PRAYING EACH DAY - DECEMBER

[MajestyJo]

DECEMBER

Who are we, God our Father,
amidst all of your creation?
Yet you so loved the world
that you sent Jesus, your Son,
to live fully as one of us.
I rejoice that he is beside me now



Let us pray:

Lord Jesus
you treasure
and hold a special place
for each and every person,
as though
only that one individual exists,
and you accept us as we are,
in the reality of our lives this day.
May I grow in the faith
that you look steadily at me
and love me.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

Let us pray:

We give back to you, Father,
those whom you first gave to us.
You did not lose them
in giving them to us
and so we do not lose them
in their return to you.
Your Son has taught us
that life is eternal
and love cannot die.
So death is only an horizon
- the limits of our sight.
Open our eyes
and lift us up,
so that we may see more clearly.
Draw us closer to you
so that we may know
that we are nearer to our loved ones
who are with you.
And while you prepare a place for us
as you have promised,
prepare us also for that happy place,
that where you are, we may be also,
with those we have loved, for ever.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

Let us pray:

God our Father,
we live in a nation
of many natural resources.
We pray for wisdom
that we may use them well
whilst also caring for our environment.
We pray, too,
that the many human resources
of all nations
may develop
as people respect and value
the dignity and rights
and responsibilities
of each individual.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

December 4

Let us pray:

We pray today, Father,
for the injured and sick
who are still suffering
from the after-effects
of man-made or natural disasters.
We pray that those
who have responsibilities
may have a “feeling” for others
and so grow in care and respect
for those
whose lives they may influence.
For ourselves
and those that we care for,
lead us to make our choices wisely,
and accept responsibility
for our own lives
and for our choices and actions
and their consequences.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

December 5

Let us pray:

Loving Father,
we ask you
to show us how to level
any ‘mountains’ we might have
of feeling ‘superior’
or ‘better’ than others,
or of making judgements
about people.
Raise us from any ‘valleys’
of despair
or a poor self-image
or a sense of worthlessness.
Lift us up
from whatever kind of poverty
may affect our lives.
Lift us up, we pray,
from anything that makes us
less than fully human.
Raise us from sinfulness,
and lead us to prepare a straight path
for the coming anew into our lives
of Jesus, your Son.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

December 6

Let us pray and be open teach and learn from children:

learns to condemn.
A child living with hostility
learns to fight.
A child living with ridicule
learns to be shy.
A child living with shame
learns to feel guilty.
But
A child living with encouragement
learns confidence.
A child living with praise
learns to appreciate.
A child living with fairness
learns justice.
A child living with security
learns to have faith.
A child living with approval
learns love of self.
A child
living with acceptance and friendship
learns to find love in the world.”
(Dorothy Law Holte
- adapted to inclusive language.)

[MajestyJo]

December 7

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 Jn 316
you sent Jesus, your Son
- your Word
who became a human being Jn 114
and made his home among us.
Breathe your Holy Spirit into us
once again
that we may grow in a sense of wonder
and proclaim to be good
all that you have made. Gen 131
May we live more fully
as brothers and sisters of one another
and of Jesus, your Son.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

December 8

Let us pray:

Teach us, good Lord,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labour and to ask for no reward,
save that of knowing
that we do your will.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

December 9

We’ll reflect and pray today using a few
sentences from some Christmas carols.

‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’
includes these words:
“The hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee” (Bethlehem) “tonight.”

Let us pray:
As we are about to focus
on your birth, Lord,
we bring our fears to you,
remembering that you assured us
that “There is no need
to be afraid”. Mt 1031
We also bring our hopes to you,
knowing that you said to us:
“Place your trust in me.” Jn 141

Let’s pause for a moment to name some
“hopes and fears” and place them into
God’s hands…
(Pause…)

‘Once in Royal David’s City’
has these words:
“He was little, weak and helpless…
“With the poor… and lowly
laid on earth our Saviour holy…
“He feeleth for our sadness
and he shareth in our gladness.”

