From all my lame defeats and oh! much more,
From all the victories that I seemed to score;
From cleverness shot forth on Thy behalf,
At which, while angels weep, the audience laugh;
From all my proofs of Thy divinity,
Thou, who wouldst give no sign, deliver me.
Thoughts are but coins. Let me not trust, instead
Of Thee, their thin-worn image of Thy head.
From all my thoughts, even from thoughts of Thee,
O thou fair Silence, fall, and set me free.
Lord of the narrow gate and the needle’s eye,
Take from me all my trumpery lest I die.
(a prayer and poem of C.S. Lewis, from his Poems, ed. Walter Hooper (San Diego: Harcourt, 1992), p. 129)
Traveling Prayer
Gracious Lord, be with me as I travel today.
Make smooth paths for me.
Grant safe and timely travel
to the airport,
between airports,
and between gates.
Help me to make my flights
and safely reach my destination.
Guide my steps,
guard my thoughts,
and give me sweet communion with you
and pleasant interactions with others
everywhere I go,
in Jesus' name, amen.
A Prayer for Rosh Hashanah
So now, the Kedushah prayer shall ascend to You, for You, our God, are King.Let us now relate the power of this day's holiness, for it is awesome and frightening. On it Your Kingship will be exalted; Your throne will be firmed with kindness and You will sit upon it in truth. It is true that You alone are the One Who judges, proves, knows, and bears witness; Who writes and seats, (counts and calculates); Who remembers all that was forgotten. You will open the Book of Chronicles - it will read itself, and everyone's signature is in it. The great shofar will be sounded and a still, thin sound will be heard. Angels will hasten, a trembling and terror will seize them - and they will say, 'Behold, it is the Day of Judgment, to muster the heavenly host for judgment!'- for they cannot be vindicated in Your eyes in judgment.
All mankind will pass before You like members of the flock. Like a shepherd pasturing his flock, making sheep pass under his staff, so shall You cause to pass, count, calculate, and consider the soul of all the living; and You shall apportion the fixed needs of all Your creatures and inscribe their verdict.
On Rosh Hashanah will be inscribed and on Yom Kippur will be sealed how many will pass from the earth and how many will be created; who will live and who will die; who will die at his predestined time and who before his time; who by water and who by fire, who by sword, who by beast, who by famine, who by thirst, who by storm, who by plague, who by strangulation, and who by stoning. Who will rest and who will wander, who will live in harmony and who will be harried, who will enjoy tranquillity and who will suffer, who will be impoverished and who will be enriched, who will be degraded and who will be exalted.
But REPENTANCE, PRAYER and CHARITY
Remove the Evil of the Decree!
For Your Name signifies Your praise: hard to anger and easy to appease, for You do not wish the death of one deserving death, but that he repent from his way and live. Until the day of his death You await him; if he repents You will accept him immediately.
It is true that You are their Creator and You know their inclination, for they are flesh and blood. A man's origin is from dust and his destiny is back to dust, at risk of his life he earns his bread; he is likened to a broken shard, withering grass, a fading flower, a passing shade, a dissipating cloud, a blowing wind, flying dust, and a fleeting dream.
But You are the King, the Living and Enduring G-d.
There is no set span to Your years and there is no end to the length of Your days. It is impossible to estimate the angelic chariots of Your glory and to elucidate Your Name's inscrutability. Your Name is worthy of You and You are worthy of Your Name, and You have included Your Name in our name.
A Prayer for Yousef Nadarkhani
Lord God Adonai, have mercy on Yousef Nadarkhani. Give him grace and courage in this furnace of affliction, in this trial of his faith. Strengthen and comfort his family. Keep them faithful to your Son. Guard his wife and children from fear and save them from bitterness and hatred. Deliver Pastor Nadarkhani from death, prison, and persecution. Bring him safely home to his family. Let the word of his testimony blaze brighter than the fires of oppression that threaten his life, in Jesus' name, amen.
For My Work in Progress
Father, I pray for my work in progress,
this book I am working on now.
