Category: Learning to pray

Moments We have moments of strength, and moments of weakness, moments of jubilation, moments of dread, moments of trust, moments of scepticism, moment of peace, moments of stress, moments of loathing, and moments of love. Help us with the difficult ones, we pray. And please help us to appreciate  the good moments, save us from rushing on. (by Dave Hopwood) 

  In the 150 biblical songs found in the book of Psalms, there are fifty-eight laments. Forty-two are psalms of individual lament, and sixteen are written on behalf of a community or nation. Each lament appeals to God for mercy and assumes a measure of confidence of God’s character and God’s intimate interest in our welfare. Take a look at the psalms or find a passage of scripture from your own tradition that speaks to the pain of loss and the comfort of God.  Writing your own prayer of lament can allow you to put into words all the feelings that you have about your loved one’s death or about a national or global crisis in which many lives are…

A CLOSING PRAYER May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you. —St. Teresa of Avila

Dear Lord, I’m thankful for the changes in my life. I’m thankful for the new and different things I experience. I know Dear God, this is our lives changing all around us, and thank you that we are allowed to have these experiences. May I become more aware of the ways that it changes me and what impact it has on my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A prayer for when you don’t even know what you want  Settle down into the silence. Close your eyes. Inhale. Speak the name of God that rises to your lips: Jesus, Mother, Abba, Yahweh, Father, God, Spirit, simply let it be what it is. Exhale. Imagine God calling you by your name. And hear God say to you, as Jesus said to the blind man who called out to him, What do you want me to do for you? Inhale. Exhale. And answer honestly.   By Sarah Bessey

May I have vision and courage to join God in the places He’s already working rather than feel responsible for bringing Him with me. (Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson – Prayer : forty days of Practice)

Prayer of the week – Heading towards Easter You defeater of death, whose power could not hold you, come in your Easter,      come in your sweeping victory,      come in your glorious new life. Easter us,     salve wounds, break injustice, bring peace,      guarantee neighbor, Easter us in joy and strength. Be our God, be your true self,          lord of life, massively turn our life toward your life         and away from our anti-neighbor, anti-self deathliness. Hear our thankful, grateful, unashamed Hallelujah!  Amen.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust…

Our father in heaven, May your name be honoured May your kingdom come May your will be done As in heaven, so on earth. Give us today the bread we need now; And forgive us the things we owe, As we too have forgiven what was owed to us. Don’t bring us into the great Trial, But rescue us from evil. (Amen)

The Lord’s prayer (from Matthew – Kind of) Ahoy maties, let’s prays like dis: Our Father ‘n’ Heaven, ye be holy an’ we be honourin’ yer name!  Argh matey, may me kingdom come and me will be done on land, as it is in the deep blue!  Hoist the mainsail, me hearty! Fetch us our daily grub, today and every day!  Avast, forgive our plunderin’ debts, as we forgive those who owe us booty.  Lead us not into the siren’s call, protect us from pitiless evil. Kingdom, power and glory be yers forever. Aye.  Avast, ’tis true that yer Father will forgive ye if ye too be forgivin’ of others’ transgressions.  But if ye don’t forgive others their offenses, neither…