your people,
to prevent your kingdom from expanding.
Do to them as you did to Midian,
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon;
defeat all evil
and rout all workers of evil
and drive them from our midst.
Blow them away,
like tumbleweed, O my God,
like chaff before the wind.
As fire consumes the forest
and sets whole mountainsides ablaze,
so pursue them with your fury
and dispel them with your rage.
Humiliate our Enemy,
break his teeth before our eyes,
so that men will seek your name, O LORD,
so that all will know that you, LORD, King of my heart,
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
God of New Things
Abba, Father, God of new things, how I praise you and thank you
that I wake this morning with a new granddaughter,
born yesterday.
How great are your works,
and this tiny girl among them,
Mia Marie,
who has been growing
under your all-seeing eye
for almost nine months now,
whom I just met
but you have known from eternity past,
in your omniscience.
Grant her grace and health and growth,
as you have granted her life and beauty and love,
and wonderful parents as well.
And grant too that today,
in and through the worship of your church,
you will reveal yourself as God of new things
as you did in introducing this world
to Mia Marie,
in Jesus' name, amen.
I Love You As
Oh, Lord, you have been good.
I love you, Lord, with all my heart.
I love you as a child loves a perfect father.
I love you as a slave loves his redeemer.
I love you as a near-victim loves the rescuer,
as an orphan the adopter,
as a wanderer the guide,
as a student the teacher,
as a lover the beloved.
Grant that today I may love you even more,
in Jesus' name, amen.
I love you, Lord, with all my heart.
I love you as a child loves a perfect father.
I love you as a slave loves his redeemer.
I love you as a near-victim loves the rescuer,
as an orphan the adopter,
as a wanderer the guide,
as a student the teacher,
as a lover the beloved.
Grant that today I may love you even more,
in Jesus' name, amen.
First Learner
Lord God Adonai, as I study your Word today
in preparation for the privilege of preaching,
please come to me
and teach me
that I may be merely the first learner
and the first life changed
of all those you will reward
for having given attention
to your Word,
in Jesus' name, amen.
in preparation for the privilege of preaching,
please come to me
and teach me
that I may be merely the first learner
and the first life changed
of all those you will reward
for having given attention
to your Word,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Another Prayer of Christina Rossetti
O God the Holy Ghost Who art light unto thine elect
Evermore enlighten us.
Thou who art fire of love
Evermore enkindle us.
Thou who art Lord and Giver of Life,
Evermore live in us.
Thou who bestowest sevenfold grace,
Evermore replenish us.
As the wind is thy symbol,
So forward our goings.
As the dove, so launch us heavenwards.
As water, so purify our spirits.
As a cloud, so abate our temptations.
As dew, so revive our languor.
As fire, so purge our dross
A Prayer of Gerard Manley Hopkins
Thee, God, I come from, to thee go,
All day long I like fountain flow
From thy hand out, swayed about
Mote-like in thy mighty glow.
What I know of thee I bless,
As acknowledging thy stress
On my being and as seeing
Something of thy holiness.
Once I turned from thee and hid,
Bound on what thou hadst forbid;
Sow the wind I would; I sinned:
I repent of what I did.
All day long I like fountain flow
From thy hand out, swayed about
Mote-like in thy mighty glow.
What I know of thee I bless,
As acknowledging thy stress
On my being and as seeing
Something of thy holiness.
Once I turned from thee and hid,
Bound on what thou hadst forbid;
Sow the wind I would; I sinned:
I repent of what I did.
Praise Belongs to You
Praise belongs to you, Lord.
I praise you for your faithfulness,
your kind and merciful willingness
to hold onto me in spite of all my sin and stubbornness.
I praise you for your constancy
and at the same time your creativity;
you are always merciful,
yet your mercies are new every morning.
I praise you for your power,
your purity,
your sweetness,
your majesty,
your holiness,
your goodness,
your patience,
your truth,
your love, your great love,
and your grace, in Jesus' name, amen.
I praise you for your faithfulness,
your kind and merciful willingness
to hold onto me in spite of all my sin and stubbornness.
I praise you for your constancy
and at the same time your creativity;
you are always merciful,
yet your mercies are new every morning.
I praise you for your power,
your purity,
your sweetness,
your majesty,
your holiness,
your goodness,
your patience,
your truth,
your love, your great love,
and your grace, in Jesus' name, amen.
A Prayer of Christina Rossetti for the Lord's Day
Open wide the window of our spirits, O Lord, and fill us full of light;
open wide the door of our hearts,
that we may receive and entertain you
with all our powers of adoration and praise.
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,
cross-bearing, thorn-wearing 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.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And being with you, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but you are the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:25, 26).
