Prayer for the Courage to Look Within

May all sentient beings have the courage to look within themselves and see the good and bad that exists in all of us. May we open our hearts, shining the light of love into the dark recesses where doubt and fear reside. May we have the courage to step into that light and embrace whatever we find, letting it rise to the surface freed by the act of loving kindness.

- Beliefnet member kuliLinei

Motorists' Prayer

Grant me, O Lord, a steady hand and watchful eye, that no one shall be hurt as I pass by.

You gave life; I pray no act of mine may take away or mar that gift of thine.

Shelter those, dear Lord, who bear my company, from the evils of fire and all calamity.

Teach me to use my car for others' needs; nor miss through love of undue speed

The beauty of the world; that thus I may with joy and courtesy go on my way.

St. Christopher, holy patron of travelers, protect me and lead me safely to my destiny.

Amen.

O Sweet Lord Jesus, Thou art the present portion of thy people

O sweet Lord Jesus, thou art the present portion of thy people, favor us this year with such a sense of thy preciousness, that from its first to its last day we may be glad and rejoice in thee. Let January open with joy in the Lord, and December close with gladness in Jesus.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)

Morning Prayer

O Lord, grant that my heart may be truly cleansed and filled with Thy Holy Spirit, and that I may arise to serve Thee, and lie down to sleep in entire confidence in Thee, and submission to Thy will, ready for life or for death. Let me live for the day, not overcharged with worldly cares, but feeling that my treasure is not here, and desiring truly to be joined to Thee in Thy heavenly kingdom, and to those who are already gone to Thee. O Lord, save me from sin, and guide me with Thy Spirit, and keep me in faithful obedience to Thee, through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord.

- Rev. Thomas Arnold (1795-1842)

Almighty God, by whose mercy my life has continued for another year

Almighty God, by whose mercy my life has continued for another year, I pray that, as my years increase, my sins may not increase. As age advances, let me become more open, more faithful and more trusting in thee. Let me not be distracted by lesser things from what is truly important. And if I become infirm as I grow old, may I not be overwhelmed by self-pity or bitterness. Continue and increase thy lovingkindness towards me, so that, when thou dost finally call me to thyself, I may enter into eternal happiness with thee, through Jesus Christ my Lord.

Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709-84)

Prayer for Protection

Princes shall come out of Egypt,
Ethiopia shall stretch forth her
hand unto God. Oh thou God
of Ethiopia, thou God of divine
majesty, thy spirit come within our
hearts to dwell in the pasts of righteousness.
That the hungry be fed,
the sick nourished, the aged protected,
and the infant cared for. Teach us
love and loyalty as it is in Zion.

Rastafarian

Eternal God, thou makest all things new

Eternal God, thou makest all things new, and abidest forever the same: grant us to begin this year in thy faith, and to continue it in thy favor; that, being guided in all our doings, and guarded all our days, we may spend our lives in thy service, and finally, by thy grace, attain the glory of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

William Edwin Orchard (1877-1955)

For those coping with Divorce

Lord, be with this family as they transition into two separate households. Let your eternal light radiate throughout both homes, that this child may know your lovingkindness, as manifested by her parents, who love her, Lord. Let both this husband and wife grow strong in your love and live their lives according to Your will and not their own... I also pray for all children of divorce, that they have both their parents in their lives, and never doubt for one second that they are loved and cherished, and precious in Your sight. Thy will be done Lord, Amen.

Almighty God, who alone art without variableness or shadow of turning

Almighty God, who alone art without variableness or shadow of turning, and hast safely brought us through the changes of time to the beginning of another year: we beseech thee to pardon the sins that we have committed in the year which is past; and give us grace that we may spend the remainder of our days to thy honor and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Church of Ireland Book of Common Prayer

Hanukkah Candle-Lighting Prayers

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us by his commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah.

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav, ve-tzivanu le-hadlik ner shel Hanukah.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who wrought miracles for our fathers in days of old, at this season.

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam she-asa nisim la-avotenu ba-yamim ha-hem ba-zeman ha-zeh.

On the first night only:
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has kept us alive, and has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this season.

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam she-hecheyanu, ve-kiyemanu, ve-higiyanu la-zeman ha-zeh.

