Icy Praise

It is always fitting to praise you, God.
You speak, the earth obeys.
You spread a blanket of snow on the ground
like wool;
you scatter frost on the grass
like ashes.
You pitch hailstones
like gravel falling from the sky.
You send unimaginable cold,
and then at your command it all melts,
the earth warms,
and streams begin to flow once more.
Wow, Lord God. Wow.

(based on Psalm 147:15-18; photo by image*after)

Epiphany

Father,
you revealed your Son to the nations
by the guidance of a star.
Lead us to your glory in heaven
by the light of faith.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.

(from The Liturgy of the Hours)

For Seasons

Great Creator, thank you for the seasons that unfold right outside my windows,
and display your beauty and creativity,
and remind me of your many blessings and provisions.

Thank you for the glistening Winters,
the shimmer of sun on snow and the crack of branches under ice,
for biting winds and welcoming fireplaces.

Thank you for the vibrancy of Spring,
the budding of trees and blooming of flowers,
the return of the birds and smell of the air.

Thank you for the pleasures of Summer,
the bright sunny days and perfect moonlit evenings,
the smells of mowed grass and air thick with rain.

Thank you for the colors of Fall,
the crisp air and crackling leaves,
the cooling days and Indian Summers.

Great Creator, thank you for the seasons of this earth,
and likewise for the seasons of my life,
that teach me one after the other
that you are good.
Amen.

A Capable Scribe

Lord, make me a capable scribe,
inspiring communicator,
a wordsmith,
a storycrafter,
a truth-teller,
hope-instiller,
life-changer,
question-asker,
need-filler,
thrill-giver,
chill-giver,
funnybone-tickler,
tear-jerker,
page-turner,
strength-supplier,
spirit-lifter,
love-spreader,
friend-of-God-maker
kind of writer, in Jesus’ name, amen.

You Make Me Happy

You make me happy, Lord, so happy in the life you’ve given me;
I have no desire to follow the counsel of those who don't follow you.
I have no desire to listen to anger and blaming and arguing.
I have no desire to be around people who tear down people.
I am so grateful to be led by you,
to have you as my companion,
and to find such joy in knowing you,
worshiping you,
following you,
and serving you.
I delight in your Word;
it speaks to me morning and night.
I truly feel like a tree planted by a flowing stream,
ready to burst with new life and new growth,
positioned for a season of prosperity and blessing.
You make me happy, Lord, so happy in the life you’ve given me.

Billy Graham's Prayer for the New Year

Our Father and our God, as we stand at the beginning of this new year we confess our need of Your presence and Your guidance as we face the future.

We each have our hopes and expectations for the year that is ahead of us—but You alone know what it holds for us, and only You can give us the strength and the wisdom we will need to meet its challenges. So help us to humbly put our hands into Your hand, and to trust You and to seek Your will for our lives during this coming year.

In the midst of life’s uncertainties in the days ahead, assure us of the certainty of Your unchanging love.

In the midst of life’s inevitable disappointments and heartaches, help us to turn to You for the stability and comfort we will need.

In the midst of life’s temptations and the pull of our stubborn self-will, help us not to lose our way but to have the courage to do what is right in Your sight, regardless of the cost.

And in the midst of our daily preoccupations and pursuits, open our eyes to the sorrows and injustices of our hurting world, and help us to respond with compassion and sacrifice to those who are friendless and in need. May our constant prayer be that of the ancient Psalmist: “Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end” (Psalm 119:33).

We pray for our nation and its leaders during these difficult times, and for all those who are seeking to bring peace and justice to our dangerous and troubled world. We pray especially for Your protection on all those who serve in our armed forces, and we thank You for their commitment to defend our freedoms, even at the cost of their own lives. Be with their families also, and assure them of Your love and concern for them.

Bring our divided nation together, and give us a greater vision of what You would have us to be. Your Word reminds us that “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).

As we look back over this past year we thank You for Your goodness to us—far beyond what we have deserved. May we never presume on Your past goodness or forget all Your mercies to us, but may they instead lead us to repentance, and to a new commitment to make You the foundation and center of our lives this year.

And so, our Father, we thank You for the promise and hope of this new year, and we look forward to it with expectancy and faith. This I ask in the name of our Lord and Savior, who by His death and resurrection has given us hope both for this world and the world to come.

Amen.

