For Those In Turmoil

Lord, I pray for those in turmoil in this world,
those whose governments have fractured,
who have been invaded,
who are suffering from aggression and upheaval.

I pray for the people of Ukraine,
that you will expel the invader
and cause righteousness to prevail
and a new government to form
that will secure their rights
and protect the common good.

I pray for the people of Ecuador,
that their voices may be heard,
that oppression may cease,
that human rights may be respected,
and that freedom may grow.

I pray for the people of Syria,
that their long suffering may be ended soon.
Let the war cease.
Let the hatred and horror cease.
Bring about hope and health,
reconciliation and restoration,
in that broken land.

I pray the same for those in other places,
whose struggles don't make the news,
whose nightmares are accepted as the norm by so many:
those in North Korea,
and Egypt,
and Central African Republic, Nigeria, Somalia,
and so many other, sad, places.

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

Amen.

(photo of St. Michael's Church, Kiev, courtesy of everystockphoto.com)

Just a Clay Jar

God,
help me to resign from the ranks of the “experts.”
Help me not to act like someone who has arrived.

Remind me constantly and repeatedly
of what I was when I was called:
not wise by human standards;
not influential;
not of noble birth.
But you chose this foolish thing,
as you choose so many foolish things of the world
to shame the wise;
you chose this weak thing to shame the strong.
You chose this fragile, earthen pot
to make it clear that all I have
and all I am
and all I do
is from you,
that the glory and honor may be yours.

Help me to be way too curious
and way too humble
and way too vulnerable to act like an expert on anything....
except maybe your incredible sense of humor in extending grace to me!

(based partly on 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 and 2 Corinthians 4:7; photo by hotblack, courtesy of morgueFile)

Morning Has Broken

The Lorica for My Son

I bind to my son, who leaves for California today,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
Invoking the same,
The Three in One
and One in Three.

I plead for him forever
The power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river,
His death on the Cross for his salvation;
His bursting from the spiced tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I plead all for him today.

I invoke for him the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I ask for him today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun’s lifegiving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I beseech for him today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to his need.
The wisdom of his God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give him speech,
His heavenly host to be his guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar his course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I ask, in Jesus’ name, these powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect him, Christ, till your returning.

Christ be with him, Christ within him,
Christ behind him, Christ before him,
Christ beside him, Christ to win him,
Christ to comfort and restore him.
Christ beneath him, Christ above him,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love him,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I ask all this in the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord. Amen.

(based on The Lorica, or Breastplate, of St. Patrick)

Let Your Eye Be On Me

Lord, through this day,
my hands will be on the wheel,
but let your eye be one me.
Let your angels surround, guide,
and protect me,
and see me safely
to my various destinations,
and finally to my lodging tonight,
that I may serve you
from a tranquil heart
and sharp mind tomorrow,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Keyboard Prayer

Lord God, my Father, my King,
my Sovereign, my All,
I RETURN to you with all my heart,
I ENTER your presence with gratitude and joy,
I ESCAPE into your arms and nestle in the shadow of your wing.

DELETE the stain of worldly strife and wicked desires.
SHIFT my attention and priorities to reflect your wishes.
COMMAND me and bend me to your will.
CONTROL my impulse, intellect, and intentions
until I see no OPTION
and pursue no FUNCTION
but that which is utterly and constantly
pleasing to you,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Now and Then

Almighty God, thank you
that you not only loved me,
but you love me right now.
Thank you that you saved me
and are saving me.
Thank you that you spoke,
and that you speak.
Thank you that you gave yourself for me
and that you give yourself to me.
Thank you that you thought of me eons ago
and think of me still,
that you made a way for me
and make a way for me still,
that you answered my prayers
and answer them still.
Thank you, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
that you are the God of the living THEN
and of my life NOW,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Give Yourself to Me

Give me yourself, O my God, give yourself back to me. Lo, I love you, but if my love is too mean, let me love more passionately. I cannot gauge my love, nor know how far it fails, how much more love I need for my life to set its course straight into your arms, never swerving until hidden in the covert of your face. This alone I know, that without you all to me is misery, woe outside myself and woe within, and all wealth but penury, if it is not my God.

