this prayer

Praise for the Sacrifice of Christ

Holy father

Your servant grew up

  Like a tender young plant

  Like a root in dry ground
 

No beauty or majesty made us notice him
 

In fact--we looked down on him

  We didn't accept him

  During his sorrow and suffering

  We looked the other way
 

He suffered the things we should have suffered

  He took on himself our pain

The world thought you were punishing him

  That you were wounding him

  Making him suffer

But the servant was pierced because we had sinned

  He was crushed

  Because we had done evil

  He was punished

  To make us whole again

His wounds have healed us

We are like sheep

  We have wandered away

  From God--our shepherd

  And chosen our own paths
 

But you have placed on your servant

  The sins of us all

Our Lord was beaten down and made to suffer

  He didn't complain

Our Lord was led away like a sheep to be killed

  He didn't complain

Our Lord was arrested and sentenced to death

  And was cut off from this life

He was punished for our sins

  And given a grave

  With those who were evil

  Even though he harmed no one

It was your plan to crush him

  To cause him to suffer

You made his life a guilt offering

  To pay for our sins

And yet he lives

  And we are his children

  Your plan is being fulfilled

Christ the Lord has made many people godly

  Because of what he has accomplished

  He was punished for our sins

You have given him a place of honor

  Because he was willing

  To give his life as a sacrifice

He gave his life for all of us

  Who had done what is wrong

Who has seen your saving power?

We have

Amen

- Based on Isaiah 53, New International Reader's Version

A Prayer of Confession

Blessed God

I approach you with awe

  And with reverence

I am not worthy

  To approach you

Or even to form your name

  With my lips

You art the High and Lofty One

  You inhabit eternity

    Your name is Holy

  Your eyes are pure

I am dust and ashes

  Insignificant in myself

  Doubly vile through sin

I am ashamed before you

  I can only strike my chest

  And cry out for mercy

But you dwell

  With the humble heart

  With the contrite spirit

You are close

  To the broken hearted

You are a God

  Who hears our prayers

Oh give me a heart to pray!

Breathe into my soul

  The spirit of prayer

May I approach you as your child 

  And worship you in spirit

  And in truth

I have never loved you

  Or served you as I should

I have disobeyed you laws

  And broken your covenants

  And cast your words away

I have forsaken you

  The fountain of living waters

I have made cisterns for myself

  Broken cisterns

  That can hold no water

In me there is

  No health

  No strength

  No good thing

If you held my sins against me

  I would rightfully be destroyed

If you rewarded me for my wickedness

  I would perish from your presence

But there is forgiveness with you!

By confessing sin we find mercy

You have loved the world

  And given your Son

  That believers in Him

  Will not perish

You have given everlasting life!

Jesus is the living way to you

In His blood you opened a Fountain

  That cleanses from all sin

  And never runs dry

He is our advocate  

  The appeasement for our sins

  The Lamb of God who removes

  The sins of the world

Though I am wretched and unworthy

  I am accepted in Him

  The Beloved One!

Cleanse me in His atoning blood!

Clothe me in His spotless righteousness!

For his sake forgive the many sins

  The aggravated sins of my whole life

    Deadness and ingratitude

    Forgetfulness of you

    All that I have left undone

    All that I should not have done

    Sins of thought

    Sins of word and deed

    Offenses that I recall with shame

    And those I have forgotten

Blot them out of your memory

Cast them away from you

Drown them in the depths of the sea

May they never weigh me down

  In the hour of death

Or appear against me

  On the day of judgment

Create in me a clean heart!

Oh give me the help of your Holy Spirit!

  Ignorant--I come to you to be taught

  Weak--to be strengthened

  Miserable--to be consoled

  Poor and destitute--to be enriched

  Sinful--to be forgiven

Give me the best of all gifts

  The Comforter

  Your Holy Spirit

May he dwell in my heart

  And captivate my imagination

Amen

- JS

"Prayer is the approach of the soul to God ...

...with its adoration, its confessions, its supplications, its thanksgivings. It implies an awestruck reverence, and the deepest humility.  It is the aching conscience divulging its sins, the oppressed heart its anxieties and griefs: it is penitence imploring forgiveness, and need craving satisfaction. Rapt devotion—thrilling awe—yearning after holiness—thirst for God—love, gratitude—the humiliation of the penitent—the innocence of the child. How intense the worship which blends, and concentrates such emotions; and ushers us, with a sense of what He is, and what we are, into the felt presence of God!"

- JS

Jesus I Come to Thee

Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,

  Jesus, I come; Jesus I come.

Into Thy freedom, gladness and light,

  Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of my sickness into Thy health,

Out of my wanting and into Thy wealth,

Out of my sin and into Thyself,

  Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of my shameful failure and loss,

  Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.

Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,

  Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,

Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,

Out of distress into jubilant psalm,

  Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of unrest and arrogant pride,

  Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.

Into Thy blessed will to abide,

  Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,

Out of despair into raptures above,

Upward forever on wings like a dove,

  Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,

  Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.

Into the joy and light of Thy home,

  Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of the depths of ruin untold,

Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,

Ever Thy glorious face to behold,

  Jesus, I come to Thee.

- William Sleeper, 1887

Perserverence in Prayer

Almighty God,

You have commanded us

  to pray to you without ceasing.

You have encouraged us

  with your many glorious promises.

Let your Holy Spirit

  teach us how to pray.

Give us an accurate vision

  of your glory and mercy.

