October 31, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Prayer for Friends
By Bernie Smith
Meditations on Prayer

Lord, bless our friends today we pray,
Wherever they may be;
And help them as they go their way,
To keep their trust in Thee.

Lord, hear each prayer they raise to Thee,
And dry each falling tear;
And hover o'er them constantly,
For treasured friends are dear.

Surround them with Thy mercy,
Lord, Protect them by Thy power;
And let them feel Thy presence,
Lord, In every lonely hour.

Stand by them when the road is steep,
And no one seems to care;
Thy arm of love around them keep,
And whisper You are there.

And give them strength to bear the cross,
As through this vale they go;
And stand by them in every loss,
That they meet here below.

And when at last the hour shall be,
That life's short journey ends;
O, let them lean the more on Thee,
And comfort these, our friends.

And open heaven's gate, dear Lord,
And let them enter there;
For heaven will be heaven,
Lord, Because our friends are there. Amen.

October 30, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

A Prayer For Healing
attr. Timothy Dailey

Dear God,

Help my unbelief.
When I'm in pain, I forget that you care about me.
I forget that you have helped me through my trials.
I forget that you hold me in your arms to keep me safe.
I forget that you are feeling my pain with me.
I forget that you love me,
I forget that I am important to you.
Show me your presence - let me feel your enveloping love.
Heal my hurting soul.
Thank you for staying with me even in my unbelief.

Amen

October 29, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Thank You, Thank You, Generous God!
By C. Welton Gaddy

Thank You, thank You, thank You, generous God!

You have injected life with joy, thus we know laughter.

You have dabbed creation with color, thus we enjoy beauty.

You have whistled a divine tune into the rhythm of life, thus we hear music.

You have filled our minds with questions, thus we appreciate mystery.

You have entered our hearts with compassion, thus we experience faith.

Thank You, God, Thank You. Thank You! Amen.

October 28, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

God, Please Forgive Me
By C. Welton Gaddy

God, forgive my incompleteness: not growing in Christ, not expanding my knowledge of the Scriptures, not developing all my talents.

God, forgive my disinterest: a lack of concern for needs around me, apathy regarding the lostness of millions, blindness to hurts I could help heal.

God, forgive my dishonesty: taking, the easy way rather than the right way, speaking in one manner while living in another, silencing truth to preserve tranquility, settling for less than what is best, loving tradition more than obeying your pioneering Spirit.

God, forgive my loudness: talking when I should be listening, proclaiming when I should be studying, busying myself with new tasks when I should be finding a quiet place to rest.

God, forgive my silence: feeling love and failing to whisper it, reeling with joy and not shouting hallelujah, knowing truth and forfeiting an opportunity to share it, sensing a need to share my faith and squelching the impulse.

God, please forgive me. Amen.

October 27, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Confessional Prayer From The Sixteenth Century

Forgive me my sins, O Lord,
forgive me the sins of my youth and the sins of mine age,
the sins of my soul, and the sins of my body,
my secret and whispering sins,
my presumptuous and my crying sins,
the sins that I have done to please myself,
and the sins that I have done to please others.
Forgive me those sins which I know,
and those sins which I know not. Amen.

October 26, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Almighty God, the Giver of Wisdom
by Samuel Johnson

Almighty God, the Giver of Wisdom,
without whose help resolutions are vain,
without whose blessing study is ineffectual,
enable me, if it be Thy will,
to attain such knowledge as may qualify me
to direct the doubtful and instruct the ignorant,
to prevent wrongs, and terminate contentions;
and grant that I may use that knowledge which I shall attain,
to Thy glory and my own salvation.

October 25, 2010

Here is today's prayer:

Dear heavenly Father
by William De Witt Hyde

Dear heavenly Father,
Give me clean hands, clean words, and clean thoughts;
Help me to stand for the hard right
Against the easy wrong;
Save me from habits that harm;
Teach me to work as hard,
And play as fair in thy sight alone,
As if the whole world saw;
Forgive me when I am unkind,
And help me to forgive those who are unkind to me;
And keep me ready to help others. Amen.