Prayers

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Prayer for Strength in Old Age

St. Augustine

O Lord our God, under the shadow of Thy wings let us hope. Thou wilt support us, both when little and even to gray hairs. When our strength is of Thee, it is strength; but, when our own, it is feebleness. We return unto Thee, O Lord, that from their weariness our soul may rise towards Thee, leaning on the thing which Thou has created, and passing on to Thyself, who hast wonderfully made them; for with Thee is refreshment and true strength. Amen.

 

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Deliver Us From Fear

Akanu Ibaim

O Lord, we beseech thee to deliver us from the fear of the unknown future; from fear of failure; from fear of poverty; from fear of bereavement; from fear of loneliness; from fear of sickness and pain; from fear of age; from fear of death. Help us, O Father, by thy grace to love and fear thee only, fill our hearts with cheerful courage and loving trust in thee; through our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

 

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A Collect for Aid Against Perils

Anonymous

Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Prayer for Those Suffering From Alzheimer’s

Vienna Cobb Anderson

O God of love,
hear our prayer
for all who suffer from Alzheimer’s.
In the days of changing memory,
be with them in their fears.
In the days when memory has gone,
bless their families who suffer.
Surround them with tender love
from family, friend, and stranger.
Grant them peace in their hearts,
a secure home environment,
and dignity in their lives.
May each day bring a blessing,
hope, and greater love.
Amen.

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Prayer for Courage During Illness

Maureen Pratt

O Lord, even as I suffer from my illness,
I believe in your might.
Even as I am besieged by armies of pain,
I seek refuge in you.
Help me to feel your presence even more firmly
in my life.
Give me courage to face anything, to endure everything
--with you by my side.

 

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Day by Day

St. Richard of Chichester

Day by day, dear Lord of you
Three things I pray:
To see you more clearly,
To love you more dearly,
To follow you more nearly,
Day by day.

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The Lord's Prayer

Anonymous

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.

 

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Lord's Prayer for the Military Wife

Unknown?

Lord, Grant me the greatness of heart to see,
the difference in duty and his love for me.
Give me the understanding to know,
That when duty calls he must go.
Give me a task to do each day,
to fill the time when he is away,
And Lord, when duty is in the field,
Please protect him and be his shield.

 

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Athlete's Prayer

Gregg Easterbook

God, let me play well but fairly.
Help me to learn something that matters
once the game is over.
Let competition make me strong but never hostile.
Always let me help my opponent up.
Never catch me rejoicing in the adversity of others.
If I know victory, allow me to be happy; if I am denied, keep me from envy.
Remind me that sports are just games.
If through athletics I set an example,
let it be a good one.

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Prayer for Marriage

Anonymous

Most gracious God, we give you thanks for your tender love in sending Jesus Christ to come among us, to be born of a human mother, and to make the way of the cross to be the way of life.

We thank you, also, for consecrating the union of man and woman in his Name.
By the power of your Holy Spirit, pour out the abundance of your blessing upon this man and this woman.
Defend them from every enemy.
Lead them into all peace.
Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts, a mantle about their shoulders, and a crown upon their foreheads.
Bless them in their work and in their companionship; in their sleeping and in their waking; in their joys and in their sorrows; in their life and in their death.
Finally, in your mercy, bring them to that table where your saints feast for ever in your heavenly home; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

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For the Infirm

Anonymous

For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

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How Great Is Your Goodness

St. Teresa of Avila

How great is your goodness, dear Lord!
Blessed are you for ever!
May all created things praise you, O God,
for loving us so much that we can truthfully speak
of your fellowship with mankind, even in this earthly exile;
and however virtuous we may be,
our virtue always depends on your great warmth
and generosity, dear Lord.
Your bounty is infinite.
How wonderful are your works!

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Praising God at Mealtime

John Wesley

Be present at our table, Lord,
Be here and everywhere adored.
Thy creatures bless, and grant that we
May feast in paradise with thee.

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For the Poor and Neglected

Anonymous

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Prayer for Those Who Govern

Muriel Marshall

Sovereign Lord we pray for our country at all times, we pray for...all those who guide and govern. Help them in every situation to know and to do the things that are right and just, with soundness of judgement in making vital decisions, praying always particularly for the peacemakers, that your Holy life-giving Spirit may ever dwell in their hearts and that the barriers of fear, suspicion and hatred may fall. We pray in the name of your Son, the Prince of Peace.
Amen.

