Pastor’s Prayers

EASTER-WINGS.

LORD, who createdst man in wealth and store,
Though foolishly he lost the same,
Decaying more and more,
Till  he  became
Most poor :

With  thee
O  let  me  rise
As larks, harmoniously,
And sing this day thy victories :
Then  shall  the  fall  further  the  flight  in  me.

My  tender  age  in  sorrow  did  beginne :
And still with sicknesses and shame
Thou didst so punish sinne,
That  I  became
Most thinne.

With  thee
Let me combine,
And feel this day thy victorie,
For,  if  I  imp  my  wing  on  thine,
Affliction  shall  advance  the  flight  in  me.

–George Herbert

Bridle of colts untamed, Over our wills presiding; Wing of unwandering birds, Our flight securely guiding. 
Rudder of youth unbending, Firm against adverse shock; Shepherd, with wisdom tending Lambs of the royal flock: 
Your simple children bring In one, that they may sing In solemn lays Their hymns of praise With guileless lips to Christ their King. 

King of saints, almighty Word Of the Father highest Lord; Wisdom’s head and chief; Assuagement of all grief; Lord of all time and space, Jesus, Savior of our race; Shepherd, who dost us keep; Husbandman, who tills, Bit to restrain us, Rudder To guide us as You willest; Of the all-holy flock celestial wing; Fisher of men, whom You to life dost bring; From evil sea of sin, And from the billowy strife, Gathering pure fishes in Caught with sweet bait of life: 
Lead us, Shepherd of the sheep, Reason-gifted, holy One; King of youths, whom You dost keep, So that they pollution shun: 
Steps of Christ, celestial Way; Word eternal, Age unending; Life that never can decay; Fount of mercy, virtue-sending; Life august of those who raise Unto God their hymn of praise, Jesus Christ! 

Nourished by the milk of heaven, To our tender palates given; Milk of wisdom from the breast Of that bride of grace expressed; By a dewy spirit filled From fair Reason’s breast distilled; Let us sucklings join to raise With pure lips our hymns of praise As our grateful offering, Clean and pure, to Christ our King. 
Let us, with hearts undefiled, Celebrate the mighty Child. 
We, Christ-born, the choir of peace; We, the people of His love, Let us sing, nor ever cease, To the God of peace above.

 Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 195) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.2 pg.295-296

“O JESUS, POOR AND ABJECT, UNKNOWN AND DESPISED,

have mercy upon me, and let me not be ashamed to follow Thee.

O JESUS, HATED, CALUMNIATED, AND PERSECUTED,

have mercy upon me, and let me not be ashamed to come after Thee.

O JESUS, BETRAYED AND SOLD AT A VILE PRICE,

have mercy upon me, and make me content to be as my Master.

O JESUS, BLASPHEMED, ACCUSED AND WRONGFULLY CONDEMNED,

have mercy upon me, and teach me to endure the contradiction of sinners.

O JESUS, CLOTHED WITH A HABIT OF REPROACH AND SHAME,

have mercy upon me, and let me not seek my own glory.

O JESUS, INSULTED, MOCKED, AND SPIT UPON,

have mercy upon me, and let me run with patience the race set before me.

O JESUS, DRAGGED TO THE PILLAR, SCOURGED, AND BATHED IN BLOOD,

have mercy upon me, and let me not faint in the fiery trial.

O JESUS, CROWNED WITH THORNS, AND HAILED IN DERISION;

O JESUS, BURDENED WITH OUR SINS, AND THE CURSES OF THE PEOPLE;

O JESUS, AFFRONTED, OUTRAGED, BUFFETED, OVERWHELMED WITH INJURIES, GRIEFS, AND HUMILIATIONS;

O JESUS, HANGING ON THE ACCURSED TREE, BOWING THE HEAD, GIVING UP THE GHOST,

Have mercy upon me, and confirm my whole soul to Thy holy, humble, suffering Spirit.

O Thou who for the love of me hast undergone such an infinity of sufferings and humiliations, let me be wholly “emptied of myself,” that I may rejoice to take up my cross daily and follow Thee.

Enable me, too, to endure the pain and despise the shame; and, if it be Thy will, to resist even unto blood!

– REV. JOHN WESLEY (at age 20). Friday morning prayers – “A Collection of Forms of Prayer for Every Day in the Week”, 1733.

Lord Jesus,
You are my righteousness,
I am your sin.
You took on you what was mine;
yet set on me what was yours.
You became what you were not,
that I might become what I was not.
– Martin Luther

Celtic Prayer

Through the dark hours of this night
    protect and surround us,
    Father, Son and Spirit, Three.
    Forgive the ill that we have done.
    Forgive the pride that we have shown.
    Forgive the words that have caused harm
    that we might sleep peaceably,
    and rise refreshed to do your will.
    Through the dark hours of this night
    protect and surround us,
    Father, Son and Spirit, Three
 

The Prayer of Manasseh

O Lord Almighty, God of our ancestors,of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and of their righteous offspring; you who made heaven and earthwith all their order; who shackled the sea by your word of command, who confined the deep and sealed it with your terrible and glorious name; at whom all things shudder, and tremble before your power, for your glorious splendor cannot be borne, and the wrath of your threat to sinners is unendurable; yet immeasurable and unsearchable is your promised mercy, for you are the Lord Most High, of great compassion, long-suffering, and very merciful, and you relent at human suffering. O Lord, according to your great goodness you have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against you, and in the multitude of your mercies you have appointed repentance for sinners, so that they may be saved. Therefore you, O Lord, God of the righteous, have not appointed repentance for the righteous, for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who did not sin against you, but you have appointed repentance for me, who am a sinner. For the sins I have committed are more in number than the sand of the sea; my transgressions are multiplied, O Lord, they are multiplied!I am not worthy to look up and see the height of heaven because of the multitude of my iniquities. I am weighted down with many an iron fetter, so that I am rejected because of my sins, and I have no relief; for I have provoked your wrath and have done what is evil in your sight, setting up abominations and multiplying offenses. And now I bend the knee of my heart, imploring you for your kindness. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge my transgressions. I earnestly implore you, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me! Do not destroy me with my transgressions! Do not be angry with me forever or store up evil for me; do not condemn me to the depths of the earth. For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, and in me you will manifest your goodness; for, unworthy as I am, you will save me according to your great mercy, and I will praise you continually all the days of my life. For all the host of heaven sings your praise, and yours is the glory forever. Amen.