Prayer Corner

  God, our hearts are broken with pain at the senseless deaths caused by gun violence. Families mourn, children live in fear, and some in our nation respond by arming themselves with more guns with greater capacity to end life. Our disconnection and alienation has caused some to turn to guns for protection and safety. We ask that you touch our hearts with your love, heal our brokenness, and turn us away from violence toward peace. 

Help us to transform our own hearts and to seek peaceful ways of resolving our differences. Let our hands reach out and connect with those who feel alone, those who live in fear, and those suffering from mental illness. Let our voices be raised asking our legislators to enact gun laws to protect all in our society, especially those most vulnerable. Let our pens write messages demanding change while also scripting words of hope and transformation. We ask this in the name of the God who desires that we live together in peace.  

Amen. 

PRAYERS FOR HEALING 

We pray you, Master, be our help and protection.  
Save the afflicted among us, have mercy on the lowly.  
Raise up the fallen, show yourself to those in need. 

Heal the sick and bring back those who have strayed.  
Fill the hungry, give freedom to prisoners.  
Raise up the weak, console the fainthearted.  

Let all peoples acknowledge that you alone are God,  
and Jesus Christ is your Child,  
that we are your people, the sheep to whom you give pasture.  

Amen!

—Clement of Rome, from The Great Prayer (ca. AD 95–96)

Dear Lord,

In this our hour of doorknobs and droplets,
when masks have canceled our personalities;
in this our hour of prickling perimeters, sinister surfaces,
defeated bodies, and victorious abstractions,
when some of us are stepping into rooms humid with contagion,
and some of us are standing in the pasta aisle;
in this our hour of vacant parks and boarded-up hoops,
when we miss the sky-high roar of the city
and hear instead the tarp that flaps on the unfinished roof,
the squirrel giving his hingelike cry, and the siren constantly passing,
to You we send up our prayer, as follows:

Let not heebie-jeebies become our religion,
our new ideology, with its own jargon.
Fortify us, Lord. Show us how.
What would your saints be doing now?
Saint Francis, he was a fan of the human.
He’d be rolling naked on Boston Common.
He’d be sharing a bottle. No mask, no gloves,
shielded only by burning love.
But I don’t think we’re in the mood
for feats of antic beatitude.
In New York City, and in Madrid,
the saints maintain the rumbling grid.
Bless the mailman, and equally bless
the bus driver, vector of steadfastness.
Protect the bravest, the best we’ve got.
Protect the rest of us, why not.
And if the virus that took John Prine
comes, as it may, for me and mine,
although we’ve mostly stayed indoors,
well—then, as ever, we’re all Yours.

Until further notice,

AMEN.

All Holy One, I open my heart wide to receive your love. As I receive your love as universal supply, all my affairs are healed. I realize and accept the healing power of the Universe as love, and I allow the healing power that is love to penetrate my life. I readily accept the healing power of love in my life and I know that as love, God is my limitless and abundant supply made manifest. I feel the outpouring of your love in my body and mind. I feel your love in my affairs, and I know all is well. Amen.

- Lesli White

Prayer for Healing

Dear Lord, I come humbly before You asking You to heal me in every area of my life. I give You my heart in faith that You can make me whole again.  Praised be Your name. Jesus, I believe that You are my healer and redeemer! I love You, Lord. 

Amen.

Prayers foe the Worried

God of peace, my heart is heavy and filled with sadness. I spend so much time thinking, planning and worrying about my life. Help me to trust you when everything seems a mess. Can you lead me to make decisions that will help me, can you guide and help me I ask to direct my steps.  Amen.

God, where are you? I am so worried. I feel anxious from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. Everything feels so big, so overwhelming, so insurmountable.

Please help me get some peace. Give me peace that doesn’t make sense, peace that I can’t produce. Give me the peace of knowing you are with me and that you love me.

May your peace guide my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Amen.

God I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep putting one foot in front of the other. Can you take over, strengthen me, give me wisdom and help me make it through. Help me remember that you will never leave me. Amen.

