Luther's Prayer

Behold, Lord, 

An empty vessel that needs to be filled.

My Lord, fill it.

I am weak in faith;

Strengthen thou me.

I am cold in love;

Warm me and make me fervent

That my love may go out to my neighbour.

I do not have a strong and firm faith;

At times I doubt and am unable to trust thee altogether.

O Lord, help me.

Strengthen my faith and trust in thee.

In thee I have sealed the treasures of all I have.

I am poor;

Thou art rich and didst come to be merciful to the poor.

I am a sinner;

Thou art upright.

With me there is an abundance of sin;

In thee is the fullness of righteousness.

Therefore, I will remain with thee of who I can receive

But to whom I may not give.

Amen.

... a prayer by Martin Luther on Reformation Day    

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a prayer to accept our past and to press on

Dear Lord,

We have so far to go on this journey called life.

We have not arrived at our destination but we are on our way.

We sometimes get sidetracked and go astray as we look back.

Bless us Lord that we might accept what has happened to us.

Teach us to live each day as it is revealed to us.

Help us, Holy Spirit, to look forward with hope and expectation.

In the words of the Apostle, we affirm that we will follow you:

Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead;

Pressing on to reach the end of our race; 

Receiving the prize for which you, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

In His name we pray.

Amen.

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help me to embrace the impossible

Dear God,

I often hear that all things are possible with you.

Yet there are things that make me question that.

There seems to be things that are too hard even for  you.

As I age, health and living seem to get harder and harder.

So I come to you asking for your help.

Help me to adapt and to change that I might do things differently.

Help me to let go of the old ways and embrace the new.

Help me to have a positive attitude and outlook on life.

Help me to embrace the things that I now consider impossible.

Bless me that I might do the things that I once thought impossible.

Amen.

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a prayer as we wait for hope

Dear Lord,

You have made waiting beautiful and patience divine. 

You have taught us that your will should be accepted, simply because it is your will. 

You have revealed to us that a person may see nothing but sorrow in his cup yet still be willing to drink it because of a conviction that your eyes see farther than his own. 

Father, give me Your divine power - the power of Gethsemane. 

Give me the strength to wait for hope - to look through the window when there are no stars. 

Even when my joy is gone, give me the strength to stand victoriously in the darkest night and say, 'To my heavenly Father, the sun still shines.' 

I have reached the point of greatest strength once I have learned to wait for hope.

Amen

a prayer by George Matheson

(27 March 1842 – 28 August 1906)

He was a Scottish minister and author.

He was blind from the age of 17.

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Heavenly Father, help us to seek you early in the morning before the worries and cares of the day fill our minds.  Help us to carve out time every morning to search your Word and find direction for our daily walk.

You have told us to be watchful and eagerly away your return!  Help us to have that as our first thought in the morning.

Father, how thankful we are that you are in complete control of our lives and the entire universe.  It is all held together by your mighty right hand.  Help us to rest in that reality.

We love you

Amen.

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Grant Us to Feel the Wounds of Jesus

Gracious God, we praise you with our whole hearts for the wondrous revelation of your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. We think every day of his passion, for all our hope lies in his death. But as often as we think on it, we are still filled with astonishment that you should so love the world as to give your only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life; that heaven’s eternal darling should come to earth to be made a man, and in manhood’s form to be despised and rejected of the very men whom he came to bless; and then should be made to bear the sin of many and to be numbered with the transgressors, and, being found in that number, to die a transgressor’s death, a felon’s death upon the gibbet of the cross.

Give us more tenderness of heart, give us to feel the wounds of Jesus till they wound our sins to death. Give us to have a heart pierced even as his was, with deep sympathy for his griefs, and an all-consuming love for His blessed person.

Charles Spurgeon

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A Gaelic Blessing

Deep peace of the running wave to you.

Deep peace of the flowing air to you.

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.

Deep peace of the shining stars to you.

Deep peace of the gentle night to you.

Moon and stars pour their healing light on you.

 
Deep peace of Christ, of Christ the light of the world to you.

Deep peace of Christ to you.

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a prayer for awareness

Dear Father,

Help us to be aware of your presence, here and now.

Lead us that we may be spiritually engaged as we walk with you.

Teach us to pray from our hearts that we might know your heart.

Bless us that we might find a way to let go of our worries and our plans.

In all things and at all times, open our inner eyes to see you.

Help us to know that you are with us in our lives.

We love you Lord.

Amen.

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a farmers prayer

A pastor asked an older farmer to say grace for the morning breakfast.  

"Lord, I hate buttermilk", the farmer began.

The visiting pastor opened one eye to glance at the farmer and wonder where this was going. 

The farmer loudly proclaimed, "Lord, I hate lard."

Now the pastor was growing concerned. 

Without missing a beat, the farmer continued, "And Lord, you know I don't much care for raw white flour".

The pastor once again opened an eye to glance around the room and saw that he wasn't the only one to feel uncomfortable. 

Then the farmer added, "But Lord, when you mix them all together and bake them, I do love warm fresh biscuits.

So Lord, when things come up that we don't like, when life gets hard, when we don't understand what you're saying to us, help us to just relax and wait until you are done mixing.

It will probably be even better than biscuits.

Amen.

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a prayer to let go of the past

Lord,

I kneel before You in humble submission and pray that in Your mercy and kindness You would help me to simply let go of all the fears and worries, problems and doubts, guilt and disappointments that seem to be filling my heart and mind so often, during the course of a day.

Fill my hurting soul with Your love and peace I pray. Fill the emptiness and pain that is tearing my life asunder. Lord, You know what is in my heart and why I am going through this time of fear and worry. 

Help me Lord, to take every thought captive, to hand it over to You as it rears up in my mind, and help me to replace it with thoughts and words of Scripture that tell of Your great might and wonderful power.