Jewish

Christmas Prayer

Loving Father,
Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

- Robert Louis Stevenson

Christmas Eve Prayer

Most Loving Father, thank you for this night and for all it represents. Thank you for the hope you bestow, the peace you bring, the love you pour out, and the joy you give. We praise you most of all for Jesus, your Word made flesh. May he light our way as the holy star lit the way for the wise men. Amen

- Rev. Richard J. Fairchild

Be mindful, O Lord

Be mindful, O Lord, of those who travel by land, by sea, and by air; of the old and young, the sick, the suffering, the sorrowing, the afflicted, the captives, the needy and the poor; and upon them all send forth Thy mercies, for Thou art the Giver of all good things.

Christian
source: Orthodox Christian liturgy

O sweet Child of Bethlehem

O sweet Child of Bethlehem, grant that we may share with all our hearts in this profound mystery of Christmas. Put into our hearts the peace for which we sometimes seek so desperately and which you alone can give us . . . Reveal to us also your beauty, holiness and purity. Awaken in our hearts love and gratitude for your infinite goodness. Join us all together in your love. And give us your heavenly peace. Amen.

Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

Let your goodness, Lord, appear to us

Let your goodness, Lord, appear to us, that we, made in your image, conform ourselves to it. In our own strength we cannot imitate your majesty, power and wonder; nor is it fitting for us to try. But your mercy reaches from the heavens, through the clouds, to the earth below. You have come to us as a small child, but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal love . . .

Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)

Welcome, all wonders in one sight!

Welcome, all wonders in one sight!
Eternity shut in a span.
Summer in winter, day in night.
Heaven in earth, and God in Man;
Great little one! Whose all-embracing birth
Lifts earth to heaven, stoops heav'n to earth.

From 'The Nativity' by Richard Crashaw (c.1613-49)

Spouses' Prayer

O Lord, omnipotent and eternal God, we give you thanks and we bless your holy name. You created man and woman in your image and blessed their union, so that each would be for the other a help and support. Remember us today. Protect us and grant that our love may be in the image of the devotion and love of Christ for his Church. Grant us a long and fruitful life together, in joy and in peace, so that, through your Son and in the Holy Spirit, our hearts may always rise to you in praise and goods works.

Christian
source: Catholic Doors Ministry

Prayer for Young People

God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you, and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Watch, O Lord

Watch, O Lord, with those who wake,
or watch, or weep tonight,
and give your angels and saints
charge over those who sleep.

Tend your sick ones, O Lord Christ,
rest your weary ones,
bless your dying ones,
soothe your suffering ones,
pity your afflicted ones
shield your joyous ones.

And all for your love's sake.
Amen.

- St. Augustine

O Thou who art the source of all existence and the light of all seeing!

O Thou who art the source of all existence and the light of all seeing: We remember with joy and awe that the world is thy creation, and that life is thy gift. Lift up our thoughts from the littleness of our own works to the greatness, the majesty, and the wonder of thine, and teach us so to behold thy glory that we may grow into thy likeness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From the Book of Worship of the United Methodist Church (1964)

Oh, Allah! I am your servant (Muslim Prayer)

Oh Allah!
I am your servant,
son of Your male servant,
and son of Your female servant;
my forehead is in Your Hand;
Your judgment is exact;
Your decision about me is just;
I ask You by every name of Yours which You have called Yourself,
or revealed in a Book of Yours,
or taught to any of Your servants,
or reserved within Your unrevealed Knowledge,
to make the Qur'an a spring to my heart,
a light in my chest,
that it removes my sadness,
and erase my anguish.

- Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Muslim

O Morning Star, how fair and bright Thou beamest

O Morning Star, how fair and bright
Thou beamest forth in truth and light,
O Sovereign meek and lowly!
Thou Root of Jesse, David's Son,
my Lord and Master, thou hast won
my heart to serve thee solely!
Thou art holy, fair and glorious,
all victorious, rich in blessing,
rule and might o'er all possessing.

What joy to know, when life is past,
the Lord we love is first and last,
the end and the beginning!
He will one day, O glorious grace,
transport us to that happy place
beyond all tears and sinning!
Amen! Amen! Come Lord Jesus!
Crown of gladness, we are yearning
for the day of your returning.

