Dear God, you desire to be near us.
We, too, desire it, or perhaps we don’t.
Distant from you, we choose our way,
create our loneliness.
Let us feel loved.
The souls of men are empty
The universe thrums in praise to your glory.
The mountains shake before your majesty.
The valleys are filled with your goodness,
But the souls of men are empty by choice.
Open our hearts, O Lord, to your presence.
No time for you
O Lord, the world rushes on in its small affairs, people with no time for you or for others, no patience to hear the word of truth because they are living a lie.
Keep me from going that way. Make me a crier of good news. Praise to you for showing me eternal glory. Your mercy and sovereignty have brought this gift.
Thank you for the peace of great hope, for living in the moment because we have heaven, for joy in the power of the Scriptures to save.
Because you love
Heavenly Father, from you comes life and peace and freedom.
Because you love, we breathe and move and exist.
Make life more precious to me every day.
May that preciousness be extended to others who walk in spiritual death.
In the silence of loneliness
Holy God, where impurity hides in me, purify and cleanse me.
Where fears lurk to hold me back from trusting in you, make faith to overcome.
When temptation appears at my weakest moment, put your Word in my mouth.
At times of sadness, when the heart breaks, cheer my soul in your goodness.
Touch me with your presence in the silence of loneliness.
When satisfaction in life is missing, fill my heart with your Spirit.
At every sign of vanity and uselessness of this earthly life, put the hope of eternity before me.
Let Jesus be to me my all.
Our Lack of Thanks
We do not know the evil we do
With one complaint,
The slightest murmur upon the lips
Of God’s own saint.
Forgive, O Lord, our lack of thanks
For gifts of joy;
By shrunken hearts prevent that we
Your grace destroy.
Deep fear of you
Awesome God, awaken in us that deep fear of you which recognizes your majestic Person, seeks the pure holiness of righteousness and love, and draws upon your unbroken promises to step firmly toward the future. Let reverence for your Oneness keep us from taking your love for granted. Your judgments are perfect, O Lord! Remind us that sin will be thrown into the lake of everlasting fire. We fear you as him who can destroy both body and soul. And we rejoice that true fear draws us near to you, rather than making us shrink back from your manifestation. Such is your purpose, and in it we glory.
The difference in this world
Psalm 1.2
O God, help me to find pleasure in obedience. Let my thoughts be taken up day and night with your blessed word. Keep me from the wicked way.
I want to please you. I want to know you better. I want to live in your light.
Make me the difference in this world that shows where love and peace and hope abide.
In the midst of confusion
Father, in the midst of confusion, bring us clarity.
When doubt appears, give us faith.
When ignorance rears its head, bring knowledge to bear.
With temptation, show us our escape.
When emotions flare, let peace descend upon us.
At the first sign of social pressure, let love for Christ prevail.
Worries would dog us daily, so let our prayers deliver them up to you.
Feelings of failure threaten to drag us down, but show us the fruit of spiritual labor.
When we feel weak, show us the power of your Holy Spirit.
Come, O Lord!
God of ages past and eras to come,
God who is the fullness and the sum,
See us, your people’s suffering, every one,
Come save, O Lord, come save us!
Creator of earth and heaven, creatures all,
Of stars and moons, that centered burning ball,
Reach down to touch and heal the weak and small,
Come love, O Lord, come love us!
Sustainer of flocks and herds and animals wild,
The one who knows the harm of man and child,
Eternal God of nation long exiled,
Come live, O Lord, come live among us!