(a prayer from The Confessions of St. Augustine)

Possession

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Of My Bursting Heart

Gracious Sovereign Lord, you know this day is likely to be filled with a million emotions for me. This day--my son's last as worship leader at Cobblestone Community Church--will fill my heart with joy and sorrow, grief and gratitude, blessing and beauty, love and pride and wonder, and a million other emotions I couldn't even begin to label.

You have been good, Lord. You have let me be blessed over and over again by Aaron and Nina's worship leading, and that of their friends and fellow worshipers. You have let me wrestle with pride. You have filled my eyes with tears at Aaron and Nina's growth and depth and passion and ability. You have rebuked and encouraged, broken and blessed me through them.

But today it may be hard to focus my heart and mind as I should. It may be hard to worship truly and fully while such emotions wash over me. I promise to try, Lord, because you are always and completely worthy of my unflagging attention and my unmixed, undiluted worship. Just be pleased, Lord, to take the joy and sorrow, grief and gratitude, blessing and beauty, love and pride and wonder of my heart as the meager offering of my bursting heart, in Jesus' name, amen.

Remove

My Lord and my God,
remove far from me
whatever keeps me
from You.

My Lord and my God,
confer upon me
whatever enables me
to reach You.

My Lord and my God,
free me from self
and make me
wholly Yours.

(a prayer of Nicholas of Flue)

Dispose the Day

How Thou pleasest, God,
Dispose the day.

(William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act IV, Scene III)

Thanks for a Spiritual Mentor

You put me under the wing of a saint, and I have stayed there. You used his hands to bear me up, and the result has been grace upon grace. I asked for instruction in religion: he made me get down on my knees and make my confession and sent me straight away to Holy Communion. When I think of it, I cannot stop myself from crying: and I do not want to stop the tears running down for, O God, they are so justified. What streams of tears should flow from my eyes at the remembrance of so many mercies! How good you have been--how happy I am! What have I done to deserve it?

(a prayer of Charles de Foucauld, from The Spiritual Autobiography of Charles de Foucauld)

Save Me From Gluttony

Abba,
please save me from gluttony.
Let me say with my actions
that my belly is not my god.
Teach me to eat for nourishment and enjoyment,
but not in a futile attempt
to fulfill spiritual or emotional needs.

Control my eating today, Lord;
transform me physically by renewing me mentally and spiritually,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Spirit Wind

Lord God Adonai,
teach me please not to be blown around
on the waves of circumstances,
but to sail solely
by the wind
of the Spirit,
in Jesus' name, amen.

(photo courtesy of my friend Willa Patterson)

Prayer After a Day of Air Travel

God of sky and air,
God of heaven and earth,
thank you for our safe travel yesterday.
Thank you for the shuttle drivers who got us to the airport from the hotel
and to our car from the airport.
Thank you for the security staff that treated us kindly.
Thank you for the pilots, flight attendants, and ground crew
whose work served us well.
Thank you for the gate agent that kept the door open for us.
Thank you that we made our connection, if barely.
Thank you that our luggage made it, too.
Thank you that our car started.
Thank you that we had enough gas in the tank to make it to the gas station.
Thank you for keeping us safe in the sky and on the roads,
and returning us safely to our sweet, sweet home,
in Jesus' name, amen.

Prayer for a Day of Air Travel

Sunday Prayer

Good morning, Abba!

Thank you for another day,
another Sunday,
another resurrection morning,
another day of worship.

Please, make this a sacred day,
a day in which your Name is magnified,
your praise multiplied,
your glory manifested,
your heart made glad.