(from the Daily Prayer blog)

On the Unknown Waters of This New Year

O Lord,

Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed in thy presence, in thy service, to thy glory.

Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from thee,
but may rely on thy Spirit,
to supply every thought,
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire
to show forth thy praise,
testify thy love,
advance thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with thee, O Father, as my harbour,
thee, O Son, at my helm,
thee O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.

Give me grace to sanctify me,
thy comforts to cheer,
thy wisdom to watch,
thy right hand to guide,
thy counsel to instruct,
thy law to judge,
thy presence to stabilize.

May thy fear be my awe,
thy triumphs my joy.

(from The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers, edited by Arthur Bennett)

A Prayer on December 31

Our great and Gracious God, as we come to the close of another year, we would indeed make it the prayer of our hearts that you would abide with us. We thank you that you have been with us through the days of this past year.

Perhaps many a day we have not felt you near,
Perhaps at times we have even felt that you have
forsaken us and forgotten us
but we thank you that it has never been so.
We thank you that you are constantly with your people,
and that you have enabled us to persevere in grace,

You have comforted our hearts,
You have heard our prayers,
You have come so often to our aid.
We pray that you will go with us into this new year.

There is none of us who knows what the new year will hold,
but we thank you that every moment of that year is in your hands,
and you will be with your people.
We thank you that with that promise girding us,
we can go forward with confidence and in your peace.
We pray that you will help us to walk with you in this new year better than we have ever done before.
Forgive us, Lord, for our sins and our backslidings of this past year.

Grant to us, as the days of the new year unfold, an ever closer walk with you.
Help us to put sin to death,
Help us gladly yield our lives unreservedly to Jesus Christ, our Savior, and God
that we may regard ourselves entirely at his disposal to be, to go, to do, as he would wish.
We pray that it may be our privilege to serve him,
to bring glory to him, to help others to know him better,
and to help some, indeed, to come to know him for the first time.
Have mercy, we pray, upon those connected with us who come to the end of this year
and their hearts are still closed against you, still hardening their hearts against you.

Spare them, O God, we pray; spare them!
Grant that this new year would mark the beginning of new life in Jesus Christ.
We are so thankful for the almighty Holy Sprit, for his limitless power
to bring conviction of sin,
to give new birth,
and to draw those who are away from you
to faith and to repentance.
We pray, Lord, that you would do that in the hearts and lives of all who are upon our hearts.
For Jesus’ sake,
Amen.

(From the book Heart Cries to Heaven, by David Campbell)

As We Approach the Close of Another Year

Our great and Gracious God,

As we come to the close of another year, we would indeed make it the prayer of our hearts that you would abide with us.

We thank you that you have been with us through the days of this past year.

Perhaps many a day we have not felt you near,
Perhaps at times we have even felt that you have
forsaken us and forgotten us but we thank you
that it has never been so.
We thank you that you are constantly with your people, and that you have enabled us to persevere in grace,

You have comforted our hearts,
You have heard our prayers,
You have come so often to our aid.
We pray that you will go with us into this new year.

There is none of us who knows what the new year will hold, but we thank you that every moment of that year is in your hands, and you will be with your people.
We thank you that with that promise girding us, we can go forward with confidence and in your peace. We pray that you will help us to walk with you in this new year better than we have ever done before. Forgive us, Lord, for our sins and our backslidings of this past year.

Grant to us, as the days of the new year unfold, an ever closer walk with you.
Help us to put sin to death,
Help us gladly yield our lives unreservedly to Jesus Christ, our Savior, and God that we may regard ourselves entirely at his disposal to be, to go, to do, as he would wish
We pray that it may be our privilege to serve him,
to bring glory to him, to help others to know him better, and to help some, indeed, to come to know him for the first time.
Have mercy, we pray, upon those connected with us who come to the end of this year and their hearts are still closed against you, still hardening their hearts against you.

Spare them, O God, we pray; spare them! Grant that this new year would mark the beginning of new life in Jesus Christ. We are so thankful for the almighty Holy Sprit, for his limitless power
to bring conviction of sin,
to give new birth,
and to draw those who are away from you
to faith and to repentance.
We pray, Lord, that you would do that in the hearts and lives of all who are upon our hearts.
For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

(from Heart Cries to Heaven by David Campbell)

You Are With Me

The Radiance of Your Love

Father in heaven, God of grace,
Grant that we may know
Your beauty and gaze on your face
To such an extent as to show
The radiance of your love
As well on earth as is seen in heaven above.

