Prayer

Forgiving Others

This prayer was written by Kyle and posted to his blog Vindicated.  Kyle wrote this as a way to help himself thorough forgiving others – a requirement of God we are reminded of every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer.  It seems to me to be an excellent prayer for any follower of Christ to use, and I repost it for your edification.

Almighty God, in obedience to your command to forgive, I commend to you N. I forgive his/her sins against me, especially ______________. I acknowledge that you are the only one righteous, and that like N., I stand as a sinner in need of your grace. I know also that I have from time to time committed similar sins, and even worse. Please forgive N., and forgive me. Please bless and heal N., and help him/her to grow in relationship with you, that both he/she and I would come to delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

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Praying With Augustine

Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new,
late have I loved you!
You were within me, but I was outside,
and it was there that I searched for you.
In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created.
You were with me, but I was not with you.
Created things kept me from you;
yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all.
You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness.
You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness.
You breathed your fragrance on me;
I drew in breath and now I pant for you.
I have tasted you,
now I hunger and thirst for more.
You touched me,
and I burned for your peace.

- from Confessions, Book 10, Chapter 27, as translated at www.feastofsaints.com

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A Prayer All Pastors Should Pray

I ran across this prayer in my internet wanderings and thought I would post it.  It is supposedly a prayer Martin Luther prayed in the church sacristy before each church service.  I think if more pastors prayed this, the church would be in much better shape than it is.

Lord God,
You have made me a pastor and teacher in Your Church,
but you see how unfit I am to meet so great and difficult a task;
and if I had been without Your help,
I would have ruined it all long ago.
Therefore, I call upon You:
I gladly wish to yield and devote my mouth and my heart to you;
I will teach Your people,
and I myself will learn and ponder diligently upon Your Word.
Use me as Your instrument in Your service.
Only do not forsake me,
for if ever I should be on my own,
I would certainly wreck it all.
- Martin Luther

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