20th Century – Page 6 – A Collection of Prayers

Offering Prayers

O Lord, stir up the wills of your faithful people, that those who have freely received your blessings may give from your blessings; through Jesus Christ our Lord. [1]

Source: Freely modified from Bishop John Dowden, 1840-1910

Most merciful and gracious God, we have all received the gifts of your goodness. Receive this offering of your people and follow it with your blessing, that it may be used to spread peace and good will among all people and advance the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [2]

Source: Based on a prayer in The Book of Common Worship, Henry Van Dyke, Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath-School Work, 1906, p. 7.

All gracious God, in your infinite love you gave your only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and rise again for our justification, and have made us partakers of the divine nature through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Receive the offering we present to you and grant that our bodies, souls and spirits may be living sacrifices to you, holy and pleasing in your sight, and that we may go forth in your strength to freely serve you in all things; through Jesus Christ our Lord. [3]

Source: Based on a prayer in The Book of Common Worship, Henry Van Dyke, Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath-School Work, 1906, p. 16.

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son once offered up himself on the cross once for all. Accept this our spiritual act of worship of praise. O Lord, we offer and present ourselves, our souls and bodies to be a holy and living sacrifice acceptable to you through Jesus Christ your Son. [4]

Source: Based on a prayer in The Book of Common Worship, Henry Van Dyke, Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath-School Work, 1906, p. 37

Short Offering Prayers

Lord Jesus, our heavenly King, grant that the closer we draw to Judgment Day the more sharply we may recognize and acknowledge the claim—the blood-bought claim—which you have on our whole lives. [1]

Jesus, our only Savior, grant that the gifts we bring you each week may more and more get to show that we are just as diligent and just as interested in the Lord’s business as we are in our own business. [2]

Dear Savior, you have taught us: “A man’ s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Teach us to realize more and more that happiness in life does not depend on the number of things we can call our own. Rather, Jesus, help us to find joy in the uses that we as stewards make of the money you’ve placed in our hands. [3]

Dear Savior, grant that the gifts we bring you each week may not be evidence of a weak and undernourished faith, but of a healthy faith; a faith that is growing in the lovely grace of Christian liberality. [4]

Heavenly Father, fill the heart of every member of ______________Congregation with your deep concern for lost souls; with your Son’s spirit of willing sacrifice; and with your Holy Spirit’s power to spread the Gospel far and near.[5]

Majestic Lord, accept these little gifts which we have laid on your altar. Grant that bringing these gifts may have brought real joy to the heart of the givers. Grant that these gifts may bring joy to the heart of the Savior, to whom they have been given. [6]

Heavenly Father, grant that the gifts we have placed on your altar this morning may be an accurate expression of the deep appreciation we feel toward the only Savior we’re ever going to have. [7]

Heavenly Father, grant that the gifts we have placed on your altar this morning may be an accurate expression of the deep appreciation we feel toward our only Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Modified from [7] above.)

Dearest Savior, grant that our offering may show that we remember what many seem to forget—that real happiness does not come by acquiring and possessing, but by giving and serving. [8]

Lord of all, again this morning we saw how your fatherly heart toward us is laid bare in Jesus Christ. Grant that the gifts we bring you each week may give evidence that your love is producing fruit in us, leading us to respond to you as the Lord of our lives. [9]

Dear Savior, help us to believe that when you ask us to worship you with our gifts this is not just a business proposition, and surely not an invasion of our privacy, but rather an exercise of our faith, and a fitting response to the mercy you have shown us. [10]

Dear Savior, we thank you for giving us your love and also the means to share your love with others. [11]

Lord Jesus, purify our love for you, and strengthen our resolve to give you first place in our lives in the week just ahead. [12]

Lord of all, forgive us for so often arguing with your claim on our lives. Accept these gifts as evidence of our determination today to accept your guidance and your help, as you seek to equip us for the life of service to which you have called us. [13]

Jesus, in faith today I give you my head, my heart, and my hands. Please use me this week. [14]

John-Jeske-1419607459[1] Source: Professor John C. Jeske (1924-2014), from his essay: “Christian Stewardship Is Taking God At His Word” available at this link from the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary essay file: http://wlsessays.net/bitstream/handle/123456789/2367/JeskeChristian.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

For Those Who Have Forgotten You

O God,
no one can escape your Spirit,
and none may flee from your presence.
We pray for those who have forgotten you
and have wandered in disobedience to your will
and neglected your holy Word and Sacraments.
May your Holy Spirit continue to strive with them,
may your exceeding great love still plead with them,
to bring them home to yourself again,
that they may rejoice in your salvation
and glorify your blessed name.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from A Book of Prayers: Together with Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Ancient and Modern, Morehouse Publishing Company, 1921, p. 54

Original has: “and neglected your holy Church and Sacraments.”