Meet your gathering servants.
Condescend to every waiting heart.
Make every heart beat with devotion
that all may worship You in spirit and in truth.

Unite your people in heart and soul,
that every one may receive the blessing
promised to all who sincerely pray to You
and faithfully hear Your Word,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

Compline

Before the ending of the day,
Creator of the world, we pray
That you, with steadfast love, would keep
Your watch around us while we sleep.

From evil dreams defend our sight,
From fears and terrors of the night;
Tread underfoot our deadly foe
That we no sinful thought may know.

O Father, that we ask be done
Through Jesus Christ, your only Son;
And Holy Spirit, by whose breath
Our souls are raised to life from death.

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,
thorn-wearing
cross-bearing 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.

The Grandparents They Need

Abba, Father, by your great mercy, grace, and power, make us exactly and always the kind of grandparents our grandchildren need.

Whether they are near or far, make us worthy of their love and trust. Let them always feel safe with us. Make us wise in word and deed toward them. Help us to be firm when they need it, playful when they need that, and understanding at all times.

Help us to teach them your ways. Help us to prioritize time with them. Help us to make the most of every moment we have with them.

May we always be a refuge for them. An encouragement to them. A blessing. A resource. An example. A help. And a channel of your will and work in them, in Jesus' name, amen.

Always Welcome

Bob Bennett / You're Welcome Here from Calvary Chapel Life on Vimeo.

A Writer’s Confession

Most holy and merciful Father:
I confess that I have sinned by my own fault
in thought, word, and deed;
by what I have done, and by what I have left undone.

I have not loved you with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. I have let the idea of being a writer distract me from devotion to you. I have made myself busier with words than with your Word. I have been consumed by my writing plans and dreams rather than your good, perfect, and pleasing will for me. I have been impatient with you, instead of trusting your love, wisdom, and timing.

Nor have I loved my neighbor as myself. I have been envious of others. I have sought advancement over others. I have made uncharitable judgments toward others.

Have mercy on me, Lord.

I have relied on my own strength.

Have mercy on me, Lord.

I have prioritized approval and affirmation from others instead of seeking your smile first and always.

I confess to you, Lord.

I have been discouraged by disappointing sales and lagging income instead of trusting you for my reputation and daily bread.

I confess to you, Lord.

I have been been physically and intellectually lazy.

I confess to you, Lord.

I have worried more than prayed.

I confess to you, Lord.

I have written pablum when you deserved poetry. I have hurried when you urged patience. I have settled for my thoughts instead of plumbing your depths.

I confess to you, Lord.

Accept my repentance, Lord, for the wrongs I have done.

Forgive me, and try me again.

Hear me, that I may hear you,

And write your thoughts on my heart that I may write what will reach the hearts of others, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(photo by danilo.mistroni, via everystockphoto.com)

On Tiptoe

Esperar En Ti

Speed the Day

Lord,
please speed the day
when his vest--
and his sister's--
will be unnecessary,
when nebulizers and inhalers are put away,
when they can eat without taking enzymes,
when their pancreases function properly,
when their lungs are clear,
when their life expectancy is lengthened,
when their prospects are unlimited,
when their struggles and pains
have nothing to do with cystic fibrosis,
because a cure has been found
or a miraculous healing has taken place,
in Jesus' name, amen.

(visit here to learn more)

Without Veneer

Lord God,
please let me be
graced with the opportunity
to live without veneer.

(from a line by M. Craig Barnes in his book, The Pastor as Minor Poet, p. 38).

For Your Word

Lord God, I praise you for your Word and its words.
I praise you for every syllable and every stroke in its pages.
I praise you for the sanctified thoughts of every biblical author,
and the painstaking care of every scribe;
for its miraculous preservation and propagation over millennia;
for the translators who studied and worked
to make the message plain.

I praise you for its availability in my lifetime.
I praise you for the times—few though they are—I have heard and heeded it.
I praise you for its immeasurable influence on my life,
my home,
my family,
my culture,
my country,
my world,
my age,
in Jesus’ name, amen.