Give us love for

  everything that is pleasing to you.

Help our infirmities that we may not be

  abused by illusions,

  distracted by cares,

  alienated by impertinences.

Give us, we ask you,

  presence of mind,

  great devotion,

  a heart fixed on you.

Give us perserverence in our prayers

  that we may glorify your name.

Hear us, O King of Heaven,

  when we call on you.

For you have promised mercy

  to those who pray in the name of

  our Lord and Savior,

  Jesus Christ.

Amen 
 

- Anonymous

Prayer for Christ's Second Coming

Oh Lord, Jesus Christ,

By your holy angels you promised

  That you would return a second time

    In the manner that you were taken from us.

So we ask you, come Lord Jesus,

  Come quickly, and

    Fullfil the desire of your church.

We wait for you day by day.

Give us the grace

  Of your Holy Spirit,

    That we may be ready when you appear.

Give us watchfulness,

  That we may be clothed,

    Lights burning, zealous followers.

Give us purposefulness,

  And make us faithful stewards

    Of your wonderful gifts.

As we wait for you day by day, 

  May we wait not in foolishness,

    But in wisdom,

      Understanding and doing your will.

For the days are evil.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Amen

- HA

A New Year's Prayer

Mighty, exalted God,

  You inhabit eternity:

With you a thousand years

  Is only a day,

    And a day

      Is like a thousand years.

We are your creatures;

  Your hand has formed us,

    Your providence has sustained us,

      From childhood to this hour.

You have preserved us,

  Through all the years,

    To this day.

Though we are utterly unworthy,

  You permit us into your presence,

    To address you as Father,

      God of our salvation.

We desire to approach you,

  With reverence and godly fear,

    With praise and thanksgiving.

Help us by your Holy Spirit

  To humble ourselves before you.

Help us to remember our many sins,

  And show us the evil of our ways.

May your sprit make us contrite,

  Recalling to our minds our

    Folly and perverseness,

      Pride and worldliness,

        Unbelief and ingratitude.

These have stained our character, and

  Misdirected our our course many times

    Through the year now closing.

How rebellious and unprofitable

  We have been!

And yet, how wonderful has been

  Your forebearance and love!

You might have cut us down like weeds,

  And you would have been just in doing so;

    Yet, by your immense mercy,

      We are still in the land of the living.

Oh God, when we trace the course,

  Of your wonderful providence,

When we remind ourselves

  Of the the mercy you have shown us,

    The dangers we have escaped,

      The discipline we have endured,

        Your consolation and support,

We are overwhelmed at our obligation to you.

Teach us, Oh Lord,

  To number our days,

    So that we may apply our hearts

      To wisdom.

Teach us the great lessons of life;

  May our experiences lead us

    To humble ourselves more and more, and

      To exalt you more and more.

Show us the emptiness of this vain world,

  And the folly of seeking our rest

    In that which will soon pass away.

Grant that despite our sin,

  Your designs may be accomplished in us.

May your spirit transform us,

  And produce in us evidence of true religion.

May we daily leave behind

  The things that perish, while we

    Press forward in earnest desire

      Towards the imperishable riches of your grace.

And now, once more, gracious God,

  We commit ourselves into your faithful hands.

Forgive us for the things

  That make our consciences afraid.

Give us the things that

  We are not worthy to ask.

In the name of your Son,

  Jesus Christ,

    Our Lord.

Amen

- CH

Prayer for Missions

Father God,

In the silence of our hearts,

We have looked into your word,

And found that you are loving.

In the wonder of the hills,

  the waters, the sky,

We have found that you are infinite.

In the people of the world,

We have found you working.

In their cry of need,

We have heard you calling for us.

We go out again to live

Among those who have not seen you.

In the chill of their indifference,

In the fire of their mocking,

In the shadowland of their unbelief;

Grant that we may hold fast,

Keep our spirits wide awake,

Help us to remember.

Life depends not on how we feel,

And for that we are thankful.

When feeling flees,

Hold our wills steady -

That we may live steadily for you.

Each day may we look

Into your loving face.

Give us your strength, and

Help us to forget our weakness.

In quiet assurance of your power,

Help us take on life's challenges.

Whether you lead us

Into the quietness of the country,

Or into the seething of mighty cities,

Or to your children across the seas;

Whether we walk by queit waters,

Or are thrust into the heat of battle;

Whether the road winds up into sunlight,

Or down into deep darkness;

Help us to remember:

You, our Lord, are there

As you are here,

And you are Light

  and Life

    and Love.

Amen

- YWCA Summer Conference, 1918

Prayer for Santification

Sanctify Lord

Our souls and bodies and spirits

Relieve our apprehensions

Search out our consciences

Cast out of us

Every evil thought and base desire

All envy and pride and hipocricy and falsehood

All malice and anger and remembrance of harms done

Every motive which is contrary to your holy will

May we call on you with freedom

Without shame or confusion

With a pure heart and contrite soul

With purified lips and hearts

Boldly

Amen

Prayer for Strength

Mighty God,

You have taught us that -

It is not what we take

That makes us rich,

But what we give.

When we lose all for you,

  Then we are filled;

When we are weak,

  Then we are strong.

You put us here

  To accomplish the impossible,

For with you, Oh Lord,

  All things are possible.

With you is -

  The power, and

  The choice, and

  The final outcome,

According to your Spirit.

Amen

- Anonymous