'Awaken us by your insistent grace'

Michael Lindvall:

Save us, O God, from the temptation to sleep life away. Awaken us by your
insistent grace. Shine in the morning when the way is dim and show us where to
place our feet on the way to abundant life. Shape the shadows and save us from
fear. And now, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be
acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen

Eucharistic prayer from Iona

from TWS (orig. WWB)

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right for us to give thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, for you made us,
and before us you made the world we inhabit,
and before the world you made the eternal home
in which, through Christ, we have a place.
All that is spectacular and all that is plain
have their origin in you;
all that is lovely and all who are loving
point to you as their fulfillment.
And grateful as we are for the world we know
and the universe beyond our knowing,
we particularly praise you, whom eternity cannot contain,
for coming to earth and entering time in Jesus.
For his life, which informs our living,
for his compassion, which changes our hearts,
for his clear speaking, which contradicts our generalities,
for his disturbing presence, his innocent suffering, his fearless dying,
his rising to life and breathing forgiveness, we praise you and worship him.

Here too our gratitude rises for the promise of the Holy Spirit,
who even yet, even now, confronts us with your claims
and attracts us to your goodness.
Therefore we gladly join our voices
to the song of the church on earth and in heaven:
[sung or spoken]
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
And now, lest we believe
that our praise alone fulfills your purpose,
we fall silent and remember him who came
because words weren’t enough.
Setting our wisdom, our will, our words aside,
emptying our hearts, and bringing nothing in our hands,
we yearn for the healing, the holding, the accepting,
the forgiving that Christ alone can offer.
[Silence]
Merciful God, send now, in kindness,
your Holy Spirit to make our sharing in this bread and cup
a sharing in Christ’s body and blood.
And let that same Spirit rest on us,
converting us from the patterns of this passing world,
until we conform to the shape of him whose food we now share. Amen.

'Give us dilligence to seek you'

from TWS (attributed to Benedict of Nursia, 6th cent.):

O gracious and holy God,
give us dilligence to seek you,
wisdom to perceive you,
and patience to wait for you.
Grant us, O God, a mind to meditate on you,
eyes to behold you,
ears to listen for your Word,
a heart to love you,
and a life to proclaim you,
through the power of the Spirit
of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

-Opening Prayer at Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church, 6/18/06

Prayer for the New Year - Arthur Bennett

Arthur Bennett, from 'The Valley of Vision': (qtd at wqotw.org)

O LORD,
Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed
in thy presence, in thy service, to thy glory.
Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains,
sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from thee,
but may rely on thy Spirit
to supply every thought,
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire
to show forth thy praise,
testify thy love,
advance thy kingdom.
I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with thee, O Father, as my harbor,
thee, O Son, at my helm,
thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.
Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.
Give me thy grace to sanctify me,
thy comforts to cheer,
thy wisdom to teach,
thy right hand to guide,
thy counsel to instruct,
thy law to judge,
thy presence to stabilize.
May thy fear be my awe,
thy triumphs my joy.

'Help us to magnify your name'

Scott Hoezee (TWS p.193):

O great God, glorify yourself in all the earth.
Be glorified in creation, be glorified in your church,
be glorified in our worship here this very morning.
Though we are so small and you are so grand,
help us nevertheless to magnify your name.
Help us to make your name and the nature of your grace
larger and easier for people to see.
Help us to live and to worship in such a way
that we become like magnifying glasses
through which our neighbors and coworkers and children and friends
can see you come into focus in ways they may not have seen before.
When people ask for an explanation of the hope we have,
give us the words to answer thoughtfully and well.
When people wonder out loud who Jesus is and why he matters,
help us to reply in words that will echo the sweetness of your gospel.
Help us to magnify your name, O Lord,
so that you may be glorified in all the earth.

'Creator above us, Spirit within us'

Lewis Smedes (TWS p.190):

O Lord God,
Creator above us,
Spirit within us,
Lord ahead of us,
open us to yourself,
that we may become transparent to ourselves.
Make us masters of ourselves,
that we may be the servants of others.