Save

A Prayer on the Feast of Stephen

Father, on this feast of Stephen,
the first martyr of your church,
I pray for all those
among my brothers and sisters
who today face persecution, even martyrdom.
Give them strength, Lord,
and stamina.
Lift their eyes to their Lord,
as you did for Stephen,
and give them love for their persecutors
and hope for themselves and their families,
in Jesus' name, amen.

On This Christmas Day

We yearn, our Father, for the simple beauty of Christmas -- for all the old familiar melodies and words that remind us of that great miracle when He who had made all things was one night to come as a babe, to lie in the crook of a woman's arm.

Before such mystery we kneel, as we follow the shepherds and Wise Men to bring Thee the gift of our love -- a love we confess has not always been as warm or sincere or real as it should have been. But now, on this Christmas Day, that love would find its Beloved, and from Thee receive the grace to make it pure again, warm and real.

We bring Thee our gratitude for every token of Thy love, for all the ways Thou hast heaped blessings upon us during the years that have gone.

And we do pray, Lord Jesus, that as we celebrate Thy birthday, we may do it in a manner well pleasing to Thee. May all we do and say, every tribute of our hearts, bring honor to Thy name, that we, Thy people, may remember Thy birth and feel Thy presence among us even yet.

May the loving kindness of Christmas not only creep into our hearts, but there abide, so that not even the return to earthly cares and responsibilities, not all the festivities of our own devising may cause it to creep away weeping. May the joy and spirit of Christmas stay with us now and forever.

In the name of Jesus, who came to save His people from their sins, even in that lovely name we pray. Amen.

Come, Come, Jesus, I Await You

Night has fallen; the clear, bright stars are sparkling in the cold air; noisy, strident voices rise to my ear from the city, voices of the revelers of this world who celebrate with merrymaking the poverty of their Saviour. Around me in their rooms my companions are asleep, and I am still wakeful, thinking of the mystery of Bethlehem.

Come, come, Jesus, I await you. . . .

I am a poor shepherd; I have only a wretched stable, a small manger, some wisps of straw. I offer all these to you, be pleased to come into my poor hovel. I offer you my heart; my soul is poor and bare of virtues, the straws of so many imperfections will prick you and make you weep--but oh, my Lord, what can you expect? This little is all I have. . . . I have nothing better to offer you, Jesus, honour my soul with your presence, adorn it with your graces. Burn this straw and change it into a soft couch for your most holy body.

Jesus, I am here waiting for your coming. Wicked men have driven you out, and the wind is like ice. I am a poor man, but I will warm you as well as I can. At least be pleased that I wish to welcome you warmly, to love you and sacrifice myself for you.

Amen.

(This prayer, written by a young Italian seminarian named Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in 1902 who would later become Pope John XXIII, has become a Christmas Eve tradition for me).

O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,
the hope of the nations and their Savior:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.
Amen.

O Rex Gentium

O King of the gentiles and their desired One,
the cornerstone that makes both one:
Come, and deliver man,
whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.

O Oriens

O Rising Sun,
splendor of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death.
Amen.

O Clavis David

O Key of David,
O royal power of Israel,
controlling at your will the gate of heaven:
come, break down the prison walls of death
for those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death;
and lead your captive people into freedom.
Amen.

O Radix Jesse

O Flower of Jesse’s stem,
you have been raised up
as a sign for all peoples;
kings stand silent in your presence;
the nations bow down in worship before you.
Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.
Amen.

O Adonai

O sacred Lord of ancient Israel,
who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush,
who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain:
come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free. Amen.

O Sapientia

O Wisdom,
coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other mightily,
and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.
Amen.

Breath of Heaven

Breath of Heaven,
hold me together;
Be forever near me,
Breath of Heaven.

Breath of Heaven,
lighten my darkness;
Pour over me Your holiness,
for You are holy,
Breath of Heaven.

(excerpt from "Mary's Song," a prayer by Amy Grant and Chris Eaton)

To Approach That Day on Tiptoe

Lord Jesus,
the day of your nativity approaches,
the day on which we commemorate
your birth,
your condescension,
your humble incarnation.

