Circle Of Prayer


Intercessory prayer is the purifying bath into which the individual
and the community must enter every day.
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

intercessory prayer finding solace

Before You Ask

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:7-8)

Many people think their prayers won’t work if they don’t utter them clearly enough, or fail to explain to God exactly what they mean, or don’t speak loudly enough to him with sufficient earnestness. But when this happens, prayer becomes so exaggerated that our Savior even forbids it.

Obviously Jesus does not want to discourage us from praying. His point is that when we pray we must have a sense of proportion. Once we have prayed, we must be quiet. We need to be like the farmer who has sown his seed. Help will come only when you are quiet in faith. Also in your sickness or with other needs, learn to be still and look to the Kingdom of God.

We can share our needs with the Father in a few words, without making a fuss, and rest assured that God already knows what we need and what he will do to help us. We don’t have to explain our requests in great detail to God, or try and make quite sure that he knows our needs. God knows about even the smallest matters and takes them straight into his heart. We can turn to him by glancing Heavenward, with no words at all. We can do this even when we pray about something concrete and tangible, or about something that specifically troubles us. We may realize that what we thought we needed is actually not necessary and that we can find a way right in the midst of how things are now.

This doesn’t mean that we just let things happen – as if everything will come of its own accord without our longing for it. Nor should we just cast a brief and hurried request at God’s feet. When this happens, we too easily lose sight of God, assume that everything comes to us without his help, and we forget to thank him. Then we cease to have a believing heart and are consequently not true children of God.

Jesus said, “Before you ask him.” Therefore we do need to make our requests known to him, otherwise many things will not be given that could have been given. It never displeases God when we come to him with our heartfelt requests. A real child asks for everything, knowing God has an ear for him. We should bring all our burdens and needs to him, for at the very least this helps to make us ever more aware that in all things God is the giver.

God always has our interest in mind. He carries our various needs with fatherly concern, eagerly waiting for us to come to him. He has not forgotten us. And when we feel tempted to think so, then all the more we should remember that he knows it all and cares for us. In fact, he knows much more about us and our needs than we do. Simple, childlike prayer is enough to move his heart, give you something out of the fullness of his compassion, and save you from all sorts of fear and trouble.

(Johann Christoph Blumhardt)

(The God Who Heals, Words of Hope for a Time of Sickness)


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Julia

A Prayer for the Feast Day of Saint Nicholas of Myra

Almighty God, who in thy love didst give to thy servant Nicholas of Myra a perpetual name for deeds of kindness on land and sea: Grant, we pray thee, that thy Church may never cease to work for the happiness of children, the safety of sailors, the relief of the poor, and the help of those tossed by tempests of doubt or grief; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Received: December 6, 2017

Julia

Today I look to you for your blessing, Father.

My life is in your hands – may those hands hold me close, and keep me.

I also pray for your blessing upon all those who are dear to me – may your salvation be known to them today.

And for your blessing, Father, I offer my thanksgiving – may neither ever cease. (My Soul Waits)

Received: December 4, 2017

Julia

O Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, set your holy Passion, Cross, and Death between your judgment and our souls, both now and in the hour of death. And vouchsafe, we beseech you, to grant unto the living mercy and grace, to the dead and to us miserable sinners life and joy everlasting; who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. (The Primer)

Received: December 1, 2017

Bonnie Morgen

Definitely being spiritually attacked by some form of black magic witchcraft, we have lost everything, constant accidents, headaches, fear, nightmares, poverty, please break this over my family, in Jesus name

Received: November 30, 2017

Julia

Praying a Bible Text

Repeated slowly many times, then silently many times, allowing the meaning to deepen into feeling, holding the attention on the text whenever it strays away, until at last the mind is silent and I experience the truth of the promise of which the text speaks.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.

It is I, be not afraid.

Abide in me and let me abide in you.

Underneath are the everlasting arms.

I am with you always.

In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.

I have made, and I will bear.

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, this is the way, walk in it.

I will never leave you nor forsake you. (George Appleton)

Received: November 28, 2017

Julia

The Golden Arrow Prayer

May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable,

most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God

be forever praised, blessed, loved, adored

and glorified in Heaven, on Earth,

and under the earth,

by all the creatures of God,

and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ,

in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Amen.

Received: November 27, 2017

Julia

Help me to be brave.

Help me to be hopeful.

Help me to face cheerfully and openly—rather than

reluctantly and resentfully—whatever is coming next,

wherever it is that I am going.

(Joan Bel Geddes)

Received: November 22, 2017

Julia

My God—equally present

In darkness as in light,

Stand by me!

Allow me, yes, to suffer and be hurt,

But not to be broken or destroyed.

Allow me to be bruised,

But not my spirit to be overcome.

I know of suffering and I do not fear it.

I only fear my strength to carry it.

I ask not to escape from the threats and the pain,

I ask that I might carry them

With grace,

With hope,

With love.

(Edwina Gateley)

Received: November 20, 2017

Julia

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessing of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace and for the hope of glory.

And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end.

Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer)

Received: November 17, 2017

Julia

O Lord,

Who healest the broken-hearted

And blindest up their wounds,

Grant thy consolation unto the mourners.

O strengthen and support them

In the day of their grief and sorrow;

And remember them (and their children)

For a long and good life.

Put into their hearts the fear and love of thee,

That they may serve thee with a perfect heart;

And let their latter end be peace.

(Jewish Prayer)

Received: November 16, 2017

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