Thank you so much for your kindness in the writing,
thank you that I feel
your power and energy,
focus and inspiration
through the process.
Inspire its composition,
and even now,
already,
its acquisition and distribution.
Guide it to a publisher that will believe in it
and make it all it should be.
Even now,
already,
prepare places in bookstores and on shelves for it.
And prepare and bless
the publisher's attempts to promote it and place it.
Make me wise and discerning and diligent in the things
that are in my control
and trusting,
utterly trusting,
in the things outside my control,
and use it to the glory of Jesus' name, in which I pray, amen.
One Day
Abba, Father, thank you for a day with my granddaughter,
a check in process,
a meal with my son,
a nap,
a few chapters read,
a mowed lawn,
a stocked pantry,
a full gas tank,
a rain shower,
a few blog posts,
time with my wife,
time with you,
and an early bedtime,
in Jesus' name, amen.
Bend
Almighty One! I bend in dust before Thee;
Even so veiled cherubs bend;
In calm and still devotion I adore Thee,
All-wise, all-present Friend.
Thou to the earth its emerald robe hast given,
Or curtained it in snow;
And the bright sun, and the soft moon in heaven,
Before Thy presence bow.
(a prayer by Sir John Bowing, by way of the Daily Prayer blog)
For a Church in Indonesia
Lord, have mercy on the church in Indonesia that suffered a suicide attack today. Receive the fatalities into your loving care. Heal the injured. Comfort the grieving. Restore the traumatized. And grant that your people may not only rebound from this attack but discover new faith and courage and effectiveness in witnessing to the love of God, the hope of the Gospel, and the resurrection power of Jesus Christ to those around them, in Jesus' name, amen.
A Quaker's Prayer
Oh that mine eyes might closèd be
To what becomes me not to see;
That deafness might possess mine ear,
To what concerns me not to hear;
That Truth my tongue might always tie,
From ever speaking foolishly;
That no vain thought might ever rest,
Or be conveived in my breast;
That by each word, each deed, each thought,
Glory may to my God be brought.
But what are wishes! Lord, mine eye
On thee is fix'd, to thee I cry;
Oh purge out all my dross, my tin,
Make me more white than snow within;
Wash Lord, and purify my heart,
And make it clean in every part;
And when 'tis clean, Lord keep it too,
For that is more than I can do.
(a prayer of Thomas Elwood, 1639–1713)
To what becomes me not to see;
That deafness might possess mine ear,
To what concerns me not to hear;
That Truth my tongue might always tie,
From ever speaking foolishly;
That no vain thought might ever rest,
Or be conveived in my breast;
That by each word, each deed, each thought,
Glory may to my God be brought.
But what are wishes! Lord, mine eye
On thee is fix'd, to thee I cry;
Oh purge out all my dross, my tin,
Make me more white than snow within;
Wash Lord, and purify my heart,
And make it clean in every part;
And when 'tis clean, Lord keep it too,
For that is more than I can do.
(a prayer of Thomas Elwood, 1639–1713)
A Prayer for the First Day of Autumn
When I must go, dear God, please let it be A golden autumn day; when red leaves fall,
When purple grapes in shining clusters hang
And bittersweet glows bright against the wall,
When o'er the barren fields and russet meads
Their last farewells the crickets cry.
Let me make my silent journey
When the homing birds fly south across the sky.
When I must go, dear God, please let me go
As silently as autumn rain,
As still as lacy shadows 'neath the willow trees,
As calm as is the moon above the hill.
So let me go--and may there be no grief
When life is done and I must say goodbye.
I'll take my leave with flowers and falling leaf
And lie in peaceful sleep beneath the sky.
(unattributed)
Unpleasant Tasks
Lord Jesus, you persevered through unpleasant tasks. You corrected thick-headed disciples. You rebuked your closest friends. You agonized in Gethsemane over your approaching passion. You gritted your way through your execution. Help me to do half so well. Help me through the unpleasant tasks that face me. Help me to stay dependent on you, and not on my own strength. Help me, Lord, help me.