Please help me and mine
to approach that day on tiptoe,
with reverence and awe,
mindful of your holiness and beauty,
and grateful for the privilege
of finding
and approaching
and kneeling at
your manger, amen.

Jonah Prayer

Lord God Adonai,
incline my heart
to run to your will
and not from it...
when it pleases me,
and when it doesn't...
when I am at peace,
and when I am in turmoil...
when you call me to ease
and when you call me to sorrow,
for in your will
is your wisdom,
and in obedience
is my peace. Amen.

A Prayer for More

More holiness give me, more strivings within.
More patience in suffering, more sorrow for sin.
More faith in you, Jesus, more sense of your care.
More joy in your service, more purpose in prayer.

More gratitude give me, more trust in you, Lord.
More zeal for your glory, more hope in your Word.
More tears for your sorrows, more pain at your grief.
More meekness in trial, more praise for relief.

More purity give me, more strength to o’ercome,
More freedom from earth-stains, more longings for home.
More fit for the kingdom, more faithful and true,
More blessèd and holy, more, Savior, like you.

(a prayer of Philip Bliss, slightly revised)

Blessed Trinity

O God the Father, of heaven,
who marvelously created
the world out of nothing,
who governs and upholds heaven
and earth with your power,
who delivered to death
your only-begotten
for us:

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
who willed to be incarnate of a virgin,
who has washed us from our sins
by your precious blood,
who rising from the dead
ascended victorious to heaven:

O God the Holy Ghost, the Comforter,
who descended upon Jesus in
the form of a dove,
who coming upon the apostles
appeared in fiery tongues,
who visits and confirms with your grace
the hearts of the saints:

O sacred, highest, eternal, blissful,
blessed Trinity,
always to be praised, yet always
unspeakable:
O Father good -
O Son loving -
O Spirit kind -
whose majesty is unspeakable,
whose power is incomparable,
whose goodness is inestimable:
whose work is life,
whose love is grace,
whose contemplation is glory:

Deity, Divinity, Unity, Trinity:
I worship you, I call upon you,
with the whole affection of my heart
I bless you now and forever:
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.

(a prayer of Lancelot Andrewes, slightly updated)

Ingenuity

God, I praise you for your ingenuity....
to have thought of the Sabbath...
and snow...
to have created two sexes....
to have created growth itself,
and sleep,
and so many other wonderful things
that we take for granted as though they have always existed...
but once they were not,
and then they were formed in your mind,
and now they are.
How wonderful you are. Amen.

Spare Me

Save me from getting all I pray for,
from receiving all I ask,
until I learn to ask only according to your will.
Break me of my desire to have my desires.
Spare me any pleasure that will halt or delay my progress
in becoming more like you,
in Jesus' name, amen.

(based on a Puritan prayer, found here)

In a Time of Testing

Fast

Lord,
I hold fast to you.
I will not depart from following you,
but will keep your commandments,
by your grace.

Please be with me
wherever I go;
bless me,
prosper me,
and make me a scourge
to all who oppose you,
for the sake of your kingdom,
and for the glory of your name,
in Jesus' name, amen.

(Based on 2 Kings 18:6-7)

Enter

I will enter your gates
with thanksgiving in my heart, Lord;
I will enter your gates
with praise.
I will enter with anticipation.
I will enter with faith.
I will enter humbly,
expectantly,
adoringly,
grateful simply for the privilege
of entering,
and hopeful of giving you the honor
that is due you,
and whatever I may receive from you
is added blessing.
Amen.

From This Misty Lowland

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune god, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(a prayer of A. W. Tozer)

For Pastor Saeed Abedini

Free Pastor Saeed in Iran, Lord.
Please free him.

Open the gates of stubborn hearts.
Cut through the red tape of politics.
Guard him from other prisoners.
Sustain his health and spirit as he waits.

Free him, Lord.
Amen.

(a prayer of author Lisa T. Bergren)

A Confession

I confess to being a jerk while driving.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess to eating too much because I can.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess to giving too little because I can.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess to losing my temper with children...and adults.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess to the selfishness of wanting to be noticed and admired.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess to smugness and self-righteousness.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess to being ungracious and unmerciful toward others.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess to enjoying comfort and plenty as if I am entitled to them.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess to lustful glances and unclean thoughts.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess my envy and jealousy.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess my impatience and insensitivity.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess my covetousness.
Lord, have mercy.

