Prayer at the beginning of a new church year
O God, make the door of this house wide enough to receive all who need human love and fellowship, narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and strife. Make its threshold smooth enough to be no stumbling block to children, nor to straying feet, but rugged and strong enough to turn back the tempter's power. God, make the door of this house the gateway to Thine eternal kingdom.
Prayers for difficult times
This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. If I am to do nothing, help me to do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the spirit of your love.
Eternal God, who commits to us the swift and solemn trust of life; since we do not know what a day may bring forth, but only that the hour for serving thee is always present, may we awake to the instant claims of thy holy will, not waiting for tomorrow, but yielding today. Lay to rest, by the persuasion of your Spirit, the resistance of our passion, indolence, or fear. Consecrate with your presence the way our feet may go; and the humblest work will shine, and the roughest places be made plain. Lift us above unrighteous anger and mistrust into faith and hope and charity by a simple and steadfast reliance on your sure will; and so may we be modest in our time of wealth, patient under disappointment, ready for danger, serene in death. In all things, draw us to the mind of Christ, that your lost image may be traced again, and you may own us as at one with him and you.
Gracious God, you invite all who are burdened to come to you. Touch us with your healing love. Journey with us through our valleys of fear and pain. Be like a strong staff when we need to lean, and a green pasture when we need to rest. Restore our souls. Help us find a renewed sense of courage and hope through your ever present love. Comfort and sustain us all with days of our lives.
O Lord our God, when the storm is loud and the night is dark, and the soul is sad and the heart oppressed, then, as weary travelers, may we look to thee; and beholding the light of thy love, may it bear us on, until we learn to sing thy song in the night. AMEN
A Prayer for Lent
Lord, make me kind!
The world is full enough of needless tears
And hungry hearts are full enough of nameless fears.
To these no vision of Thy humaneness appears.
Lord, make me kind.
Lord, make me think!
For thoughtlessness has caused so much of needless woe,
That thoughtless words of mine may grow and grow
Until, like torrents made, no thing can stay its flow.
Lord, make me think!
Lord, make me love!
And place love's sign upon the face of me,
That loveless men may pause and turn and see
A little of that love that comes from Thee.
Lord, make me love!