(photo by Plusverde, via stock.xchng)

I Run To You

Jesus,
Lover of my soul,
Source of all good,
I flee to you,
I run into your arms,
my Friend,
my Brother,
my Lord and my God,
my Savior,
my Stronghold.
Amen.

In the Shadow

It's good here, Lord.
Safe,
Dry,
Sheltered,
Protected,
Calm,
Peaceful,
Quiet.
Under the shadow of your wings.

(Photo credit: Brad Harrison, Beaver River Media, via stock.xchng)

I Pretend to Nothing

My God, I pretend to nothing upon this earth,
except to be so firmly united to you by prayer
that to be separated from you may be impossible;
let others desire riches and glory;
for my part, I desire but one thing,
and that is to be inseparably united to you,
and to place in you alone
all my hopes of happiness
and repose.

(a prayer of St. John Scholasticus)

Ven, Espiritu, Ven

//Ven, Espiritu, ven,
//Come Spirit, come
Y llename Señor
And fill me Lord (God)
Con tu preciosa uncion.//
With Your precious anointing oil


Purificame y lavame,
Purify me and wash me clean
Renuevame, restaurame, Señor,
Renew me and restore me, Lord
Con tu poder.
With Your power.


Purificame y lavame,
Purify me and wash me clean
Renuevame, restaurame, Señor,
Renew me and restore me, Lord
Te quiero conocer.
I want to know You.

A Writer's Hymn

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my laughter and my tears, all my insecurities and fears.
Take my desk and office chair, take my flittings here and there.
Take my keyboard, and my screen. Take my pages, plans, and schemes.
Take my grins, my groans, my frowns. Take my pacings up and down.

Let every bit be used by you, the good, the bad, and ugly too.
Make me better than I know to be, by being yours while being me,
Let every word I type be true by coming first and most from you.
Suggest, revise, inform, inspire, and take my writing higher and higher.

Take my fingertips, let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.

(based on and drawing from a hymn by Francis Ridley Havergal)

An Aquinas Prayer for My Children

Grant to my children your grace, most merciful Jesus, that it may be with them and in them now and to the end of their lives. Grant that they may always desire and will those things that are most acceptable and most dear to you. Let your will be theirs, and let their will ever follow yours and agree perfectly with it. Let their willing and not-willing be in complete unison with your will, and let them not be able to will anything but what you will, nor will not what you will not, in Jesus’ name, amen.

(Based on a prayer by Thomas Aquinas)

A Place to Walk

Thank you, God, for making my way secure,
for making my feet like the feet of a deer,
for lifting me up onto higher ground
and causing me to stand on the heights.

Thank you for sustaining me and holding me;
for providing a broad path for my feet,
a firm place to walk upon.

Thank you for showing me where to go,
and for going there ahead of me,
and behind me,
and with me.

Your presence is sweet.
Your ways are good.
You are altogether wonderful to me. Amen.

Fireplace Prayer

Thank you for fire, Lord. 

For the warmth it gives. 

The light it shines. 

Its aroma. 

Its energy. 

Its beauty.

Make me like that. 

Amen. 

Lift Me Up

Why is it, Lord, that I so quickly
see the problem,
call to mind the hurt,
rehearse the pain,
dwell on my mistakes,
fret and stew in worry
and feed upon my fear?

Why is it, Lord, that I'm so slow
to see your grace,
treasure peaceful moments,
hold on to every healing,
listen for your whispered word,
lean upon your strength,
and place my troubled heart
in your open, loving hands?

Lift me up, O Lord,
out of all that keeps me down...

Open wide my eyes to see
the beauty of your face...

Lift my hands and heart
to you in prayer...

Open up my ears
to your Spirit's voice within me...

Touch my mind and heart
where I'm most in need of healing...

Remind me every day of my blessings,
old and new...