I confess my hypocrisy.
Lord, have mercy.

Thank you for your promised forgiveness
and the cleansing and restoration that is mine
in Christ Jesus,
amen.

A Prayer of Moses, Adapted

Even if you're not pleased with me,
teach me your ways so I may know you
and continue to find favor with you,
for you are my strength,
my life,
my only hope.

(Based on Exodus 33:13)

Magnificat

My soul magnifies you, Lord.

Incarnation of Divine Love

Dear Lord, help me keep my eyes on you.
You are the incarnation of Divine Love,
you are the expression of God's infinite compassion,
you are the visible manifestation of the Father's holiness.
You are beauty, goodness, gentless,
forgiveness, and mercy.
In you all can be found.
Outside of you nothing can be found.

Why should I look elsewhere or go elsewhere?
You have the words of eternal life,
you are food and drink,
you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
You are the light that shines in the darkness,
the lamp on the lamp stand,
the house on the hilltop.
You are the perfect Icon of God.
In and through you I can see the Heavenly Father,
and with you I can find my way to him.

O Holy One, Beautiful One, Glorious One,
be my Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Guide,
my Consoler, my Comforter, my Hope, my Joy, and my Peace.
To you I want to give all that I am.
Let me be generous, not stingy or hesitant.
Let me give you all--
all I have, think, do and feel.
It is yours, O Lord.
Please accept it and make it fully your own.
Amen.

(a prayer of Henri Nouwen, from A Cry for Mercy)

A Post-Thanksgiving Prayer

O My God,
Thou fairest, greatest,
first of all objects,
my heart admires,
adores,
loves thee,
for my little vessel
is as full as it can be,
and I would pour out
all that fullness before thee
in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with thee
ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,
ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,
ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,
crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless thee for the soul thou hast created,
for adorning it, for sanctifying it,
though it is fixed in barren soil;
for the body thou hast given me,
for preserving its strength and vigour,
for providing senses to enjoy delights,
for the ease and freedom of my limbs,
for hands, eyes, ears that do thy bidding;
for thy royal bounty providing my daily support,
for a full table and overflowing cup,
for appetite, taste, sweetness,
for social joys of relatives and friends,
for ability to serve others,
for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,
for a mind to care for my fellow-men,
for opportunities of spreading happiness around,
for loved ones in the joys of heaven,
for my own expectation of seeing thee clearly.

I love thee above the powers of language to express,
for what thou art to thy creatures.

Increase my love, O my God,
through time and eternity.

(from The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers, edited by Arthur Bennett)

More Thanks Than I Can Give

My Maker and my King,
To you my all I owe;
Your sovereign bounty
is the spring
Whence all my blessings flow.

The creature of your hand,
On you alone I live;
My God, your benefits demand
More thanks than I can give.

Lord, what can I impart
When all is yours before?
Your love demands a thankful heart;
My gift, alas! how poor.

O! let your grace inspire,
My heartfelt thanks outpour;
Let every word and each desire
And all my days be yours.
Amen.

(a prayer by hymnwriter Anne Steele, slightly updated)

On the Day Before Thanksgiving Day

For you, who fed the hungry,

May we so break our bread

In constant, costly giving

That others may be fed. 

Amen.

(by Lillian Cox)

Instead

Lord God, please make me
grateful instead of grabbing,
giving instead of greedy,
and gracious instead of so awfully critical,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul

A Prayer On Entering Worship

I come humble
I come broken
I come simple
I come open
I come empty
I come seeking
I come hungry
I come pleading

I come hurting
Hoping
In the darkness
Groping
Ready
Willing
Needing
Filling
Bowing
Lower
Drawing
Closer

My Only Happiness

When the angel gives the record
Of my inmost soul today,
I want my thoughts and actions
With unbroken voice to say:

"The love Thy servant bears Thee
Will endure the hardest test,
And only be happy
In giving the best."

(a prayer by General Albert Orsborn)

Come, Living Water

Come, Living Water.

Come into my weary soul.
Come in like a flood.
Come, shock my system.
Come, fill my empty places.
Come, deluge my dry places.

Come, Living Water.
Come and revive me.
Come refresh me.
Come renew me.
Come recreate me.
Come, Living Water.

Come, Living Water.

Come.

