Prayer is central to what we do.
Some people in our church occasionally pray by writing. They are now invited to contribute to this webpage those of their written prayers they consider suitable for being read by others. More and more prayers will be added in the coming months.
The contributions are presented in reverse chronological order, i.e., the most recently submitted ones are at the top.
May there be a prayer here that you find supportive of your own worship of God, encouraging you to make your own conversation with Him.
Lord Jesus, as I enter the workplace I bring your presence with me; I speak Your peace, Your grace, and Your perfect order into my situation. I acknowledge Your Lordship over all that will be spoken, thought, decided, and accomplished within these walls.
Lord Jesus, thank You for the gifts You have given me. I do not take them lightly, but commit to using them responsibly and well. Give me a fresh supply of truth and beauty on which to draw as I do my job.
Anoint my creativity, my ideas, my energy, so that even my smallest task may bring You honour. Lord, when I'm confused, guide me; when I'm weary, energise me. Lord, when I'm burnt out, infuse me with the light of Your Holy Spirit.
May the work I do and the way I do it bring hope, life, and courage to all I come in contact with today. And Oh Lord, when I encounter a day's most stressful moments, may I rest in You.
In the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I pray.
Forgive my selfish ways, LORD,
forgive my pride.
Forgive the times I focus on me
and ignore your voice calling me
to your side.
Melt the hardness of my heart, LORD,
wash away the stains of the past.
Help me to be forgiving, LORD,
to show the beauty of your heart.
Help me to open the door, LORD,
to let you back into my life.
Help me to put you first, LORD,
to make my heart the place where you reside.
I want to know you as my best Friend,
to serve you all my life;
to lean not on my own understanding,
but to follow you wherever you guide.
Fill my heart with your Spirit, LORD,
clothe me in your armour.
Set me apart to do your will every day,
every battle of my life.
So many thoughts,
so many words.
How can I tell you what's going on
in my head?
Your Spirit is within me,
that much I know,
to mediate between us,
you've told me so.
Organise my thoughts, LORD,
make sense of my jumbled heart.
I know the joy of your love, LORD,
help me show your love in all I do.
Make sense of these thoughts
so I can know what's true.
"I will be found by you", declares the LORD, [Jeremiah 20:14]
I'm lost in the wilderness.
Blackness surrounds me.
Waiting for the Light of the LORD.
I'm stumbling, falling, running,
searching.
But I don't know the way.
I struggle on and stumble.
I'm sure I'll find the way.
On and on, 'til I can go no further.
On and on, and then I fall.
Collapsed and broken, I lie helpless.
Bathed in the Glory of your Light.
Your radiance blinds me.
I call out to you: "Guide me, Lord".
Your warmth, grace, beauty and majesty
wash over me.
I see your face smiling on me.
You call me worthy.
Now I see the way.
Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking that I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.
Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs.
With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all,
but You know Lord that I want a few friends at the end.
Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details;
give me wings to get to the point.
Seal my lips on my aches and pains.
They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.
I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others' pains, but help me to endure them with patience.
I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint
- some of them are so hard to live with -
but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.
Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people.
And, give me O Lord, the grace to tell them so.
Father Lord, thank you for making me.
Thank you for being the source of all that is alive, real and good.
Lord Jesus, thank you for saving me.
Thank you for being the Son who suffered, died and overcame death to buy me out of my bondage to sin.
Holy Spirit, thank you for enlightening me.
Thank you for being the speaker of truth within my heart.
Thank you, God, for being who you are.
Amen.
Lord God, your wisdom is so great that we cannot grasp it. We know that you know every child of yours, but our minds cannot comprehend what possessing that many relationships is like. We read that you know every person, every sparrow even, and we are in awe of you.
When we meditate on the depth of your knowledge alone we are humbled. We know that we are inadequate, our minds never even fully knowing one person. As we see our weaknesses, the sins we struggle with stopping, we are saddened.
Yet, Father God, thank you that you have chosen us. Thank you that, not because of anything we have done, we have been chosen for your purposes. We are amazed at the way you use our barrenness for bearing your fruit; our weaknesses for showing your strength.
It makes us think once more of your wisdom; your creative, unpredictable faithful actions and decisions. How great you are, and yet how gracious in using us! How rich you are, and yet how generous in giving to us.