To You, O God, we give thanks.

We give thanks for the morning, when joy comes to us.

We give thanks for the evening, when we meditate on your love.

We give thanks for the in-between, the working hours, the accomplishing hours; when we must practice gratitude amidst distraction and busyness.

We give thanks for the long dark of night, when our souls and bodies assimilate and regenerate.

We give thanks for the people we love effortlessly, but also for the people who chafe and challenge us.

We give thanks for our enemies, who teach us to bless and forgive.

We give thanks for our families, who teach us grace and forbearance.

We give thanks for those whose lives we touch only momentarily - may we be a lasting blessing.

We give thanks for the boisterous, jubilant seasons. 

We give thanks for the subtle, quiet seasons. 

We give thanks for the seasons of difficulty and pain. 

May we emerge from each bearing the image of the ALL-Holy.

We give thanks both when we are certain, and when uncertainty plagues us; both in the black and white, and in the gray.

We give thanks to You, acknowledging that every drop and morsel that sustains us comes from Your hand; that our place in the universe exists because You created it; and that Your purposes exceed the bounds of our imagining.

Amen.

- Fran Pratt

A Prayer for Solidarity

For all who are sick,
     We pray for care and healing.

For those who are particularly vulnerable,
     We pray for safety and protection.

For all who experience fear or anxiety,
     We pray for peace of mind and spirit.

For affected families who are facing difficult decisions between food on the table or public safety,
     We pray for policies that recognize their plight.

For those who do not have adequate health insurance,
     We pray that no family will face financial burdens alone.

For those who are afraid to access care due to immigration status,
     We pray for recognition of the God-given dignity of all.

For our brothers and sisters around the world,
     We pray for shared solidarity.

For public officials and decision-makers,
     We pray for wisdom and guidance.

Father, during this time may your People be a sign of hope, comfort and love to all.
     Grant peace.
     Grant comfort.
     Grant healing.
     Be with us, Lord.

        Amen.

Prayer for Help

Spirit of Creation, God of All,

I don’t understand you, I don’t even know if I believe in you, but this is my cry to you, whomever you are, I figure if you are as big as people say you are, you are not going to be offended if I get things wrong.

My life feels messy, things are not going smoothly at all.

Some of it I have done, some of it has been done to me, some of it just seems to have happened.

Sometimes I feel angry, sometimes shame.

And sometimes, to tell you the truth, I feel nothing at all.

I could use some help through these tough times, I am open to receive help from any source that has my wellbeing in mind.

Please, place good people, kind people, along my path.

Please God, help me have the wisdom to make right choices.

This is my cry to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer After Loss

God of all creation,

I’m needing some comfort right now. My heart is breaking.

I’ve lost my loved one. My life feels kind of strange, all upside down.

My words feel like they have no strength, I have lost my confidence.

Some days I wake up and for a moment I feel happy to be alive, but this is always followed by a deep guilt for having those thoughts and I sink again.

Sorrow has kind of become a friend, a companion - ever present.

My prayer to you is that you will help grief do its work in me, and when it is done I pray that the wound of loss will heal.

I want one day to welcome these memories without this depth of pain. To welcome thoughts of my loved one with a small smile, with love.

Please God, help me heal. Amen

Be kind and merciful.

Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier.

Be the living expression of God’s kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.

- Mother Teresa

Keep me, O God, from pettiness; let me be large in thought, in word, in deed.  As I look into my past with its pain and fear, may I see my hurt through the eyes of love.  Let me be done with faultfinding and leave off self-seeking.  

May I put away all pretense and meet others face to face — without self-pity and without prejudice.  May I never be hasty in my judgement, but generous.  Let me take time for all things; make me grow calm, serene, gentle.  

You did not create me to be burned out and exhausted but to be an effective person who does your bidding.  Teach me to put into action my better impulses, straightforward and unafraid.  Grant that I may realize that it is the little things that create great differences, that in the big things of life we are as one.  