What Is Impossible By Nature

Lord, make possible for me by grace what is impossible to me by nature. You know that I am not able to endure very much, and that I am downcast by the slightest difficulty. Grant that for your sake I may come to love and desire any hardship that puts me to the test, for salvation is brought to my soul when I undergo suffering and trouble for you.

(a prayer of Thomas à Kempis)

For Storm Victims

Father, bless those in Illinois and the other states who have been affected by the recent storms.

Bring healing and comfort where it is needed
and provide for those who have lost homes and possessions.

Bless them as they rebuild,
and help your people as they minister to their neighbors. Amen.

(from the Daily Prayer blog)

In Your Schoolroom

Rabbi, Teacher, Lord, thank you for all you are teaching me these days.

Through scarcity and need you are teaching me to recognize you as the source of my daily bread, and rely on you for the supply of all my needs. You are teaching me also to plan carefully and choose wisely.

Through delay and waiting you are teaching me patience and trust, reminding me that "in quietness and confidence" is my strength (Isaiah 30:15).

Through changing circumstances you are are teaching me (again) to pray, and to remember from whence my help--and help for my children and grandchildren--comes.

Through grief and the slow process of healing, you are teaching me to persevere and deny myself.

Through disappointment and obscurity, you are teaching me humility and contentment.

Through hurt and sorrow, you are teaching me to forgive. Through distractions, you are teaching me focus. Through change, you are teaching me what really matters.

Through it all, Lord, I can see your hand, and your wisdom. Through it all, teach me some of that wisdom, the kind that comes only from you. Help me to learn such lessons well so as to learn the next one--and the ones after that--quicker and better, in Jesus' name, amen.

By All the Promises of Grace

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 of General Albert Orsborn)

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Lord God Adonai,
I'm sorry that I have so often
approached your Word
and combed your Word
and misused your Word
as a repository of rules and formulas
for me--and others, especially others--to obey,
rather than as a means of relationship,
a love note,
a sometimes whispered,
sometimes shouted,
always gracious
invitation to enter into communion with you.
Amen.

As the Typewriter

Don’t let me ever think,
dear God,
that I was anything
but the instrument for Your story—
just like the typewriter
was mine.

(from Flannery O'Connor's Prayer Journal)

Quietly, Easily

Dear Lord,
Help me to live this day,
quietly, easily;

To lean upon thy great strength-
trustfully, restfully;

To wait for the unfolding of thy will-
patiently, serenely;

To meet others-
peacefully, joyously;

To face tomorrow-
confidently, courageously,
With Jesus' help, amen.

Author Unknown

Signature

Woodworker, builder, craftsman in stone,
in your shop by the smith’s,
in the door of your home,
with plumbline to measure, plane to make smooth,
midst curlings and shavings of sweet-scented wood,
knotted and grained, olivewood, oak,
with bow-drill and bit, wood mallet, awl,
mold table and chair, threshing-board, yoke,
winnowing fork, plow, a child’s handhewn toy.

Sweat-streamed, leather-wrapped,
with ax and adz in hand,
you chisel and chip,
cut, hammer, scrape, grind,
file and sand, polish, and buff,
till your craftsmanship shines
in the figure you form.

Carpenter, Artist, sharpen your tools,
Carve your signature in me.

(copyright Bob Hostetler)

In So Many Words

Deal bountifully with your servant today that I may live and keep your word.

Be good to your servant, that I may live and obey your word.

Deal generously with Your servant so that I might live; then I will keep Your word.

Be kind to me so that I may live and hold on to your word.

Do good to your servant. I will live and I will obey your word.

Smile on me today; my very life--and certainly my faithfulness to your Word--depends entirely on your grace.

Amen.

(based on Psalm 119:17 in the--respectively--NASB, NLT, HCSB, GWT, WEB, and personal paraphrase).

Nothing But Thy Blood

(from The Salvation Army's International Staff Songster CD, "Introit." Music by Major Donna Peterson)

On Veterans Day

God of peace,
we pray for those
who have served our nation
and who laid down their lives
to protect and defend our freedom.

We pray for those who have fought,
whose spirits and bodies
are scarred by war,
whose nights are haunted by memories
too painful for the light of day.

We pray for those who serve us now,
especially for those in harm's way:
shield them from danger
and bring them home.

Turn the hearts and minds
of our leaders and our enemies
to the work of justice and a harvest of peace.