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,
cross-bearing, thorn-wearing lovethat 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.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And being with you, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but you are the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:25, 26).
God, Renew Me by Your Spirit
God, renew me by your Spirit!
Come and touch my weary soul.
Grant me joy so I can share it;
Oh, restore me; make me whole!
God, revitalize our mission!
Bless your church from pole to pole!
May we overcome division!
Oh, restore us; make us whole!
God, revive my congregation!
Be our center and our goal!
Help us join in adoration!
Oh, restore us; make us whole!
God, refresh your whole creation!
Timeless is salvation’s role!
Grant us boundless celebration!
Oh, restore us; make us whole!
(Revised from GOD, RENEW US BY YOUR SPIRIT! © 1992 John Dalles)
Come and touch my weary soul.
Grant me joy so I can share it;
Oh, restore me; make me whole!
God, revitalize our mission!
Bless your church from pole to pole!
May we overcome division!
Oh, restore us; make us whole!
God, revive my congregation!
Be our center and our goal!
Help us join in adoration!
Oh, restore us; make us whole!
God, refresh your whole creation!
Timeless is salvation’s role!
Grant us boundless celebration!
Oh, restore us; make us whole!
(Revised from GOD, RENEW US BY YOUR SPIRIT! © 1992 John Dalles)
Your New Word Amid Our Anxiety
On reading 1 Kings 2:1-9
The promises roll of your lips
and into our ears:
I will be with you;
I will love you faithfully;
I will be your God;
My covenant is forever.
We count on your words that flow from our ears
to our hearts, and we are glad.
But even while we listen,
we live much of our lives underneath the table.
We read these old stories, and
we know about intrigue and fear and
anxiety and near violence
and deception.
We mostly do not act out our violence
but we imagine and ponder and scheme;
and then we, too, must cover up
and the cover-up ferments;
our lives become complex and burdened.
We keep inventing ourselves and our underneath selves turn out
to be less than adequate
and we wish we were other than we are.
We juggle your good purposes and
our hidden yearnings and
try to serve two masters,
try to live two narratives,
try to live two dreams,
and we are weary.
Because we know our hearts of anxiety so well,
we seem fated to disease.
But because we know your heart of fidelity so well,
we know you will defeat our demons
and make us new.
We know about your abiding fidelity in
Jesus of Nazareth.
Give us patience and steadfastness as we
process the ragged edges of our lives.
Amen.
(a prayer by Walter Brueggemann, from his book, Prayers for a Privileged People)
The promises roll of your lips
and into our ears:
I will be with you;
I will love you faithfully;
I will be your God;
My covenant is forever.
We count on your words that flow from our ears
to our hearts, and we are glad.
But even while we listen,
we live much of our lives underneath the table.
We read these old stories, and
we know about intrigue and fear and
anxiety and near violence
and deception.
We mostly do not act out our violence
but we imagine and ponder and scheme;
and then we, too, must cover up
and the cover-up ferments;
our lives become complex and burdened.
We keep inventing ourselves and our underneath selves turn out
to be less than adequate
and we wish we were other than we are.
We juggle your good purposes and
our hidden yearnings and
try to serve two masters,
try to live two narratives,
try to live two dreams,
and we are weary.
Because we know our hearts of anxiety so well,
we seem fated to disease.
But because we know your heart of fidelity so well,
we know you will defeat our demons
and make us new.
We know about your abiding fidelity in
Jesus of Nazareth.
Give us patience and steadfastness as we
process the ragged edges of our lives.
Amen.
(a prayer by Walter Brueggemann, from his book, Prayers for a Privileged People)
Let Your Spirit Rest on Me
Abba, let your Spirit rest on me,
fill me with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
baptize me with the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord,
in Jesus' name, amen.
fill me with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
baptize me with the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Favor in Abundance
Show up for us today, Lord.
Please grant us your presence
and your favor in abundance,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Please grant us your presence
and your favor in abundance,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Gift
I give myself to you, Lord.
I give you this day.
Take my offering,
sanctify it,
burn it up on the altar,
and make it acceptable,
pleasing to you,
in Jesus' name, amen.
I give you this day.
Take my offering,
sanctify it,
burn it up on the altar,
and make it acceptable,
pleasing to you,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Drive Us to the Cross
"Our Lord and our God, you are indeed the source of our life in Christ Jesus. Of what then could we boast? And yet, we seek constantly to lord it over each other. Even in the darkest questions, those in which the information available to us is scant, we assume that we know enough to dismiss those who disagree with us with a curt 'He doesn't get it.' We laugh, we criticize, and we talk about each other in ways that demean, in ways that give evidence of the pathetic attempt to elevate ourselves above all others. Forgive us our sin. And drive us to the cross. For beneath the cross, the ground is completely level. There is no room for boasting unless it be that boasting in the Lord whose power was made complete in weakness. For he alone is worthy of our praise, our veneration, our adoration, and the complete devotion of our hearts and our minds.
