Pastor’s Prayers

O that we could begin this day
in devout meditations,
in joy unspeakable, 
and in blessing and praising Thee, 
who hast given us such good hope
and everlasting consolation.

Lift up our minds
above all these little things below,
which are apt to distract our thoughts;
and keep them above
till our hearts are fully bent
to seek Thee every day, 
in the way wherein Jesus hath gone before us.

–John Wesley

Come, Lord Jesus, our guest to be
And bless these gifts
Bestowed by Thee.
And bless our loved ones everywhere,
And keep them in Your loving care.

–Moravian Blessing

O Eternal God and King of all creation, who has granted me to arrive at this hour, forgive me the sins that I have committed today in thought, word and deed, and cleanse, O Lord, my humble soul from all defilement of flesh and spirit. And grant me, O Lord, to pass the sleep of this night in peace, that when I rise from my bed I may please Your most holy Name all the days of my life and conquer my flesh and the fleshless foes that war with me. And deliver me, O Lord, from vain and frivolous thoughts, and from evil desires which defile me. For Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

St Macarius the Great, 300–391 AD

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, [asking] that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith–that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Paul in his letter to the Ephesians (3:14-20)

You, O Lord, have called us to watch and pray.
Therefore, whatever may be the sin against which we pray,
   make us careful to watch against it,
      and so have reason to expect that our prayers will be answered.
In order to perform this duty aright,
   grant us grace to preserve a sober, equal temper,
   and sincerity to pray for your assistance. Amen.

–Susanna Wesley

Lord,
inspire us to read your Scriptures
and to meditate upon them day and night.
We beg you to give us real understanding of what we need,
that we in turn may put its precepts into practice.
Yet we know that understanding and good intentions are worthless,
unless rooted in your graceful love.
So we ask that the words of Scriptures
may also be not just signs on a page,
but channels of grace into our hearts.

Source: Origen (ca. 185-254)