Spare the poor, Lord, spare the poor!

May the peace you left us,
the peace you gave us,
be the peace that sustains,
the peace that saves us.

Christ Jesus, hear us!
Lord Jesus, hear our prayer!

Amen.

(from A Concord Pastor Comments blog)

A Lowly Preacher's Prayer

Lord God, what a marvel,
that I can proclaim your Word!
What an honor.
What a joy.

You dwell with the lowly
and visit those who tremble at Your Word.
Anoint me with lowliness.
Fill me with trembling.

Come upon me in spirit and truth.
Overshadow me with your Spirit.

All my springs are in you, Lord.
Flow from me
for the salvation of sinners
and for the blessing,
admonition,
and upbuilding of your church,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Surprise Me

Lord,
I have no idea
of what you have in mind for me today
or any of the ways you'll find to let me know...

I have no idea
of when or how you'll speak to me today,
let alone what you might want to say to me...

I have no idea
of where you might lead me today
or of what and whom I'll meet along the way...

I don't yet know
the moments when you'll reach out
to strengthen and to lift me up when I'm bowed down...

You've got lots of surprises planned for me today, Lord,
and I don't know yet what they might be, so:
let my mind and heart be open
to your plans for me today;
let there be a quiet time and place within
that I might hear the word you speak;
let your Spirit be the compass of my soul
as I follow where your word and will may lead me;
open up my day to all the gifts, the strength and all the help
you never fail to offer...

I have no idea what this day holds, Lord:
surprise me with your presence, your grace, your peace!

(borrowed from my friend Fr. Austin Fleming at A Concord Pastor Comments)

Beyond the Familiar

Help me to journey beyond the familiar
and into the unknown.
Give me the faith to leave old ways
and break fresh ground with You.

Christ of the mysteries, I trust You
to be stronger than each storm within me.
I will trust in the darkness and know
that my times, even now, are in Your hand.

Tune my spirit to the music of heaven,
and somehow, make my obedience count for You.

(a prayer of St. Brendan the Navigator, by way of the Daily Prayer Blog)

For a Tongue Fluent Only in Praise

Lord God, I thank you for oysters and porpoises,
praise you for birdsong and sheet lightning,
see you reflected in pools of creekwater
and the eyes of stray cats.

Let me talk to yard dogs as if they are my friends and fellow travelers along the sun-tortured highways intoxicated with the love of God.
Let me see the whole world
with eyes incapable of anything but wonder,
and a tongue fluent only in praise, amen.

Based on a passage from Pat Conroy's Prince of Tides, pp. 277-278.

O Man of Galilee

O Man of Galilee,
Stay with and strengthen me;
Walk through this day with me,
O Man of Galilee.

(a prayer of Robert Hoggard, slightly revised)

For Daylight

O Lord, despite our right and wrong,
Let Thy daylight come down
Again on woods and field and town,
To be our daily bread and daily song.

(a prayer of Wendell Berry,
from his poem "Voices Late at Night")

Only Speak

“Only speak the word,” the centurion said to you, Jesus.
It is my prayer, too.

Only speak the word and they will be healed.
I ask again.
I ask still.
I ask until.
Only speak the word.

Amen.

I Come to Thee

God of Second Chances and New Beginnings

God of second chances and new beginnings,
I am always amazed that you choose to use me for your kingdom purposes.

You use me as I am …
imperfect …
flawed …
ordinary …
tending sometimes not to do my best …
prone to error …
and very inclined to trip and fall.

Always your grace is greater than my mistakes and stumblings.

Thank you, O God, for using me in spite of myself!
Unfailing God, remind me often that, in your sight, failure is never final.
By your grace, enable me to deal with my own failures constructively and with the failures of others patiently.
Let it be so.

(a prayer of Trudy Archambeau)

A Prayer on All Saints Day

Father, All-Powerful and ever-living God,
you have knit together your elect
in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body
of Your Son, Christ our Lord,
and kindled the flame of your love
in the hearts of the saints.
I praise you for the holy men and women
you have raised up
in every time and place.
Give me grace so to follow their example
in devotion and godliness
that I may come
to those ineffable joys
that you have prepared for those
who unfeignedly love you,
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

(updated and modernized from the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours, the Gothic Missal, and The Book of Common Prayer, 1979)

A Prayer on October 31

From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!

(Traditional Scottish Prayer)