My Little Vessel
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)
My Heartfelt Thanks Outpour
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)
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.
(photo by Mohamed Nohassi via unsplash.com)
Praying This Today for My Kids, Grandkids
Blessed Lord, in You is Refuge
Safety for my trembling soul;
Pow’r to lift my head when drooping
’Midst the angry billows’ roll.
I will trust you;
All my life you shall control.
In the past too unbelieving
’Midst the tempest I have been,
And my heart has slowly trusted
What my eyes have never seen.
Blessèd Jesus,
Teach me on your arm to lean.
Give me trust that brings the triumph
When defeat seems strangely near;
Grant me faith that changes fighting
Into vict’ry’s ringing cheer!
Faith triumphant,
Knowing not defeat nor fear,
amen.
(a prayer of Herbert Booth, slightly revised; photo via pixabay.com)
Make Them Kind
My prayer today for my kids and my grandkids, from the "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids" app for iPhone and iPad:
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.
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; photo by KaraSuva via pixabay.com)
My Soul Glorifies You
My soul glorifies you,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
my Father in heaven,
for you see me in my humble state,
you are attentive to me right where I am.
You are able to bless me abundantly,
so that in all things at all times,
having all that I need, I will abound in every good work.
You are the Mighty One
who has already done great things for me—
the Holy One, whose mercy extends to all who fear you,
from generation to generation.
You have performed mighty deeds with your arm;
you have scattered the proud
and deposed rulers from their thrones
but you have lifted up the humble.
You have filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
You have helped me,
always present, always close, all-powerful, and all-willing.
Father in heaven, increase my faith,
and embolden my prayers,
in Jesus’ name, amen.
(a prayer from The Red Letter Prayer Life)
O Keeper of the Faith
O Keeper of the Faith,
to keep the faith entrusted to us,
faith in a world worth saving,
faith in a dream worth sharing,
faith in a heritage worth keeping
even as we invigorate it
to have meaning for us now.
Help us keep faith in you,
and help us not lose faith in ourselves,
for faith is the substance of our hope,
and hope, the assurance of love.
Praise to you, O Faithful One,
now and forever.
(a prayer of Miriam Therese Winter, from The Complete Book of Christian Prayer; photo via everystockphoto.com)
Election Day
I pray for safe and secure elections. Let cheaters and abusers of the system be exposed and prosecuted. Bless poll workers and election officials with honor, stamina, focus, and integrity.
I pray for every candidate for every office, and the people who love them: God, be merciful to them and bless them; look on them with kindness (Psalm 67:1), whether they win or lose, and accomplish what is best for them, their loved ones, and their constituents.
I pray Isaiah 11:2 for every voter: Holy Spirit, speak to every person who votes in this election. Send the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD on everyone who casts a ballot.
I pray for justice to roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream, through my neighborhood, city, state, and nation (Amos 5:24).
I pray for your people to participate in this election and respond to the results not in a spirit of fear and timidity, but in a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).
As Jesus prayed, I ask for your will rather than mine (Matthew 26:39). Dispel suspicion and hatred, heal divisions, repair the damage to and by your church, and restore unity and sanity to our nation.
And, finally, Father, I ask for the faith to see your hand in the results of this election, even as I remember those people around the world who have no voice and no vote. Let my reaction to this election reveal my faith in You and my awareness of my privilege and responsibility as a citizen, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Stay with Me
let no word cross my lips that is not your word,
no thoughts enter my mind that are not your thoughts,
no deed ever be done or entertained by me that is not your deed.
(a prayer by Malcolm Muggeridge)
(a prayer by Malcolm Muggeridge)
Just As I Am
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd'st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.
I come.
Catch and Cushion Your Children
catch and cushion your children...
let your everlasting arms shield
and strengthen
and support us all,
in Jesus' name, amen.
(photo via everystockphoto.com)
For Saints Past and Present
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)
From Things That Go Bump in the Night
And long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!
(traditional Scottish prayer;
photo via publicdomainpictures.net)
As the Bunch of Wild Flowers
(a prayer of Charles H. Spurgeon, updated slightly; photo via pixabay.com).
Descend
Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth, through all its pulses move.
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as you are,
And make me love you as I ought to love.Teach me to feel that you are always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh;
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.Teach me to love you as your angels love,
One holy passion filling all my frame;
The baptism of the Heaven-descended Dove,
My heart an altar and your love the flame.(from a hymn of George Croly, slightly revised; photo via pixabay.com)
Today's Prayer for My Kids and Grandkids
O Mad Lover!
O eternal, infinite God!
O mad lover!
And you have need of your creature?
It seems so to me,
for you act as if you could not live without [me],
in spite of the fact that you are Life itself,
and everything has life from you and nothing can have life without you.
Why then are you so mad?
Because you have fallen in love with what you have made?...
You clothed yourself in our humanity,
and nearer than that you could not have come.
(a prayer of Catherine of Siena; detail from a photo by christinhumephoto via unsplash.com)
For Grace in Our Changing Day
It was your custom,to go to the temple,
to the noisome temple
sometime to the scandalised temple
listening to the mumbo jumbo,
but it was your custom to go.
...
Give us grace in our changing day
to stand by the temple that is the present church,
the noisome temple
the sometime scandalised temple that is the present church,
listening sometime to what again seems mumbo jumbo.