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Prayer for Those Who Mourn

Vienna Cobb Anderson

Bless those who mourn, eternal God,
with the comfort of your love
that they may face each new day with hope
and the certainty that nothing can destroy
the good that has been given. May their memories become joyful,
their days enriched with friendship,
and their lives encircled by your love.
Amen.

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To Worship in Spirit and Truth

Jim & Kaye Johns

Father, I'm praying that (name one or more) and others in my circle of family and friends will worship You in spirit and in truth...

May they learn to worship You in spirit, for You are spirit, and You have created us in Your image with spirit, soul, and body. May they worship You by the Spirit of God. (John 4:24; Genesis 1:26a, 27a; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Philippians 3:3a)

May they never have an idol in their lives—anyone or anything more important to them than You. May their worship be pleasing to You, and even in the midst of disappointment or great sorrow, may they turn to You in worship. May they surrender themselves to You completely as living sacrifices— for that in itself is a spiritual act of worship. (Ezekiel 14:3; Romans 12:1; 2 Samuel 12:19–20)

Help them worship You in spirit and in truth—the truth of Who You are as You have revealed Yourself to be in the Scriptures—not the God they want You to be or imagine You are. May they worship You in the truth of how You have revealed Yourself through their personal relationship with You. ( John 4:23; Exodus 3:14; John 4:22; 17:3)

May their worship come from the heart. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Prayer of Praise at Sundown

Anonymous

O gracious light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praised, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of Life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.

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Prayer of Repentance

Anonymous

Merciful God,
we have sinned
in what we have thought and said,
in the wrong we have done
and in the good we have not done.
We have sinned in ignorance:
we have sinned in weakness:
we have sinned through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry.
We repent and turn to you.
Forgive us, for our Saviour Christ's sake,
and renew our lives to the glory of your name.

 

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Christmas Tree Blessing

Author Unknown

Holy Creator of Trees,
bless with your abundant grace
this our Christmas tree as a symbol of joy.
May its evergreen branches be a sign
of your never-fading promises.
May its colorful lights and ornaments call us
to decorate with love our home and our world.
May the gifts that surround this tree
be symbols of the gifts we have received
from the Tree of Christ’s Cross.
Holy Christmas tree within our home,
may Joy and Peace come and nest
in your branches and in our hearts. Amen.

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Prayer for Rescue, Recovery, Rebuilding

Barbara Crafton, Episcopal priest

O gracious God, we will never understand the sorrows of the world, but by your grace we will not turn away from them. Renew and sustain in us the spirit of love that crosses miles. Cheer and encourage those who labor to help the injured, the homeless, the hungry and those in despair. Bless and soften the hearts of those who would take advantage of tragedy for their own profit, that they may come to know where true joy is to be found. Unite us in prayer with all those who look for help, and use us to come speedily to them with the things that they need. We ask these things in your own most holy Name. Amen.

 

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In Time of Illness

Anonymous

Lord Jesus, you came into the world
to heal our infirmities
and to endure our sufferings.
You went about healing all
and bringing comfort
to those in pain and need.
We come before you now
in this time of illness
asking that you may be the source
of our strength in body,
courage in spirit
and patience in pain.
May we join ourselves more closely
to you on the cross
and in your suffering
that through them
we may draw our patience and hope.
Assist us and restore us to health
so that united more closely
to your family, the Church,
we may give praise and honour to your name.
Amen.

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Do Not Lose Heart

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart.
Though outwardly we are wasting away,
yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
For our light and momentary troubles
are achieving for us an eternal glory
that far outweighs them all.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,
but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary,
but what is unseen is eternal.

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Prayer for Peace in Troubled Times

Beliefnet member gfry

Dear Lord, in these troubled times make your presence known to all the peoples around the world so that they may see peace as the only way to salvation. Replace the anger and violence in our hearts with joy and tranquility and help us to seek the good in everyone. Cause us all to realize that without you we can do nothing that will bring us peace and joy. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers. Amen.

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For Vocation in Daily Work

Anonymous

Almighty God our heavenly Father, who declarest thy glory and showest forth thy handiwork in the heavens and in the earth: Deliver us, we beseech thee, in our various occupations from the service of self alone, that we may do the work which thou givest us to do in truth and beauty and for the common good; for the sake of him who came among us as one that serveth, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.