Tag Archives: congregational prayer

Aug 13 2011

a prayer for lives full of joy

Father God, keep us from the things which are bound to make our life unhappy.

Keep us from:

the eyes which can always find some fault to see;
the tongue which can always find something to grumble about;
the heart which can always find some grudge and some bitterness to cherish.

Keep us from:

the perverseness which does not want anything it gets, and which always wants what it has not got;
the ingratitude which does not even realize what it is getting;
the attitude of mind that lives in continual resentment.

Give us in the place of these dark things:

an even temper that can take things as they come;
a sense of humor which can always find some cause to smile;
a gratitude which can always find something for which to be thankful;
a cheerfulness which not all of Earth’s shadows and disappointments can diminish.

Gives us the spirit which can enjoy life, and which can help others to enjoy it as well.

Use us, Father God, for whatever purpose, and in whatever way, you desire. We place before you our poor, needy hearts, our ever-leaking, empty vessels, so that you may fill them with your grace. Bring us to life again and again and again, daily. Refresh us with your love. Speak through our lips. Give us the thoughts that we would think. Move our hands and feet to act for you. Never let our faithfulness and confidence in you waiver. Establish our hearts so that we ever say with conviction and clarity, “Jesus is Lord!” Amen.

Excerpted, and lightly edited from, A Barclay Prayer Book by William Barclay (Westminster John Knox Press, 1990), first published under the titles Epilogues and Prayers (1963) and Prayers for the Christian Year (1964)

Aug 12 2011

a prayer for life’s opportunities

God our Father, you have filled our lives with opportunities. Help us to miss none of these opportunities when they come to us.

Help us not to miss the opportunities of learning and help us to work, to study, to train, and to accept your discipline so that we may:

deepen our lives;
enrich our minds;
learn our trade;
master our craft;
be efficient in our job;
and be equipped for our profession.

Help us never to miss the opportunities of helping others that we may be ready:

to share with the poor;
to sympathize with the sad;
to encourage the depressed;
to help those who’ve made mistakes to get back on track again;
to lend a hand to those who are finding things difficult.

Help us to never miss an opportunity to show where we stand that we may:

set a Christian example wherever we are;
always make it easier for others to do and be good;
never make it easy for others to do any wrong thing;
always be good advertisements of you and your church.

So help us to grasp every opportunity you send, and to use every gift you have given us, that we may make our lives what you meant them to be.

God our Father of life, you give us peace at the end of this day, your gift. Grant that your restfulness would rest on us throughout the rest of this week. Let the praises of our lips give to you every day prays that you are due from our lives. May the power of your love be with us in everything we do. By purity and knowledge and tenderness may we glorify you, through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Excerpted, and lightly edited from, A Barclay Prayer Book by William Barclay (Westminster John Knox Press, 1990), first published under the titles Epilogues and Prayers (1963) and Prayers for the Christian Year (1964)

Aug 11 2011

a prayer for all who we remember

Holy God our Heavenly Father,

Bless our friends and our loved ones and keep them safe from harm and danger.
Bless our enemies and those who dislike us, and help us by caring for them to make them our friends.
Bless those who are in pain of body, anxiety of mind, or sorrow of heart.
Bless those who are lonely because death has taken from them a dear friend or loved one.
Bless those who are old and who now are left alone.
Bless those who’ve made a mess of life and who know all too well that they have no one but themselves to blame.
Bless those who have fallen into temptation and who are sorry now, and give them grace to begin again and this time not to fall.
Bless all who are in trouble and help them to wind their way through it.
Bless each one of us not as we think we need, but as you know we need.

Give us, O Lord, minds like yours, so that our delight is doing your will. May your word be written on our hearts. Give us courage and resolve to do our very best in living for your glory and your praise. As you give us each of the rest of the days of our lives, may we use them all for what they are, precious gifts from you. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Excerpted, and lightly edited from, A Barclay Prayer Book by William Barclay (Westminster John Knox Press, 1990), first published under the titles Epilogues and Prayers (1963) and Prayers for the Christian Year (1964)

Aug 10 2011

a prayer for all who are in trouble

God our Father, bless those for whom life is very difficult now:

Those who have difficult decisions to make, and who honestly do not know what is the right thing to do;
Those who have difficult tasks to do and who fear they may fail in them;
Those who have difficult temptations to face, and who know only too well that they may fall to them, if they try to meet them alone;
Those who have a difficult temperament and nature to master, and who know they can be their own worst enemies;
Those who have difficult people to work with;
Those who often have to suffer unjust treatment, unfair criticism, and unappreciated work;
Those who are sad because someone they love has died;
Those who are disappointed in something for which they hoped very much;
Those who have been hurt by the malice of their enemies, or, what is far more bitter, by the faithlessness and the disloyalty of their friends.

Dear God, through the work of your Spirit, pour your love into our hearts. Give us more self-denial, and more likeness of Christ. Teach us to sacrifice our comfort to others, and our likings for the sake of the good of all that all might do good. Make us more kind and thoughtful, more gentle in our words, more generous in our deeds. Teach us afresh how it is better to give than to receive; that it better to forget ourselves than to put ourselves forward; and that it is better to serve than to be served. And to you, great God of love, be all the glory and praise, both now and forever. Bless us all tonight, with whatever need we come to you, we pray in the name of your son, our only true Savior, Jesus. Amen.

Excerpted, and lightly edited from, A Barclay Prayer Book by William Barclay (Westminster John Knox Press, 1990), first published under the titles Epilogues and Prayers (1963) and Prayers for the Christian Year (1964)