Make it our custom to go
till the new outline of your Body for our day
becomes visible in our midst.
(from George MacLeod, The Whole Earth Shall Cry Glory, p. 39)
Come and Dwell
(suggested by lines from Helps to Holiness by Samuel Logan Brengle, chapter 19; now revised and updated for modern readers)
Like That One Tree
that one tree,
that changes early
and easily
and willingly
and beautifully
when the season of change
comes,
in Jesus' name, amen.
(photo via freefoto.com)
For a Long Day of Travel
Father God,
please grant me and the lovely Robin
safe and successful travel today.
Make smooth paths
(and flight schedules) for our feet.
Grant safe and timely travel to the airport.
Help us to make our flights
and safely reach our destination.
Protect us from coach cabin and airport terminal infections.
Guide our steps,
guard our thoughts,
and give us sweet communion with you and
pleasant interactions with others.
Make us alert to any opportunity to be the means of blessing
to our fellow travelers,
or those who serve them,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Misplaced
The pride which leads me
to trust in myself
and not in you,
O Lord, forgive. Amen.
(based on a plaque in Coventry Cathedral; photo by @spiritvisionstudios via unsplash.com)
On My Daughter's Birthday
And still, after all this time (sorry, Aubrey),
I still can't fathom,
can't even process,
that she is all she is.
I'm still and always amazed
at how kindly, fully, and generously
you've answered my prayers
and her mother's prayers
for her.
You have made her faithful like Ruth and regal like Esther,
fierce like Deborah and brilliant like Abigail,
industrious like Lydia and a leader like Junia.
I give you so much praise and thanks
for my only daughter,
my firstborn, my Blossom;
for the child you gave me,
the woman she is,
the love we share,
the pride and joy I feel in her,
the blessings you've given her,
and the blessings you've given me through her.
Please bless her abundantly today
and in all the days to come.
Keep her safe and well.
Keep her marriage strong and beautiful.
Prosper her and her husband,
answer their prayers,
supply their needs,
fulfill their dreams.
Let her children continue to grow in happiness, health, and holiness.
Reward Aubrey's love and faithfulness and diligence as a mom
with beauty and grace,
charm and wisdom,
health and wholeness,
integrity and strength in each of her children
as you have done for me in mine.
Show her every kindness,
grant her your favor,
use her,
bless her,
hold her,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Fly to You
I fly to you,
I lay my head on your chest,
my Friend,
my Brother,
my Lord and my God,
my Savior,
my Stronghold.
Amen.
(photo by Free-Photos via pixabay.com)
Reasonably Sweet
Lord, Thou knowest better than I myself
that I am growing older and will someday be old.
Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something
on every subject and on every occasion.
Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs.
Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy.
With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all;
but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.
Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details;
give me wings to get to the point.
Seal my lips on my aches and pains;
they are increasing, and love of rehearsing them
is becoming sweeter as the years go by.
I dare not ask for improved memory,
but for a growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness
when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.
Teach me the glorious lesson
that occasionally I may be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet,
for a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.
Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places
and talents in unexpected people;
and give, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.
Amen.
(author unknown; photo via pixabay.com)
Bright Flame
Be thou a guiding star above me,
Be thou a smooth path below me,
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me,
Today,
tonight,
and for ever.
(a prayer of Columba of Iona;
illustration by Comfreak via pixabay.com)
Pierce Our Souls with Your Love
O God and Lord of the Powers,and Maker of all creation,Who, because of your clemencyand incomparable mercy,sent your Only-Begotten Sonand our Lord Jesus Christfor the salvation of mankind,and with His venerable Crosstore asunder the record of our sins,and thereby conquered the rulers and powers of darkness;receive from us sinful people, O merciful Master,these prayers of gratitude and supplication,and deliver us from every destructive and gloomy transgression,and from all visible and invisible enemies who seek to injure us.Nail down our flesh with fear of you,and let not our hearts be inclined to words or thoughts of evil,but pierce our souls with your love,that ever contemplating you,being enlightened by you,and discerning you,the unapproachable and everlasting Light,we may unceasingly render confession and gratitude to you:The eternal Father, with your Only-Begotten Son,and with your All-Holy, Gracious,and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.(a prayer of St. Basil; photo by Roman Kraft via unsplash.com)
To Find My Value
How I compare to others isn't important.
The only thing that matters--and the only way to avoid my insecurities--
is to find my value as a creation of almighty God.
When I reflect on how much you love me, I find the courage to be myself,
and I realize I might be more valuable than I give myself credit for.
(an excerpt from the book, 365 Pocket Prayers, by Ron Beers)
Lovers of Your Word
(today's prayer for my children and grandchildren from the iPhone/iPad app, "31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids," available in the iTunes app store, here)
Carillon
Lord God, make my life a prayer to you.
Make my words a hymn.
Make my actions and attitudes a carillon
that calls those around me to worship you,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Greyness of Our Apathy
(a prayer of Bede the Venerable, by way of the Daily Prayer Blog; photo by @dbmartin00 via unsplash.com)O Christ, our Morning Star,
Splendour of Light Eternal,
shining with the glory of the rainbow,
come and waken us
from the greyness of our apathy,
and renew in us your gift of hope.
Amen.
For Their Salvation
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