We again submit ourselves to you, offering ourselves to your wonderful service, asking with confidence for your wisdom, knowing enough about your knowledge to see that we need it.
Our society struggles to survive without seeing your plan. Lord, may they honour you! And use us if you will.
Amen.
Thank you for the sunrise; strokes of soft-edged red on a pale blue sky
And thank you for the hope in you; I believe your peace will never die.
Thank you for the families you've placed around their loving and care and giving.
Especially my church family, those who care about my Christian and practical living.
Praise you for your global vision, control of all things far and near;
And thank you for the way you've used my own circumstances to help me trust you and not fear.
Thank you that you accept our humble rubbish pictures of appreciation
Because of Jesus we are totally given things beyond our station
IT all reflects so well on you are our glorious Father who
Gives us all things. So I thank you.
Amen.
I want to walk under the shelter
Of the roof of the Most High
Rest in the peace of the nearness
Of the Lord Almighty.
I will tell my friends "God is my refuge. I trust in him alone."
I know he saves from illness
I know he heals disease.
I know in testing times he's close
Safety is found in him.
Fear need not be my companion
For the arrows can be thwarted;
Dangers seen and unexpected
Do not surprise our God.
I want to dwell in you
You to be my refuge
Alone.
Lord, today I need your help. Today is a battle, for me, a whole new set of daunting experiences on the horizon. Father, thank you for the reassuring words of the priest: "do not be afraid". Thank you for the comfort of your presence. However, as I contemplate the possible terrors of tonight, I realise how I am taking today for granted, assuming I will get through it! Lord God, actually I need you EVERY hour; there are a whole range of things that could go wrong, forcing me to turn to you, or which just could go so much better if I commit them to you. So, dear Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that I need your kingly presence for all of today. I need your armour of faith, the Word and Spirit, salvation, truth, willingness to share the gospel, righteousness and love to be my equipment from now until bedtime and then after that again. Lord, I need to be aware that I only sense a tiny percentage of the battles, and that self-sufficiency is a big problem.
I am going into battle today.
I will not be faint-hearted or afraid;
I will not be terrified or give way to panic
Before my enemies.
For the Lord my God is the one
Who goes with me to fight for me
Against his enemies to give me victory. (Deut. 20:3-4, slightly adapted, NIV)
Amen.
Who am I to know your grace?
All through my life your plan I trace
And you've blessed my family
But you've revealed what is to be!
I thought of what I could do
To worship and to honour you
But you've shown your sovereignty
You've decided what's to be!
What more can I say to you?
You know your servant through and through
Your plans are good as done
You are unique - like no one!
You act according to your word -
It is time as we have heard
There is no God but you for sure
You are great, O Sovereign Lord!
Who's like us? We bear your name
We've been redeemed to show your fame
You say 'These people are mine'
And perform great and awesome signs.
You destroy godless '-ologies'
Your church alone has constancy
To honour you eternally
You'll keep your word reliably
Fashion us into your desired state
So your name will always be great
As you have promised may it be;
Bless your house continually.
You alone are Sovereign, Lord
You have spoken trustworthy words
Which I have heard you say.
So I have found courage to pray.
Amen.
Heavenly father, you are glorious and all-powerful.
I praise you for your goodness and love.
I thank you for your countless blessings.
Help me, I pray, to use every opportunity to learn more of you and to understand what you want and expect of me.
Move me, Lord. Shift the boundaries.
Amen.
Lord, hear my prayer, when I call, answer me. Come and listen to me.
Lord, thank You for saving me. Forgive me all sin. Fill me with You, Holy Spirit.
Thank You for health and strength, do energise me and equip me for what today holds.
Guard my thoughts and my tongue and help me to speak the words You would have me to say.
Watch over the family and meet their needs, I pray.
Amen.
Click here to read Psalm 100 (in a separate window).
How I praise you today for your unfailing love.
I worship you with gladness and joy.
I am your child, you made me and redeemed me.
You purchased my salvation on the cross and gave me life.
How can I help but Praise your Name and sing with gladness that you have kept me for so many years.
"Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'tis grace that brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home." (From Amazing Grace.)
Help me to live today in the light of that Grace.