Lord, You have told us to think about whatever is lovely and pure and holy and good, and I pray that You would help me to turn the eyes of my heart upon Jesus and look to Him day by day. In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen.

-Author Unknown    

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PRAYER FOR STRENGTH

A prayer for God to fulfil our requests

O you who taught us to pray both in common as we do now, and in secret, and who promised to grant the supplications of two or three gathered together in your name—now fulfill the requests of your servants according to their wants, granting us in this world the knowledge of your truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting. For you, O God, are beneficent and loving; and unto you belong glory, dominion and honor; now and ever. Amen.

Orthodox Armenian Church Liturgy

* see Matthew 18:20

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A prayer for the Israel Palestine Conflict.

God of light and salvation, our refuge and our strength.

We pray for the people of Israel and Palestine amid the escalating violence.

We pray for those killed and injured by rockets from Gaza in southern Israel. May your rod and staff comfort them.

We pray for those who are grieving. May they know your ever-present help.

We pray for the protection of those who have been taken hostage by Hamas. As they walk through this dark valley, may they fear no evil.

We pray for the civilians of Gaza. May they know that their help comes from the Maker of heaven and earth.

And we pray for those in leadership in Gaza and Israel. May you guide them along the right paths.

We ask all this in union with Christ and trusting in the power of your Holy Spirit.

Amen

-from the English Cathedrals website      

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fill our hearts with joy and gladness

Blessed art Thou, O Lord,

You have nourished me from my youth and gives spiritual food to all.

Fill our hearts with joy and gladness as we serve you in our lives.

That we, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

To you be glory, honor, might, majesty, and dominion, forever and ever.

In Christ Jesus our Lord we pray.

Amen.

-adapted from the Clementine Liturgy      

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LIGHT IN MY DARKNESS

A prayer before worship

O Eternal, almighty, and most gracious God, heaven is your throne, and earth is your footstool, holy and revered is your name; you are praised by the heavenly hosts and in the congregation of your saints on earth, and will be sanctified in all that come near unto you. We are sinful and unworthy dust, but being invited by you, are bold, through our blessed Mediator to present ourselves and our supplications before you. Receive us graciously, help us by your Spirit; let your fear be upon us: let your Word come unto us in power, and be received in love, with attentive, reverent, and obedient minds. Make it to us the savour of life unto life. Cause us to be fervent in prayer, and joyful in your praises, and to serve you this day without distraction, that we may find that a day in your courts is better than a thousand, and that it is good for us to draw near to God; through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Richard Baxter

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A prayer for trust

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help me to be a burden bearer

Gracious Lord,

My friends are weighed down and hurting.
Bless me that I might come alongside them and help.

My neighbors are worried about their families.
Open my eyes to their suffering.

My world is at war and hate seems to rule the day.
Turn my heart and mind to love and mercy.

In all things, help me to be a burden bearer.
Make me an instrument of your compassion and care.

Amen.

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prayer for a new perspective

Dear Lord,

Open my eyes that I might see.

Open my heart that I might understand.

Open my mind that I might consider your ways.

Help me to see the world from your perspective.

Amen.

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a prayer for love and light

O Lord,

In the name of Jesus Christ your Son our God,

give us that love which can never cease,

that will kindle our lamps but not extinguish them,

that they may burn in us and enlighten others.

O Christ, our dearest Savior, 

Kindle our lamps,

that they may evermore shine in your temple,

that they may receive unquenchable light from you

that will enlighten our darkness,

and lessen the darkness of the world.

Lord Jesus, we pray, 

Give your light to our lamps,

that in its light

the most holy place may be revealed to us

in which you dwell as the Eternal Priest. 

That we may always see you,

desire you, look on you in love,

and long after you;

for your sake.

Amen.

... an ancient sixth century collect      

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prayer for peace in the middle east

God of mercy and compassion,

of grace and reconciliation,

pour your power upon all your children in the Middle East:

Jews, Muslims and Christians,

Palestinians and Israelis.

Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair to hope,

oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation,

that violent encounters may be replaced by loving embraces,

and peace and justice could be experienced by all.

Amen.

- Reverend Said Ailabouni      

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PRAYER FOR TODAY

A prayer to overthrow the wicked

Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.

 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.

 The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land.  O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

Psalm 10:1–2, 12, 16–18 (ESV)

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a prayer for graceful speech

Dear Lord,

We daily fail with our speech. 

Often we express our frustration instead of blessing.

Forgive us Lord and help us when our tongues fail to love.

Set a guard over our mouths and watch over the door of our lips,

Bless us to use the power of our words to build each other up.

Give us the courage and wisdom to use our words to bring healing?

In all that we say, help us to reflect your presence in our lives.

Amen.

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a prayer for purity of heart

Father,

I want to be pure in heart and I know I am not always that way. Please continue to reveal in me all the things that are impure – as you’ve shown me my judgmental nature and my sometimes feelings of spiritual arrogance. I am so sorry and I repent. Help me to be a reflection of Jesus as I learn and grow. To look at myself only, instead of sometimes looking around at my fellow believers, frustrated and wondering why people don’t get “it”. And the “it” varies – sharing Jesus, suffering with each other, reaching out to the poor.

Create in me a pure heart O God. 

Let my passions and convictions be totally for Your work in me.

In Jesus’ Name

Amen

- a prayer from my friend Jill Hollis      

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prayer for strength, wisdom and empathy

Oh, Great Spirit,

Whose voice I hear in the winds and whose breath gives life to all the world.

Hear me! I need your strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever hold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.

Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.

Help me remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes towards me.

Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me.

I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy: myself.

Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.

So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.

Amen.

-Lakota Sioux Chief Yellow Lark      

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