O Lord, in Whom is our hope, remove far from us, we pray Thee, empty hopes and presumptuous confidence. Make our hearts so right with Thy most holy and loving heart, that hoping in Thee we may do good; until that day when faith and hope shall be abolished by sight and possession, and love shall be all in all.

- Christina G. Rossetti (1830-1895)

O God that art the only hope of the world,
The only refuge for unhappy men,
Abiding in the faithfulness of heaven,
Give me strong succour in this testing place.
O King, protect thy man from utter ruin
Lest the weak faith surrender to the tyrant,
Facing innumerable blows alone.
Remember as I am dust, and wind, and shadow,
And life as fleeting as the flower of grass.
But may the eternal mercy which hath shone
From time of old
Rescue thy servant from the jaws of the lion.
Thou who didst come from on high in the cloak of flesh,
Strike down the dragon with that two-edged sword,
Whereby our mortal flesh can war with the winds
And beat down strongholds, with our Captain God.

- Bede

Blessed are you, O God, our Lord, King of the Universe, who remembers the covenant, is faithful to his covenant, and keeps his promise

O Lord, I remember before thee tonight all the workers of the world:
Workers with hand or brain:
Workers in cities or in the fields:
Men who go forth to toil and women who keep house:
Employers and employees: Those who command and those who obey:
Those whose work is dangerous:
Those whose work is monotonous or mean:
Those who can find no work to do:
Those whose work is in the service of the poor
Or healing the sick
Or the proclamation of the gospel of Christ
At home or in foreign places.

- John Baillie

You chose, O loving God,
to enter this world
quietly, humbly, and as an outcast.
Hear our prayers
on behalf of all who are abused:

For children,
who suffer at the hands
of parents whom they trust and love;
for spouses,
beaten and destroyed
by the very one
who promised to love
and to cherish them forever;
for all people
ignored, hated and cheated.
by the very neighbor
who could be the closest one
to offer your love.

Hear the cry of the oppressed.
Let the fire of your Spirit fill their hearts
with the power of vision, and hope.
Grant to them empowerment to act,
that they may not be passive victims
of violence and hatred.
Fulfill for them the promises you have made,
that their lives may be transformed
and their oppression ended.

Turn the hearts of the oppressor unto you
that their living may be changed
by your forgiving love;
and their abusive actions
and oppressive ways brought to an end.

Amen.

- Vienna Cobb Anderson

Source: Adapted from "Prayers of Our Hearts" © 1991 Vienna Cobb Anderson. Reprinted with permission of the author.

Father, I'm praying for (name one or more) and others in my circle of family or friends to choose to live in obedience to the Word...

Help them be those who faithfully obey You. May they desire to obey You and what You ask of us in Your Word as an expression of their love for Jesus. Your Word says we are slaves to what we obey, so I ask You to help them become slaves to obedience, the obedience that leads to right living and holiness. (Deuteronomy 28:11a; John 14:15; Romans 6:16, 18, 19b)

Open their eyes to see the wonderful truths of the Bible, and teach them to choose the way of truth, setting their hearts to live as You say we should live. May they be eager to learn what You want them to do, for You have set their hearts free! (Psalm 119:18, 30, 32)

Teach them to follow Your commands; help them to understand them. Give them the desire to obey You with all their hearts. Take away their foolish desires. (Psalm 119:33–34, 37)

May they love You and follow Your commands, for they're not too difficult. In every weakness, Christ, who was obedient even to death, is their strength! And You'll be faithful to bring them through every temptation. (1 John 5:2; Philippians 4:13; 2:8b; 1 Corinthians 10:13)

In Jesus' name, amen.

- Jim & Kaye Johns

Source: "Prayers for the Moment: One-Minute Scripture Prayers" Copyright September 2006. Reprinted with permission of B&H Publishing Group

This bed I make
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit;
In the name of the night we were conceived
In the name of the day we were baptized;
In the name of every night, every day, every season,
And of every angel that is in Heaven.

Source: Gaelic tradition

Say also: "Save us, O God of our salvation,
And gather and rescue us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
and glory in your praise."

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.”
Then all the people said, “Amen!”
and praised the Lord.

- I Chronicles 16:35-36

Source: The Bible (Revised Standard Version

Throughout all generations we will render thanks unto Thee
And declare Thy praise,
Evening, morning, and noon,
For our lives which are in Thy care,
For our souls which are in Thy keeping
For thy miracles which we witness daily,
And for Thy wondrous deeds and blessings toward us at all times.

Father, I'm praying for (name one or more) and others in my circle of family and friends who are single...

For these who are not married and may find it troubling, I ask You to help them learn to be content with being single, as well as with any other issues or circumstances of life they find themselves in. (Philippians 4:11b)

Help them delight in You, for You have said when we do, You'll give us the desires of our heart. May their desires match Your desires, Your will and plan for their lives; then fulfill Your purpose for them. (Psalm 37:4; 57:2; 138:8)

If Your plan is for them to be married, give them the grace to wait on You, to be strong and take heart. As they wait, help them to keep Your ways, discerning what is best, keeping pure and blameless in Your sight. (Psalm 27:14; 37:34; Philippians 1:10)

I ask Your special touch on those who are single parents, because managing a home without a spouse can be difficult. May they put their hope in You, continuing night and day in prayer. May others in the body of Christ respond to their needs as they would want to be helped if they were alone. (1 Timothy 5:5; Matthew 7:12)

May they be fulfilled in Christ. In Jesus' name, amen.

- Jim & Kaye Johns

Source: "Prayers for the Moment: One-Minute Scripture Prayers" Copyright September 2006. Reprinted with permission of B&H Publishing Group