Let us pray:
You placed yourself, Lord,
with the poor and helpless,
and identified fully with them,
seeking no advantage for yourself.
Inspire us
to “feel” for how other people are,
that we may try to understand them
and be willing
to place ourselves
alongside those in need.
Amen.

The Advent carol,
‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’, says:
“From depths of hell thy people save…
And close the path to misery.”

Let us pray:
We remember, Lord,
those who are experiencing
the hell of poverty, drugs,
alcoholism, abuse,
homelessness, persecution,
and the other forms of hell
that are to be found
in our world today.

We bring before you, Lord,
those who feel unloved
and all who have little joy
and little hope
in their lives. Amen.

Most carols focus on the birth of Jesus.
‘ While Shepherds Watched’
reminds us
of the message of the angel:
“And on the earth be peace:
goodwill henceforth from heaven to men
begin and never cease”,
yet there is much tension in the Holy Land
in our own times,
between Jews and Palestinians.

We also sing:
“And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace”
from the carol
‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’.

Let us pray:
We think of ordinary people, Lord,
caught up in war
in man-made divisions
between people
of different race or belief,
or background or culture.
We pray for justice and peace
for all who feel threatened.
We pray, too,
for greater love and acceptance
for those experiencing difficulties
in family life.
In praying for these things,
we are praying, too,
that you inspire and enable us
to be instruments
of your justice and peace today.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

December 10

Let us pray:

Lord,
you have enriched our lives
in many ways,
and we are grateful
for all who have influenced our lives
for the better.
Show us how best
to use the time and talents
you have given each one of us,
and inspire us to live fully
and bring benefit
to our own part of the world.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

December 11

Let us pray:

Lord, it’s good
to be actively concerned
about the abuses of human rights
in other countries,
but I must not lose sight
of the mis-treatment of others
closer to me.
Most particularly, Lord,
point out to me
my own failings
in lacking respect
for those who come into my daily life.
I readily condemn slavery,
but help me to liberate those I know
who are overburdened.
I condemn torture,
but lead me to discourage the use
of cruel words and actions
to those I will meet today.
Remind me
that those who degrade others
are themselves diminished.
Enlighten me
so that I do not
jump to conclusions about people,
or be judgmental.
Lead me
always to respect individuals
for who they are,
realising that their experiences
may be different from my own,
as each follows paths in life
that are particular to them.
May I grow in appreciation
that those
who think differently from me
can hold equally valid views.
In these and other ways, Lord,
may I grow in respect for all people.
This day, may others respect me
as much as I respect them.
Amen.

[MajestyJo]

Let us pray:

God our Father,
as you welcome me
and accept me fully
and love me as the person I am,
so inspire me
to be generous to others
in the welcome and acceptance,
and the love and the care
that I offer.
Amen.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

[MajestyJo]

Let us pray:

Lord, I need to keep an eye
on the small things in 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 may grow in friendship
with those
who become part of my life.
Show me, too,
how best to encourage others
to reach their potential.
Amen.

“True greatness consists in being great in little things.” The real Doctor Samuel Johnson - who died on this day in 1784 - spent 8 years preparing his dictionary of about 40,000 definitions.
He was also a poet, and is remembered for short phrases (sometimes comical) that sum up a situation.

[MajestyJo]

Let us pray:

God our Father,
at this time of year
we think of loved ones,
and remember with gratitude
what others have done for us.
As the stars shone over Bethlehem,
so may we shine in the world
like bright stars Phil 215
as we share the Word of Life
- Jesus, your Son,
your Word amongst us.
Amen.

People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents. - Andrew Carnegie

[MajestyJo]

Let us pray:

God our Father,
amidst the busy-ness and noise
of daily life,
I ask you to bring it home to me
how much I need
time and quiet for myself,
in which I can become
more attuned with myself
and more at one
with you, my God.
As I am then able to grow more
in your image and likeness
and be re-created,
inspire me to be creative
and develop to the full
the talents you have given me
for the benefit of those people
you place into my life.
Amen.

Defeating Satan

"When Satan reminds us of our past, we should remind him of his future."

- Unknown