Give me strength to live
one day,
one hour,
one minute at a time...

Lift me up, O Lord,
out of all that keeps me down
and let my spirit find its joy
in you and in your love...

Amen.

(from A Concord Pastor Comments; art by Amy S. Turner)

Sumergeme

Tired of the way,
Thirsty for you,
I've crossed a desert,
I have stayed without strength;
I come to you.

I fought like a soldier,
and sometimes I suffered
And although I won the fight,
I have worn my armor
I come to you.

Immerse me
in the river of your spirit;
I need to refresh this dry heart,
Thirsty for you:

Immerse me.

Sunday Morning Thanks

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A Revised Hymn of Praise

Summer IN Winter, and sunshine and beach time,


Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

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A Favorite Prayer of Praise

A Travel Te Deum

The alarm worked fine.
The car started.
The garage door wasn't frozen shut.
The roads were clear.
The deer stayed out of our way.
There were open parking spaces close to the terminal.
The security check went smoothly.
The gate personnel were kind and helpful.
The first flight departed on time and arrived early.
The airport shuttle waited for us.
The second flight's doors were still open--just--when we arrived at the gate.
The airline got us to our destination, only a little late.
Praise God.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Your Grace Has Stirred Me

Lord, why did you tell me to love all men, my brothers?

I have tried, but I come back to you, frightened…
Lord, I was so peaceful at home,
I was so comfortably settled.
It was well furnished, and I felt cozy.
I was alone, I was at peace.
Sheltered from the wind, the rain, the mud.
I would have stayed unsullied in my ivory tower.

But, Lord, you have discovered a breach in my defences,
You have forced me to open my door,
Like a squall of rain in the face,
the cry of men has awakened me;
Like a gale of wind a friendship has shaken me,
As a ray of light slips in unnoticed,
your grace has stirred me…
and, rashly enough, I left my door ajar.

Now, Lord, I am lost!

Outside men were lying in wait for me.
I did not know they were so near;
in this house, in this street, in this office;
my neighbour, my colleague, my friend.
As soon as I started to open the door I saw them,
with outstretched hands, burning eyes, longing hearts,
like beggars on church steps.

The first ones came in, Lord.
There was after all some space in my heart.
I welcomed them.
I would have cared for them and fondled them,
my very own little lambs, my little flock.
You would have been pleased, Lord,
I would have served and honoured you in a proper, respectable way.
Till then, it was sensible…

But the next ones, Lord, the other men,
I had not seen them; they were hidden behind the first ones.
There were more of them, they were wretched;
they over-powered me without warning.
We had to crowd in, I had to find room for them.
Now they have come from all over, in successive waves, pushing one another, jostling one another.
They have come from all over town, from all parts of the country, of the world;
numberless, inexhaustible.
They don’t come alone any longer but in groups,
bound one to another.
They come bending under heavy loads;
loads of injustice, of resentment and hate, of suffering and sin…
They drag the world behind them, with everything rusted, twisted, or badly adjusted.
Lord, they hurt me!
They are in the way, they are everywhere,
They are too hungry, they are consuming me!
I can’t do anything any more;
as they come in, they push the door, and the door opens wider…

Lord! My door is wide open!
I can’t stand it any more!
It’s too much!
It’s no kind of life!
What about my job? My family? My peace? My liberty? And me?

Lord, I have lost everything, I don’t belong to myself any longer;
There’s no more room for me at home.

Don’t worry, God says, you have gained all.
While men came in to you, I, your Father, I, your God,
Slipped in among them.

(from the book, Prayers of Life)

Prayer for an Emmaus Day

Lord, you know what awaits me and the lovely Robin today. You know every bend and bump in the road, every sunbeam and cloud in the sky. So, Lord, please, make straight paths for our feet. Grant us safe travel. Grant us successful travel. Please let us make our connections. Please help us reach our destination. Save us from worry and stress. Make us patient and polite along the way. Make us kind and attentive to others, and please give us the blessing of somehow being helpful to someone else. And especially, Lord, make this day an Emmaus moment, that we may travel in your company and, when we reach our destination, know you better than when we began, in Jesus' name, amen.

