International Presbytery of the Church of Scotland
A bold prayer for this first week in Lent.
Lord Jesus Christ,
who for our sake drew to yourself the world’s hate,
grant us the courage to be vulnerable,
grace to expose ourselves to the furies without
and the furies within;
and in our frailty send your holy angels
to minister to us.
~ written by Richard Harries
from The Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, #770
In Matthew 18:3 Jesus said,
‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’
During a two-week stay at Dutch L’Abri last autumn, the subject of what it means to be like children came up in a lecture entitled, Hoping for the best but expecting the worst: Do you really want to live forever?
Here are some pointers our speaker, Arthur Metz, noted about children in his talk:
A few days after the lecture, as I reflected on Matthew 19:13-15 and why Jesus was such a magnet for children, I was inspired to write verse 1 of this little song. Jesus’ invitation in Matt 11:28-30 was a perfect match and inspired verse 2.
I hope the song ministers to you, as it does to me.
JESUS, WE COME AS LITTLE CHILDREN
by Irene Bom
Verse 1
Jesus, we come as little children
We see in you the Father’s heart
You make the time
You make us welcome
You draw us close
into your loving arms
Verse 2
Jesus, we come bringing our burdens
We find in you the rest we need
Humble in heart
Ever so gentle
You bind our wounds
and bless us with your peace
For more songs written at L’Abri in autumn 2021, click here.
O God our Creator,
by whose mercy and might
the world turns safely into darkness
and returns again to light:
we give into your hands
our unfinished tasks,
our unsolved problems
and our unfulfilled hopes,
knowing that only those things which you bless
will prosper.To your great love and protection
we commit each other,
and all for whom we have prayed,
knowing that you alone are our sure defender;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Book of Common Worship, Church of South India (adapted)
from The Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, #672
More evening prayers
Evening prayer #1
Evening prayer #2
Evening prayer #3
“In contemplative prayer the saint (who knows himself to be a sinner, for none of us is whole, healed, and holy twenty-four hours a day) turns inward in what is called ‘the prayer of the heart,’ not to find self, but to lose self in order to be found.”
This prayer sheet is inspired by the February 2022 theme of the month: Change.
In these prayers we ask God to transform our hearts so we may live in the truth he desires and faithfully pray for our hurting world.
For personal use or to share.
(based on Romans 12:1-8)
Merciful God,
we confess how easy it is for us to begin to adopt
the attitudes and actions of the world around us;
to let our lives be shaped by contemporary culture
rather than by Your call.
Lord, in Your mercy,
hear and forgive.
We confess how often we think of our own interests first—
more concerned with our own status and well-being
than with the well-being of others.
Lord, in Your mercy,
hear and forgive.
We confess that we have not always treated one another
as valued members of Your Body, the Church;
that we have allowed intolerance and resentment to tear us apart.
Lord, in Your mercy,
hear and forgive.
We confess that we do not always acknowledge You as Lord,
trusting in our own abilities and following our own goals
rather than submitting ourselves to Your will and Your call.
Lord, in Your mercy,
hear and forgive.
Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, transform us.
Change us from the inside out,
so that our words and our lives would bring honour and glory to You,
our Saviour and Lord.
Amen.
~ from re:worship
From the blog
We bring our stories
Full of air
Waters of baptism
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
From the blog
walk, run, soar
Amazing to consider
my help / your protector
… speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
(inspired by Ephesians 4:1-16)
God of unity and love,
place within each of us
a spirit of hope and community.
Have mercy upon us
when we speak without love
or act without humility.
Cleanse us with the living water of your grace.
Create in us willing hearts
to live in patience and gentleness.
Raise us up to be your children,
growing toward maturity
in faith and love.
Strengthen this church,
that we may be a model
of ministry and unity
for all the world to see.
In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
~ adapted from The Abingdon Worship Annual 2009. Posted on re:worship
On a frosty morning … (Photo: Irene Bom)
For all the blessings of this life,
we give thanks to You, Creator God.
For families, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and strangers,
who nurture us, that the love of God may grow within.
That Your love, your Word, like a seed,
may grow to produce in us, good fruit.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.
For the leaders of various nations and cities,
that they may lead with strong hearts
and gentle hands and generous spirits,
with compassion and mercy, with wisdom and grace.
May they reflect your will guiding all their actions and decisions.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.
For those who serve in harm’s way,
those who live in dangerous places,
those who live in areas of war and strife,
those who live in fear,
those who worry about employment, bills, food,
and struggle just to find dignity in life.
May your grace bring peace and safety to all people, one to another.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.
For those who suffer from any illness or dis-ease—
of mind, body, or spirit.
Restore these, and all those we carry in our hearts, to fullness of health—
health as only you, O God, can bring.
May your mercy shower each of us with healing mercy and love.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.
For those who are dying, and for those who have died.
Send forth your comforting love.
Give solace to those who mourn.
Console those who grieve.
May your grace surround us
like a mantle upon our heads,
a shawl upon our shoulders,
a hand, to hold our hand.
May your love, be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.
Amen
— written by Terri and posted on revgalblogpals.org
From the blog
3 Prayers to the Sacred Trinity
In the school of prayer with Ignatius of Loyola
A Peace Garden
Another New Year’s prayer, albeit a few days late, a prayer that beautifully connects to our current theme of the month: GROW.
Lord, as this new year dawns,
welcome.
Welcome into our world
and into our lives.
Sow light in our hearts.
Let it germinate and grow
and bring forth fruit.
Birth in us something new.
Let your peace take root.
Nurture it,
encourage it to flourish.
Let your love blossom
with the fragrance
of patience and compassion.
Let it strengthen
forgiveness and understanding.
Let your life emerge
in us, through us, around us,
bringing newness to all it touches.
~ written by Christine Sine, and posted on godspacelight.com.
From the blog
3 prayers for the New Year
3 Prayers for endings and beginnings
Big strong tree
ending well … (Artwork: Irene Bom)
O Christ,
tirelessly you seek out those who are looking for you
and who think that you are far away;
teach us, at every moment,
to place our spirits in your hands.
While we are still looking for you,
already you have found us.
However poor our prayer,
you hear us far more than we can imagine or believe.
Brother Roger of Taizé
from The Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, #13
God, bless our year
giving us
time for the task
peace for the pathway
wisdom for the work
friends for the fireside
love to the last.
The Mother’s Union Anthology of Public Prayers
from The Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, #752
O Lord, as the years change, may we find rest in your eternal changelessness. Help us to meet this new year bravely, in the faith that, while life changes all around us, you are always the same, guiding us with your wisdom and protecting us with your love; through our Saviour Jesus Christ.
William Temple (1881-1944)
from The Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, #749
“If you want to start well, it is deeply connected to ending well.”
from Creative Pep Talk podcast (episode #345), hosted by Andy J. Miller (alias Andy J. Pizza).