Help me to show your love in my life so that you can use me to bring others to know your salvation.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
Click here to read Psalm 34 v.1-10 (in a separate window).
Thank you God for all the blessings of today. You are so wonderful and precious to me.
Thank you for sending your only Son to be my Saviour.
How I love you Jesus. You are my Creator, you are my Redeemer, you are my Deliverer, you are my Provider and you are my Healer. There is none like you.
Help me today to live my life in a pleasing way to you and that will bring glory to your wonderful name.
Help me to proclaim your gospel - to speak to people about you and help them to come to eternal life through Jesus.
Amen.
Click here to read Psalm 95 v.1-7 (in a separate window).
Thank you today that we can praise you with Song.
Thank you for the ability to sing and for the gift of music and words that inspire us to praise your name.
I bless your name because you have chosen insignificant people such as me to know your glory.
I praise you that I am able to come into your presence with joy - to the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords - because you are my wonderful Saviour.
You have lifted me from sin, covered me with the precious blood of Jesus that flowed from those wounds on Calvary and made me a new creature.
Thank you that what you have done for me you can do for others and that you died for the sins of the whole world.
Please help me today to be useful in your service and pass on to others so that they can receive your unfailing love.
I pray in that precious Name which is above all other names - the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Click here to read Psalm 8 (in a separate window).
How majestic is our God, yet we can approach this mighty God and today I can call Him Father.
When I consider your heavens - the moon and the stars which you have set in place, the mountains and hills, the trees and the fields, the animals and birds and all your creatures - I praise your wonderful name.
I look at a small flower like a violet growing wild and think, my God made that in all its beauty and look at the mountains in all their glory and say, my God made that.
I look at a new born baby with all the perfections of this precious being and say, my God made this beautiful bundle.
Yet today I know that this wonderful creator is my Saviour and loves me whatever I do, however I may stray from Him.
He keeps on loving me.
Help me today to bless others as you have blessed me.
Bless the children whom you have given into our care.
Bless those children who are hurting from abuse, hungry because they have no food, lonely because their parents and families have been killed in war zones.
Father, look after these precious children, for your name's sake.
Amen.
Dear God,
So far today I've done alright.
I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't criticised or moaned.
I haven't been snappy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over indulgent.
I'm very thankful for that.
But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on I'm probably going to need a lot more help.
Amen
My Lord on the Cross
I see your hands and feet nailed to wood,
cuts and bruises everywhere
and cold sweat.
Your face is contorted in pain
though it's also serene
and your blood makes pools in earth.
My Lord on the Cross
you follow your Father's will
to a harrowing death.
You have healed the afflicted
and made the weak strong,
while I have indulged myself
and in smugness sinned.
My Lord on the Cross
you suffer because you love me.
The blood from your wounds
washes me clean!
Your grace transports me
to that heavenly place
where God and a repentant sinner meet.
My Lord Resurrected
you have brought me into your Kingdom
where earthly strangers
become my brothers and sisters in Christ.
We are bathed in your love, my Lord,
I see it in their faces and gestures
which are human and divine.
My Lord of Eternal Grace
You are my Saviour, Father and Friend.
You give me life and fill my soul.
My Lord Jesus,
I can never repay my debt.
I fear God the Father, I rejoice in Holy Spirit;
and you, my Lord, I adore.
Amen
Dear Lord, help me to keep myself open to your presence at all times.
When I have done something well, give me the humility to see that I have not done it alone.
When I have failed in something, remind me that I have to trust you to help me pick myself up, learn from my mistakes, and move on.
Lord, when I see someone doing that of which I disapprove, take away that high horse on which I want to sit and be a judge. Give me the heart to see beyond the offending deed, where a human person is, one you have created alongside me. Give me compassion with their suffering; and courage to approach them in brotherly love.
Lord, when I feel hurt by someone, remind me of the cross on which you have suffered, and of the reason why. Help me open my heart, so I can forgive as you forgave us all.
When I am lost, give me the wisdom to see the fact and to ask you for guidance; and Lord, give me the courage to be free to follow your path.
Father Lord, encourage me to take your hand, that you offer to your child.
Dear Lord, help me to keep myself open to the ways in which I can serve you.
Have mercy on me, help me to repent, wash away my sins.
Amen.