(photo by Glen26, courtesy of stock.xchng)

Stir the Embers

As I stir the embers of my daily fire, I ask you, living God, to stir the embers of my heart into a flame of love for you, my family, my neighbor, and my enemy. Amen.

(an ancient Celtic prayer, used each morning as the embers in the household hearth were stirred; photo by Conanil, courtesy of everystockphoto.com)

For Answers

Lord God, my Father,
thank you for answered prayer
for flight schedules,
for safety,
for blessing,
for beauty,
for strength,
guidance,
bread,
forgiveness,
deliverance,
and grace.

And that's just the last twenty-four hours.

Amen.

(photo by Candy_N via www.everystockphoto.com)

Before

Today, O Lord —
let me put others before self;
let me put things of the Spirit before the things of the body;
let me put the attainment of noble ends before the enjoyment of present pleasures;
let me put principle above reputation;
and let me put you before all else.

(a prayer of John Baillie)

For Help in My Great Strides Efforts

Lord God Adonai, you have been so good to bless me and the lovely Robin with the children and grandchildren we have. My cup runneth over.

And though the two youngest face the daily challenge presented by Cystic Fibrosis, I pray that it will not be a lifelong challenge, but that our efforts and the efforts of many others, including the CF Foundation, will result in eradication of this disease very soon.

To that end, Lord, I beg you for your help in my family's GREAT STRIDES efforts this year.

Please guide me in my efforts to get the word out. I pray for donations of $3,500 or more. I pray for you to move in the hearts of more than fifty people to bring that about. I pray also, please inspire five or more people to become "McCane's Miracles" team members to set their own goals and raise funds toward a cure. Please send matching gifts from generous, community-minded businesses and organizations. Please move area churches, clubs, and groups to help. Please send at least 150 people to walk the streets of Oxford in May to show their support. Please make this year's GREAT STRIDES efforts a success from YOUR perspective, and use our efforts--and every donation--to bring about a cure, in Jesus' name, amen.

(Visit my GREAT STRIDES homepage here to learn more)

Rush

O Holy Spirit, rush upon me.
Amen.

(a prayer based on 1 Samuel 16:13, ESV: "And the Spirit of The Lord rushed upon David")

Self-Made Man

God, save me
from the desire--
and my tendency--
to be a self-made man
instead of
a Spirit-made man.

(photo by "white bird," courtesy of photoXpress)

A Simple Plan

Higher, Please

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.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Apples of Gold

Father, let my speaking today

be like apples of gold 

in settings of silver, 

in Jesus' name, 

amen. 

To Have My Heart Changed

Lord, I am willing to have my heart changed.
Though it may mean that I shall be despised
and hated and persecuted, I will take up my cross;
I will crucify myself.
I am willing that my selfishness and pride
and hate and uncleanness shall be taken from me,
and that You shall reign in me
and create in me a clean heart,
perfect in its love, submission, loyalty, trust, and obedience.
Amen.

(a prayer of Samuel Logan Brengle, as found in Take Time to Be Holy, the January 5 reading)

Prayer of Thanks for the Prayers of Others

Abba, thank you for the prayers of others on my behalf,
those times when someone's prayer--unbeknownst to me--
has encouraged, healed, delivered, or empowered me.

How many times in my life have I unknowingly been saved because someone--somewhere--prayed for me?

How many prayers have turned back some disaster that awaited me?

How many moments have been shot through with blessing and loveliness because someone spoke my name to you?

Whether close or distant,
from a friend or stranger,
long or short, thank you for them all.

How I will rejoice in eternity to see the record of all who have prayed for me, and how much I owe to them.

A Fair Question

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)