Prayer by William Barclay
O God, you are our refuge,
When we are exhausted by life's efforts.
O God, you are our strength,
When our tasks are beyond our powers.
O God, it is from you that all goodness comes.
And now as we pray to you,
Help us to believe in your love,
So that we may be certain that you are able to do for us above all
that we ask or think,
Help us to believe in your wisdom,
so that we may be certain that you will answer,
not as our ignorance asks, but as your perfect wisdom knows best.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Prayer in Color
Based on the work by Sybil MacBeth at: Praying In Color
Step 1: Choose a scripture verse.
Write it out on paper. Commit this verse to memory. Invite the Holy Spirit to be with you in this time of prayer.
Step 2: Pick one word from the verse
Write that word down and write down everything you know about the word. Let your mind wander freely.
Step 3. Doodling around your word(s)
Take a new sheet of paper. Write out just a few words or phrases that speak to you from your scripture verse. Start doodling around the words and let the movement of your hand help you focus on the word and how God is speaking to you.
Step 4. Rest
As images emerge during your doodling, share those with God in prayer. Rest in this time together. Close your time of prayer by reciting your scripture verse.
For sample handouts visit: Praying in Color Handouts
Morning Prayer (The United Methodist Hymnal, p. 877)
New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors, and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
Experiencing Jesus through Colloquy
Colloquy is an old prayer practice that simply means, "conversation." Through the practice, a person imagines Jesus has appeared before them and they simply talk.
First Exercise
Imagine Jesus is sitting with you. How do you feel? What do you want to tell Jesus? Share those words with him.
Second Exercise - based on John 21
Imagine Jesus is with you. This time, he is calling you by name, asking, “Do you love me?” How does it feel to be asked this question? How do you respond?
Jesus asks the question a second time. Again how does it feel? How do you respond?
Jesus asks the question a third time. How does it feel? How do you respond?
Third Exercise - Based on John 21, “Yes, you know I love you.”
In this final exercise, imagine that you respond by saying, “Yes, you know I love you.” What does Jesus ask you to do? What is the one thing placed on your heart? Wait and listen. God is speaking to you in love. Receive this calling with grace.
A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition, Contemporary Version
I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you,
Praised for you or criticized for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service.
And now, O wonderful and holy God,
Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,
you are mine, and I am yours.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it also be made in heaven. Amen.
Prayer by Thomas Merton
O Lord God, I have no idea where I am going, I do not see the road ahead of me, I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself. And that fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire In all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire to please You. And I know that if I do this You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and you will never leave me to make my journey alone. Amen.
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Praying the Psalms
The Psalms have been a prayer book for all thousands of years. Join Pastor Stina in praying through the Psalms together as a church family. We will be praying through one Psalm each day. For an update on the Psalm schedule, contact Pastor Stina.