Philipp Nicolai, 1599

Prayer for Police Officers

Almighty God we pray to you
In heaven up above
Watch over our dear police officers
And protect them with your love.

Please guide them as they keep us
both safe day and night
And hold them firmly in your car
should danger come their way.

Give them true strength and courage
As they serve til duty's end
And one more thing to ask dear Lord
Protect their family and their friends.

Come now, High King of Heaven

Come now, High King of Heaven. Come to us in flesh and bone. Bring life to us who are weary with misery. Bring peace to us who are overcome with weeping, whose cheeks are covered with bitter salt tears. Seek us out, who are lost in the darkness of depression. Do not forget us, but show mercy on us. Impart to us your everlasting joy, so that we, who are fashioned by your hands, may praise your glory.

The Exeter Book

The Johnny Appleseed Blessing

Oh, the Lord is good to me,
And so I thank the Lord
For giving me the things I need
The sun, and the rain, and the apple seed.
The Lord is good to me.

Christian

O just and faithful King

O just and faithful King, you can unlock the prison-house of sin, and let us out into the glorious freedom of love. Now we sit in darkness, grieving over the wrongs we have committed. We long for the sun, we yearn for the warmth and brightness of your truth. Open the gate of this prison, and lead us to your kingdom, which is our true home.

From the Exeter Book c. 950

O King of the Nations, You are the Headstone

O King of the nations, you are the headstone of the glorious hall of creation. You are the firm mortar which holds the building together. Throughout the earth people marvel at your works . . . Reveal yourself to mankind, show yourself as the ruler of the world, demonstrate the power of your love.

The Exeter Book (c.950)

Children's Prayer for Morning

Now, before I run to play,
Let me not forget to pray
To God who kept me through the night
And waked me with the morning light.

Help me, Lord, to love thee more
Than I ever loved before,
In my work and in my play
Be thou with me through the day.
Amen.

- Author Unknown

Grant that I may not pray alone with my mouth

Grant that I may not pray alone with my mouth; help me that I may pray from the depths of my heart.

Martin Luther

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
They lived in a land of shadows,
but now light is shining on them.
You have given them great joy, Lord;
You have made them happy.
They rejoice in what you have done,
as people rejoice when they harvest grain
or when they divide captured wealth.
For you have broken the yoke that burdened them
and the rod that beat their shoulders

A child is born to us!
A son is given to us!
And he will be our ruler.
He will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9: 2-4, 6 (From the Good News Bible)

What can I give Him, Poor as I am?

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a Wise Man,
I would do my part --
Yet what can I give Him?
Give my heart.

Christina Rossetti -- In the Bleak Mid-Winter

Luther's Evening Prayer

My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You have protected me, by Your grace. Forgive, I pray, all my sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by Your grace, tonight. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen.

- Martin Luther

You wait for us until we are open to you.

You wait for us
until we are open to you.
We wait for your word
to make us receptive.
Attune us to your voice,
to your silence,
speak and bring your Son to us --
Jesus, the word of your peace.
your word is near,
O Lord our God,
your grace is near.
Come to us, then,
do not let us be deaf to you,
but make us receptive and open
to Jesus Christ your Son . . .

Hoob Oosterhuis (1933- )

May you be blessed forever, Lord

May you be blessed forever, Lord, for not abandoning me when I abandoned you.
May you be blessed forever, Lord, for offering your hand of love in my darkest, most lonely moments.
May you be blessed forever, Lord, for putting up with such a stubborn soul as mine.
May you be blessed forever, Lord, for loving me more than I love myself.
May you be blessed forever, Lord, for drawing out the goodness in all people, even including me.
May you be blessed forever, Lord, for repaying our sin with your love.
May you be blessed forever, Lord, for being constant and unchanging, amidst all the changes of the world.
May you be blessed forever, Lord, for your countless blessings on me and on all your creatures.

Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

O Jesus - Be the canoe that holds me in the sea of life

O Jesus
Be the canoe that holds me in the sea of life.
Be the steer that keeps me straight.
Be the outrigger that supports me in times of great temptation.
Let thy spirit be my sail that carries me through each day.
Keep my body strong,
so that I can paddle steadfastly on,
in the long voyage of life.

A New Hebridean prayer