Prayers for Living

[MajestyJo]

July 13

Let us pray:
Lord, I ask that you inspire me
always to do my best
- not comparing myself with others,
but only with myself.
Lead me, Lord,
to discover and use
my own talents to the full.
May I live in such a way
that I help others
to experience success,
as well as praising them
for the good use of their abilities
- looking not so much
at the degree of achievement
but at the effort put in.
Stop me from judging people
or jumping to conclusions
about them,
but lead me
to respect and accept others
for who they are,
focussing on the positive
rather than the negative.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

July 14

Let us pray:
Lord,
I do not want to be selfish.
I do realise how important it is
to value and appreciate myself,
and I know
that I need genuine love for myself
f I am fully to love others.
Remind me
of the importance
of keeping time and space and quiet
for myself,
and remind me to respect
the personal needs of others, too.
Lord God,
you who call me by my name,
I thank you for making me
who I am.
Inspire me to grow
as a genuine and sincere person
with a positive attitude,
right values,
and a generous spirit. Amen.

[MajestyJo]

July 15

Let us pray:
Lord, I need to keep an eye
on the small things in my life
as well as the bigger issues,
because my thoughts
become my attitude,
my attitude becomes my words,
my words become my actions,
and my actions form my character.
Be there, Lord,
in that instant before every thought,
that I may choose wisely
my thoughts and my attitude,
my words and my actions,
so that I grow
as the person you call me to be.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

July 16

Let us pray:
Lord, I ask for the gifts
of knowledge and wisdom
and understanding.
What I pray for
I intend to work at,
so that I may develop
an open mind,
a thirst for knowledge,
and a wisdom that makes good use
of my knowledge and experience.
I know that any gifts are useless
if I do not also have
love and concern for others,
and so I ask that you inspire me
to live in such a way
that I am caring and compassionate
and promote understanding
between people.
May others respect me, Lord,
as much as I respect them. Amen.

[MajestyJo]

July 17

Let us pray:
Loving Lord,
you tell us in the Bible
that whatever wrong we have done
you tread down our faults
to the bottom of the sea. Mic 719
We know there is no need
to keep thinking
about what we have done
in the past, Is 4318
because you pardon
the wrongs we have done,
and you delight
in showing mercy. Mic 718
You bind up all our wounds Ps 1473
and you renew us
by your love. Zeph 317
Lord, you love
all that you have made, Wis 1124
and it is your very nature
to love and forgive.
Lead us to be generous
in accepting and forgiving others
in the same way
as you accept and forgive us.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

July 18

Let us pray:
Lord Jesus,
bring your love to our lives
in a new way today
so that any fear that we might have
is driven away,
knowing that
“perfect love casts out fear”.
Then your light
will shine more brightly in us,
and others will be able to see
the good things that are done
in your name.
Help us to grow more aware
of the love and respect and dignity
that you give us
in calling us your “friends”.
We ask that your Spirit acts in us
so that we discover
and take pride
in who we really are.
Make us credible witnesses
of your love
so that others
may more readily share
in your love and your light,
you who are the light of the world.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

July 19

4 Let us pray:
In times of difficulty, Lord,
may we support others
with the same care and concern
as we would like to experience
ourselves.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

July 20

Let us pray:
Lord, our God and King,
your greatness is seen
throughout the earth.
When I gaze at the heavens
which your fingers have formed,
and look at the moon and the stars
which you have set there,
I realise how small we are
in the majesty of your creation.
Yet you treasure us
above all that you have made,
and you give us control
over all the works of your hand
- animals both wild and tame,
birds in the air,
and the creatures of the sea.
Lord, our God and King,
your greatness is seen
throughout the earth.

[MajestyJo]

July 21

Let us pray:
God our Father,
the landing on the moon
was one of the most significant events
in human history.
We give thanks
for the skills and expertise
and the courage and co-operation
which led
to that successful venture.
In giving thanks
we recall, too,
that the astronauts
showed their appreciation
and reminded us
of important values.
We pray for the power of your Spirit
in our lives
that we may live in thankfulness
and be people of vision and courage
who have compassion for one another.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

July 22

Let us pray:
God our Father,
we thank you
that in the vastness of your creation
there is something special
about the beauty of this earth.
Into our world
which you love so much
you sent Jesus, your Son
- your Word
who became a human being -
and he made his home among us.
Open our eyes
that we may have
a sense of wonder and awe
that leads us to treasure
all that you have made.
Show us how to value
all who are a part of our lives this day.
Amen.

~“God’s Word became a human being, and he lived among us.” Jn 1:14~

[MajestyJo]

July 23

Let us pray:
We pray, Lord,
for all who will need
strength and courage today:
- for those who are seriously ill;
- for those
who are in desperate situations
and see no hope of anything different;
- for those who find it difficult
to face others or themselves;
- for those in pain from illness
or mistreatment or torture;
- for those who know
that others depend on them.
For all these people
we ask for the power of your Spirit
in their lives.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

July 24

The word “grace” is sometimes used to mean God’s
power in a person’s life.We use the words of John Newton’s
hymn as our prayer today, asking that
we may be aware of God’s amazing grace
in our daily lives:

Amazing grace! How
sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I’m found;
was blind, but now I see.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come.
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me;
his word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.

[MajestyJo]

July 25

Let us pray:
God our Father,
the star of Bethlehem
was a sign of faith
for the Wise Men,
and their faith led them
to discover the newly-born Jesus
in Bethlehem.
May we grow in faith
and discover Jesus
in our daily lives.
Lord, hear us
Lord, graciously hear us.
Thousands of people worked together
to enable the astronauts
to land on the moon.
May we grow in our appreciation
for all who are part of our lives.
Lord, hear us
Lord, graciously hear us.
6 The Wise Men
had a sense of vision and purpose
- and so did the astronauts.
Give us the power of your Holy Spirit
that we may share your vision
of individuals and of our world.
Lord, hear us
Lord, graciously hear us,

[MajestyJo]

July 26

Let us pray:
Lord, may I receive this day
as much respect and encouragement
and building up
as I give to others today.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

July 27

Let us pray:
Lord,
I want to be responsible
for my own life,
and I want to make positive choices
each day
Inspire me to get my priorities right
and be generous
in my care and concern for others.
In busy days and casual days
remind me, too,
of my basic human need
for personal time and quiet and space,
and lead me to respect
the personal needs
that others also have.
Amen.