Guide Us in the Way of Peace

Prayer Book Bible Reading Book Of Common Prayer

O God, King eternal,
you divide the day from the night
and turn the shadow of death into morning.
Drive away from us all wrong desires,
incline our hearts to keep your law,
and guide our feet into the way of peace,
so that after we have done your will with cheerfulness while it was day,
we may rejoice when night comes and give you thanks;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: U. S. Book of Common Prayer 1928

Original in traditional English:

GOD, the King eternal, who dividest the day from the darkness, and turnest the shadow of death into the morning; Drive far off from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep thy law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that having done thy will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when the night cometh, rejoice to give thee thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Teach and Lead us Nearer to You

Ever loving and eternal God,
source of light that never sets,
and of love that never fails,
Life of our life,
Father of our spirits;
draw near to us,
and by remembering your never failing mercy,
teach and lead us nearer to you.

By the good news of your Son our Savior,
by his life and teaching;
by his passion and Cross;
by his heavenly exaltation and the influence of his Spirit:
teach and lead us nearer to you.

By the ministry of your church,
teach and lead us nearer to you.

By all our conflicts,
by all our aspirations,
by all our fears,
by all our joys and sorrows,
by life and death itself,
teach and lead us nearer to you.

Original litany:

Almighty and Eternal God, Source of the light that never sets and of the love that never fails, Life of our life. Father of our spirits; hear us as we now beseech Thee, by Thine infinite mercy and goodness, to draw us, Thy weak and erring children, nearer and nearer to Thee in trust and love, in submission and obedience to Thy holy and blessed will.

By all Thy works; by Thy wonders in heaven and on earth; by the order which reigns over all; by the beauty which shines through all; by the bounty which blesses all:

Minister and People, Teach us, and lead us ever nearer to Thee.

By the remembrance of Thine ancient mercies; by the revelation of Thyself to saints of old; by every holy record of wisdom and piety; by every faithful word of Thy servants, and by every good example:

Minister and People, Teach us, and lead us ever nearer to Thee.

By the memory of Thy Son our Saviour, the Brightness of Thy glory and the Image of Thy Person; by His life and teaching; by His passion and Cross; by His heavenly exaltation and the influence of His spirit:

Minister and People, Teach us, and lead us ever nearer to Thee,

By the Church of Jesus Christ ; by its holy ordinances, offices, and ministries; by its Sunday worship and teaching; by all its seasons of meditation and prayer, and by all the associations of the House of God:

Minister and People. Teach us, and lead us ever nearer to Thee.

By the kindness and love Thou hast shown us from the beginning of our days until now; by the relations of home; by the love of little children; by the affection and fidelity of friends ; by the trials and bereavements which chasten and hallow our earthly love; and by all the memories of our dead:

Minister and People. Teach us, and lead us ever nearer to Thee.

By the conflict of our souls with temptation; by our falls and failures; by our shame and repentance; by every holy aspiration, striving, and victory:

Minister and People, Teach us, and lead us ever nearer to Thee,

By all the experience and discipline of life; by health and sickness; by success and disappointment; by joy and sorrow; by all the chances and changes of our passing days:

Minister and People, Teach us, and lead us ever nearer to Thee.

In all time of our wealth, and in all time of our tribulation ; in every circumstance and in every place; in life and in death, O Most Merciful God, our Father and Redeemer:

Minister and People. Teach us, and lead us ever nearer to Thee. Amen.

Swedish Christmas Prayer

church_of_sweden_2856028423629 Merciful God, loving Father,
we give you thanks and praise
that you have mercifully fulfilled
the word of your promise to the patriarchs
and sent your only Son
to become truly human
for our salvation and blessedness.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
eternal praise be to you,
that you, being rich, for our sakes became poor,
that we through your poverty might become rich;
that you have become our brother,
that we with you might become the children of God.
Grant that you may be born in our hearts,
just as you, though you are Lord of lords,
have for our sakes become a child,
so give us the right childlike mind.
You are the brightness of the Father’s glory
and image of his person,
renew us in your holy likeness.