It is in his name that we pray. Amen."
(Prayer offered before a lecture by Bruce McCormack, professor of systematic theology at Princeton)
It is in his name that we pray. Amen."
(Prayer offered before a lecture by Bruce McCormack, professor of systematic theology at Princeton)
Your Will
Abba, today I pray:
may your will be done.
I submit to your will.
I agree with your will.
I commit to doing your will,
in Jesus' name, amen.
may your will be done.
I submit to your will.
I agree with your will.
I commit to doing your will,
in Jesus' name, amen.
A Prayer from Steven Curtis Chapman
(Today is my friend Jim Rose's funeral, which makes apropos this lyric, from "Last Day on Earth" by Steven Curtis Chapman)
I pull over to the side of the road and I
Watch the cars pass me by;
The headlights and the black limousine tell me
Someone is saying goodbye.
I bow my head and I whisper a prayer,
“Father, comfort their broken hearts,”
And as I drive away there's a thought that I
I cannot escape, no I, cannot escape this thought
I can't get away:
Oh, if this should be my last day here on earth,
How then shall I live.
Oh, if this should be the last day that I have
Before I breathe the air of heaven
Let me live it with abandon to
The only thing that remains
After my last day here on earth....
Amen.
I pull over to the side of the road and I
Watch the cars pass me by;
The headlights and the black limousine tell me
Someone is saying goodbye.
I bow my head and I whisper a prayer,
“Father, comfort their broken hearts,”
And as I drive away there's a thought that I
I cannot escape, no I, cannot escape this thought
I can't get away:
Oh, if this should be my last day here on earth,
How then shall I live.
Oh, if this should be the last day that I have
Before I breathe the air of heaven
Let me live it with abandon to
The only thing that remains
After my last day here on earth....
Amen.
A Prayer for Super Bowl Sunday
The world of fast money,
and loud talk,
and much hype is upon us.
We praise huge men whose names will linger only briefly.
We will eat and drink,
and gamble and laugh,
and cheer and hiss,
and marvel and then yawn.
We show up, most of us, for such a circus,
and such an indulgence.
Loud clashing bodies,
violence within rules,
and money and merchandise and music.
And you--today like every day--
you govern and watch and summon;
you glad when there is joy in the earth,
But you notice our liturgies of disregard and
our litanies of selves made too big,
our fascination with machismo power,
and lust for bodies and for big bucks.
And around you gather, as every day,
elsewhere uninvited, but noticed acutely by you,
those disabled and gone feebles,
those alone and failed,
those uninvited and shamed.
And you whose gift is more than "super,"
overflowing, abundant, adequate, all sufficient.
The day of preoccupation with creature comforts writ large,
We pause to be mindful of our creatureliness,
our commonality with all that is small and vulnerable exposed,
your creatures called to obedience and praise.
Give us some distance from the noise,
some reserve about the loud success of the day,
that we may remember that our life consists
not in things we consume
but in neighbors we embrace.
Be our good neighbor that we may practice
your neighborly generosity all through our needy neighborhood.
(a prayer by Walter Brueggemann, from his book, Prayers for a Privileged People)
and loud talk,
and much hype is upon us.
We praise huge men whose names will linger only briefly.
We will eat and drink,
and gamble and laugh,
and cheer and hiss,
and marvel and then yawn.
We show up, most of us, for such a circus,
and such an indulgence.
Loud clashing bodies,
violence within rules,
and money and merchandise and music.
And you--today like every day--
you govern and watch and summon;
you glad when there is joy in the earth,
But you notice our liturgies of disregard and
our litanies of selves made too big,
our fascination with machismo power,
and lust for bodies and for big bucks.
And around you gather, as every day,
elsewhere uninvited, but noticed acutely by you,
those disabled and gone feebles,
those alone and failed,
those uninvited and shamed.
And you whose gift is more than "super,"
overflowing, abundant, adequate, all sufficient.
The day of preoccupation with creature comforts writ large,
We pause to be mindful of our creatureliness,
our commonality with all that is small and vulnerable exposed,
your creatures called to obedience and praise.
Give us some distance from the noise,
some reserve about the loud success of the day,
that we may remember that our life consists
not in things we consume
but in neighbors we embrace.
Be our good neighbor that we may practice
your neighborly generosity all through our needy neighborhood.
(a prayer by Walter Brueggemann, from his book, Prayers for a Privileged People)
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