PRAYERS FROM THE AGES Nothing shows so impressively the unity of the Christian world as its prayers. The religious needs of all Christians in all ages and all churches are the same. The sense of fellowship with God through Christ is the same. The longing for peace and purity is the same. Nothing expresses these common experiences better than the prayers which have been the sincere expression of devout hearts. We can use them to-day as the expression of our needs. PRAYERS FROM ST. AUGUSTINE Almighty Father, enter Thou our hearts, and so fill us with Thy love, that, forsaking all evil desires, we may embrace Thee, our only good. Show unto us, for Thy mercies' sake, O LORD our God, what Thou art unto us. Say unto our souls, "I am thy salvation." So speak that we may hear. Our hearts are before Thee; open Thou our ears; let us hasten after Thy voice, and take hold on Thee. Hide not Thy face from us, we beseech Thee, O LORD. Enlarge Thou the narrowness of our souls, that Thou mayest enter in. Repair the ruinous mansions, that Thou mayest dwell there. Hear us, O Heavenly Father, for the sake of Thine only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. Grant me, even me, my dearest LORD, to know Thee, and love Thee, and rejoice in Thee. And, if I cannot do these perfectly in this life, let me at least advance to higher degrees every day, till I can come to do them in perfection. Let the knowledge of Thee increase in me here, that it may be full hereafter. Let the love of Thee grow every day more and more here, that it may be perfect hereafter; that my joy may be great in itself, and full of Thee. I know, O God, that Thou art a God of truth; O make good Thy gracious promises to that my joy may be full. Amen. me, Most merciful Father and LORD, although we sin we cannot cease to be thy children; because Thou hast made, and remade us, we humbly beseech Thee not to act toward us according to our transgressions, but according to that mercy of Thine which transcends the sins of the whole world. Our hearts are open to Thee. Scatter their darkness, fill them with the brightness of thy love; and make us now and alway temples fit for Thee to dwell in, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O God our Father, who dost exhort us to pray, and who dost grant what we ask, if only, when we ask, we live a better life; hear me, who am trembling in this darkness, and stretch forth Thy hand unto me; hold forth Thy light before me; recall me from my wanderings; and, Thou being my Guide, may I be restored to myself and to Thee, through Jesus Christ. Amen. O Thou good omnipotent, who so carest for every one of us, as if Thou caredst for him alone; and so for all, as if all were but one! Blessed is the man who loveth Thee, and his friend in Thee, and his enemy for Thee. I behold how some things pass away that others may replace them, but Thou dost never depart. O God, my Father, supremely good, Beauty of all things beautiful, to Thee will I intrust whatsoever I have received from Thee, and so shall I lose nothing. Thou madest me for Thyself, and my heart is restless until it finds rest in Thee. Amen. For surely my heart cannot truly rest, nor be entirely contented, unless it rest in Thee. Amen.-Thomas à Kempis. O Thou, who art the true Sun of the world, ever rising and never going down; who, by Thy most wholesome appearing and sight, dost nourish and gladden all things in heaven and earth; we beseech Thee mercifully to shine into our hearts, that the night and darkness of sin, and the mists of error on every side, being driven away, by the brightness of Thy shining within our hearts, we may all our life walk without stumbling, as in the day-time, and, being pure and clean from the works of darkness, may abound in all good works which Thou hast prepared for us to walk in. Amen.- Erasmus. O Merciful God, be Thou now unto me a strong tower of defence, I humbly entreat Thee. Give me grace to await Thy leisure, and patiently to bear what Thou doest unto me; nothing doubting or mistrusting Thy goodness towards me; for Thou knowest what is good for me better than I do. Therefore do with me in all things what Thou wilt; only arm me, I beseech Thee, with Thine armour, that I may stand fast; above all things, taking to me the shield of faith; praying always that I may refer myself wholly to Thy will, abiding Thy pleasure, and comforting myself in those troubles which it shall please Thee to send me, seeing such troubles are profitable for me; and I am assuredly persuaded that all Thou doest cannot but be well; and unto Thee be all honour and glory. Amen.-Lady Jane Grey. LORD, though I am a miserable and wretched creature, I am in Covenant with Thee through grace. And I may, I will, come to Thee, for Thy People. Thou hast made me, though very unworthy, a mean instrument to do them some good, and Thee service; and many of them have set too high a value upon me, though others wish and would be glad of my death; LORD, however Thou dost dispose of me, continue and go on to do good for them. Give them consistency of judgment, one heart, and mutual love; and go on to deliver them, and with the work of reformation; and make the Name of Christ glorious in the world. Teach those who look too much on Thy instruments, to depend more upon Thyself. Pardon such as desire to trample upon the dust of a poor worm, for they are Thy People too. And pardon the folly of this short Prayer: even for Jesus Christ's sake. And give us a good night, if it be Thy pleasure. Amen.-Oliver Cromwell. From the painting by Robert W. Weir (1803-1889) Copyrighted by Curtis and Cameron, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts The company of the Mayflower about to sail to found a nation in the new world first knelt on the deck for their devotions: a passage of Scripture and prayer. "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." -Psalm 127:1. THE GREAT PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE Abraham. Gen. 18:23-32; see 2:50. Moses' plea for his people. Ex. 32:11-13; see 2:233. David's prayer early in his reign. II Sam. 7:18-29; see 3:101. Solomon's prayer for wisdom. I Kings 3:5-9; see 3:164. Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple. I Kings 8:22-53; see 3:189. Hezekiah. II Kings 19:15-19; see 3:284. Nehemiah. Neh. 1:4-11; see 4:480. A A A A prayer of hope in trouble. Ps. 42, 43; see 5:86, 87. prayer for the presence of God. Ps. 90; see 5:180. prayer to the all-seeing God. Ps. 139; see 5:267. A prayer for help. Ps. 143; see 5:272. A prayer when God seems far away. Is. 63:15-64:12; see 4:178. Jeremiah's prayer when things went wrong. Jer. 20:7-11; see 4:257. The Lord's Prayer. Matt. 6:9-13; see 6:83. Jesus' prayer of thanksgiving. Matt. 11:25, 26; see 6:95. Jesus in Gethsemane. Matt. 26:39; see 6:211. Jesus' prayer for his disciples. John 17; see 6:338. The church in Jerusalem. Acts 4:24-30; see 6:404. Stephen. Acts 7:60; see 6:421, 422. Paul's prayer for guidance. Acts 9:6; see 7:11. Prayers for the churches. Eph. 1:17-20, see 7:268; Eph. 3:14-21, see 7:270; 1 Thess. 3:10-13, see 7:307; 2 Thess. 1:11, 12, see 7:312; 2 Thess. 2:16, 17, see 7:313; 2 Thess. 3:5, see 7:313; Col. 1:9-11, see 7:291. |