Help me not to mistake ease for your blessing, or pleasantness for your will. I surrender my desire for a smooth path and an easy road to you, even as I ask your grace to bless both my obedience and my stupid mistakes, in Jesus' name, amen.
Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown
Come, O thou Traveler unknown, Whom still I hold, but cannot see!
My company before is gone,
And I am left alone with Thee;
With Thee all night I mean to stay,
And wrestle till the break of day.
I need not tell Thee who I am,
My misery and sin declare;
Thyself hast called me by my name,
Look on Thy hands, and read it there;
But who, I ask Thee, who art Thou?
Tell me Thy name, and tell me now.
In vain Thou strugglest to get free,
I never will unloose my hold!
Art Thou the Man that died for me?
The secret of Thy love unfold;
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.
Wilt Thou not yet to me reveal
Thy new, unutterable Name?
Tell me, I still beseech Thee, tell;
To know it now resolved I am;
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy Name, Thy nature know.
’Tis all in vain to hold Thy tongue
Or touch the hollow of my thigh;
Though every sinew be unstrung,
Out of my arms Thou shalt not fly;
Wrestling I will not let Thee go
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.
What though my shrinking flesh complain,
And murmur to contend so long?
I rise superior to my pain,
When I am weak, then I am strong
And when my all of strength shall fail,
I shall with the God-man prevail.
My strength is gone, my nature dies,
I sink beneath Thy weighty hand,
Faint to revive, and fall to rise;
I fall, and yet by faith I stand;
I stand and will not let Thee go
Till I Thy Name, Thy nature know.
Yield to me now, for I am weak,
But confident in self-despair;
Speak to my heart, in blessings speak,
Be conquered by my instant prayer;
Speak, or Thou never hence shalt move,
And tell me if Thy Name is Love.
’Tis Love! ’tis Love! Thou diedst for me!
I hear Thy whisper in my heart;
The morning breaks, the shadows flee,
Pure, universal love Thou art;
To me, to all, Thy bowels move;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.
My prayer hath power with God; the grace
Unspeakable I now receive;
Through faith I see Thee face to face,
I see Thee face to face, and live!
In vain I have not wept and strove;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.
I know Thee, Savior, who Thou art.
Jesus, the feeble sinner’s friend;
Nor wilt Thou with the night depart.
But stay and love me to the end,
Thy mercies never shall remove;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.
The Sun of righteousness on me
Hath rose with healing in His wings,
Withered my nature’s strength; from Thee
My soul its life and succor brings;
My help is all laid up above;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.
Contented now upon my thigh
I halt, till life’s short journey end;
All helplessness, all weakness I
On Thee alone for strength depend;
Nor have I power from Thee to move:
Thy nature, and Thy name is Love.
Lame as I am, I take the prey,
Hell, earth, and sin, with ease o’ercome;
I leap for joy, pursue my way,
And as a bounding hart fly home,
Through all eternity to prove
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.
(a hymn by Charles Wesley)
Praising the God of the Bible
God of Genesis, you created the world, and made it teem with life;God of Exodus, you led your people out of bondage and made them a nation;
God of Leviticus, you established your worship in Israel and now throughout the whole earth;
God of Numbers, you are Lord of all, of the many and of the few (and of the alone);
God of Deuteronomy, you are the great Lawgiver;
God of Joshua, you lead your people to victory;
God of Judges, you always return your people’s heart to you;
God of Ruth, you care for all, and establish your work through widows, the poor, and foreigners;
God of Samuel, you raise up priests and prophets to do your bidding;
God of Kings, you establish and depose the rulers of men;
God of the Chronicles, you do not leave yourself without a testimony of your mighty works;
God of Ezra, you always show up when your Word is exalted;
God of Nehemiah, you rebuild and restore your people time and time again;
God of Esther, all nations, peoples, and times are in your hands;
God of Job, you are sovereign over all and no one can accuse you of wrong;
God of the Psalms, you fill my heart with song, my mouth with praises, and my feet with dancing;
God of Proverbs, you are God only wise, and in your hand is all knowledge;
God of Ecclesiastes, you bring all our vanity to the dust;
God of Solomon’s Song, you are my beloved, and I am yours;
God of Isaiah, you are exalted, a God who fulfills his promises;
God of Jeremiah, you are a God of great and mysterious ways;
God of Lamentations, you are a God who weeps for his people;
God of Ezekiel, you are a God of signs and wonders;
God of Daniel, you are a God who honors faithfulness and brings low the proud;
God of Hosea, you are faithful, even when I am faithless;
God of Joel, you restore all that your righteous wrath destroys;
God of Amos, you warn your people again and again of the dangers and deceits of sin;
God of Obadiah, you will establish your kingdom, God of all nations;
God of Jonah, you show mercy to all who repent;
God of Micah, you repeatedly show compassion to your wayward children;
God of Nahum, you judge the nations in righteousness;
God of Habakkuk, you alone are the Strength of your people;
God of Zephaniah, you turn back our enemies and make us glad;
God of Haggai, you are worthy to be honored among men, among all nations;
God of Zechariah, God of visions, you show yourself, you are a God of revelation;
God of Malachi, you are constant and pure, desiring a religion of the heart and not an outward show, and I praise you, Lord, with my whole heart.