Heavenly Light,
lighten us through the darkness of this world.
Eternal Life, give us life in you.
Great Prince of Peace, grant us your peace,
and keep us ever in your kingdom,
that we may praise and magnify you in your glory:
you, with the Father and the Holy Spirit live and reign forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from The Swedish Rite: a translation of “Handbok för svenska kyrkan” by Eric Esskildsen Yelverton, 1921, Litany Prayer for Christmas Day, p. 52-53

A Prayer for Communicants

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Lord Jesus,
you call to yourself
all who labor and are heavy laden
to refresh them and give rest to their souls.
Let these guests experience your love
at the heavenly feast you have prepared
for your people on earth.
Keep them from impenitence and unbelief
that none may partake of this holy Sacrament
to their own judgment.
Take off from them the spotted garment of the flesh
and of their own righteousness,
and adorn them with the garment of the merit
purchased with your blood.
Strengthen their faith,
increase their love and hope,
and hereafter have them sit at your heavenly table,
where you will have your people eat of the eternal manna
and drink from the river of your pleasure forevermore.
Hear us for your own sake. Amen.

Source: Modified from Liturgy and Agenda, 1921

As a paragraph:

Lord Jesus, you call to yourself all who labor and are heavy laden to refresh them and give rest to their souls. Let these guests experience your love at the heavenly feast you have prepared for your people on earth. Keep them from impenitence and unbelief that none may partake of this holy Sacrament to their own judgment. Take off from them the spotted garment of the flesh and of their own righteousness, and adorn them with the garment of the merit purchased with your blood. Strengthen their faith, increase their love and hope, and hereafter have them sit at your heavenly table, where you will have your people eat of the eternal manna and drink from the river of your pleasure forevermore. Hear us for your own sake. Amen.

“you call to yourself all who labor and are heavy laden” is a reference to Matthew 11:28

“that none may partake of this holy Sacrament to their own judgment” is a reference to 1 Corinthians 11:29

“Take off from them the spotted garment of the flesh… and adorn them with the garment of the merit purchased with your blood” is a reference to Zechariah 3, Romans 13:12-14, Galatians 3:27 and Revelation 7:14

“Strengthen their faith, increase their love and hope,” is a reference to 1 Corinthians 13:13

“eat of the eternal manna” is a reference to Revelation 2:17

“drink from the river of your pleasure forevermore” is a reference to Psalm 36:8 and Revelation 22:1-2

Graphic from Wikimedia Commons

At the Death of a Christian Brother or Sister

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O Lord God, Lord of life and death,
you turn man to dust and say,
“Return, O children of men,”
we give you thanks for all the mercies
which during his life you bestowed
on this our beloved brother, now fallen asleep.
Especially do we praise you
for having brought him to the knowledge
of your dear Son Jesus Christ.
Comfort the survivors
with your everlasting comfort,
and cheer them with the sweet hope
of a blessed reunion in heaven.
Grant to the lifeless body
rest in the bosom of the earth,
and hereafter, together with us all,
a joyful resurrection to life everlasting.
Teach us all to number our days
that we may apply our hearts to wisdom,
and finally be saved;
through Jesus Christ, your beloved Son,
our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Source: Liturgy and Agenda (1921), p. 134

prayer for the dead in middle ages

prayers for the dead

After One Has Departed in the Lord

Thanks and praise be rendered now and forevermore
to Christ Jesus, Lord of glory and Prince of life,
for having so graciously delivered this sainted brother,
and received his soul into his holy hands.
We pray him to reunite the soul with the body
in heavenly brightness on the last day,
and to grant to us a godly walk
and an equally happy departure
at the time appointed of God.
Restore, O Lord, all distressed hearts with sweet comfort
and keep all of us always in your grace
for the sake of your eternal mercy and goodness.
Amen, O most holy and exalted Trinity. Amen! Amen!

Source: Modified from The Abridged Treasury of Prayers: An Epitome from the Larger Gebets-Schatz, 1906, #64

Two Prayers for the Dying

Almighty, eternal God, heavenly Father,
comfort and strengthen this your servant
and save him through your goodness.
Deliver him from all anguish and distress,
release him in your grace,
and take him to yourself in your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ your dear Son,
our only Lord Savior and Redeemer.
Amen.

Almighty, eternal God,
have compassion on the anxious sighs
and groanings of this dying person.
Receive him into your kingdom
that you have mercifully prepared for him
and all believers from the beginning of the world.
Graciously release him, O Lord,
and comfort him eternally with the elect;
through your dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Source: Modified from The Abridged Treasury of Prayers: An Epitome from the Larger Gebets-Schatz, 1906, #63

prayer for the dead in middle ages

prayers for the dead