God of Matthew, you are my King;
God of Mark, you are the Supreme Servant, the example of true humility;
God of Luke, you are Lord of all;
God of John, you are the Living Word, the great I am;
God of the Acts, you are the author of the Church, the Pioneer of the faith;
God of Romans, you are the salvation-worker;
God of 1st and 2nd Corinthians, you are a God of order and righteousness, who established both in your church;
God of Galatians, you are the great Liberator, a God of freedom and grace;
God of Ephesians, you are a God of light and unity, and unfathomable riches;
God of Philippians, God of joy!
God of Colossians, you are pre-eminent, a God of glory;
God of 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, you are a God of hope;
God of Timothy, you are the great Shepherd;
God of Titus, you are always working, always doing good;
God of Philemon, you make brothers of all men;
God of Hebrews, you have made Jesus greater than all things, all priests, all covenants, all;
God of James, you are a practical God;
God of Peter and his letters, you are true, and victorious in all things;
God of John and his letters, you are love and truth;
God of Jude, you are able to keep me from falling;
God of the Revelation, you hold the future--and all my times--in your hand!
I praise you, God of the Bible, God of all, for all you are: unsearchable, inexhaustible, Amen.
Prayer from a Work in Progress
Mighty God, please give me a reckless, daredevil shouting faith. Amen.
A Prayer from Brengle
Sovereign Lord, I come to you with my will, my affection, my very self, and ask you to cleanse me from every evil temper, from every selfish wish, from every secret doubt, and to come and dwell in my heart and keep me pure, and use me for your own glory, in Jesus' name, amen. (suggested by lines from Helps to Holiness by Samuel Logan Brengle, chapter 19)
For Your Restraint
God,
thank you for not snickering
at my delusion
that I am doing
Really Important Things.
(suggested by a line in Close Enough to Hear God Breathe, by Greg Paul)
thank you for not snickering
at my delusion
that I am doing
Really Important Things.
(suggested by a line in Close Enough to Hear God Breathe, by Greg Paul)
Psalm 5 Thanks
Thank you, Lord, that you listen when I cry out. Thank you that you hear my groans and sighs.
Thank you that you are my King and my God.
Thank you for hearing my voice in the morning,
for keeping watch over me at night.
Thank you that you are not a God who delights in evil.
Thank you that wickedness is banished from your presence.
Thank you for not listening to the boastful,
for laying low the liars,
and abhorring abusers.
Thank you that I, by your steadfast love,
can enter your house.
Thank you that I am given access to your presence,
by your grace.
Thank you that you lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness,
and steer me away from my enemies.
Thank you that you let gossips and flatterers
be exposed and undone by their own deeds.
Thank you for giving songs of joy
to those who take refuge in you,
and spreading your protection over them,
and making them exult in you.
Thank you for blessing me, O LORD.
Thank you for covering me with favor as with a shield.
Amen.
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