And, O Loving God, help me to recognize that if I would be strong again, I may just remember always to be loving and kind.  Amen.

- Dr. Gregg Jantz

ADVENT PRAYER

Jesus, protector,
I long for your coming.
The promise of new light is there
if only I can believe.

Protect me from dangers
and lead me through the gloom and darkness
to the joy I so long to find in you.

Lift me from my lowly sins
and give me the promise of salvation
with no more shame,
only the light and saving grace of your love.

Let the ancient dream be fulfilled in you
and peace come to this life and world.

Amen.

Prayer for Comfort During Difficult Times

Heavenly Father, I feel alone, beaten up, tears fill my eyes, I toss and turn at night.

Words can’t express the ache in my heart. I feel pain every day.

I pray to you as I am desperate for help.

I need to know that you care, that you love me, be my refuge from pain, replacing my distress with peace, and be my strength when I feel weak and find it hard to carry on.

Help me not to fear the future but to boldly trust that you are in control when my emotions plunge me down, and when I am in despair. And times when I can’t talk and don’t know what to say, help me to “Be still, and know that you are God”.

Be my comforter, my healer and bring me peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer for Advent

Lord God,
only you can see into my heart and know
that under all the busy-ness of my life,
there is a deep longing
to make this Advent one that welcomes you
more deeply into my own life.

My heart desires the warmth of your love
and my mind searches for your Light
in the midst of the darkness.

Help me to be a peacemaker this Advent
and to give special love to those
who disagree with me.

Give me the strength and courage
to forgive those who have hurt me.
Help me to free my heart
from the prison of my anger and hurt.

Amen.

PRAYERS FOR GUIDANCE

God, help me trust you with my decisions and future. Let me lean on you with all my heart instead of relying on my own imperfect understanding. Give me clear guidance in my life. I ask for your help to direct my path. Give me confidence that your direction is always the best way to go. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God of love – I feel like I am lost but your word says that you will always guide me. You do not leave me wandering through life but you are with me during every moment of every day. Help me to follow your ways when I feel weary and frustrated and help me to experience joy in life. May I be like the well-watered garden which thrives because the roots are firmly planted in your love.  Amen.

Creator God, you made me and you love me. My circumstances and experiences do not define me. Help me to understand that I am like a child and can trust you. Whatever I do today, your loving eye is on me and you have promised to care for me. Help me to bring everything in my life before you. When I am uncertain, help me look to you. Guide me and teach me in the way that I should go and the paths that I should take.  Amen.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and  going both now and forevermore.

PSALM 63

O God, you are my God,
and I long for you.
My whole being desires you;
like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land,
my soul is thirsty for you.
 Let me see you in the sanctuary;
let me see how mighty and glorious you are.
 Your constant love is better than life itself,
and so I will praise you.
 I will give you thanks as long as I live;
I will raise my hands to you in prayer.
 My soul will feast and be satisfied,
and I will sing glad songs of praise to you.

 As I lie in bed, I remember you;
all night long I think of you,
  because you have always been my help.
In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
 I cling to you,
and your hand keeps me safe.

"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."

~ 1 Chronicles 4:10

(The prayer is composed of four parts. First, Jabez asks God to bless him. Second, he asks God to enlarge his territory or increase his responsibility. Third, he prays that God will be with him and stay close. Lastly, Jabez asks that God keep him from harm so that he will be free from pain.)

PSALM 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
 But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful.

Praise be to the Lord of the Universe who has created us and made us into tribes and nations, that we may know each other, not that we may despise each other. If the enemy incline towards peace, do thou also incline towards peace, and trust in God, for the Lord is the one that heareth and knoweth all things. And the servants of God, Most Gracious are those who walk on the Earth in humility, and when we address them, we say “PEACE.”

—Based on the Koran, 49:13, 8:61

PSALM 51

(A Heartfelt Plea and Prayer for MERCY & FORGIVENESS)

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.

 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.

 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

 May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.

 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

 Prayer is a vital and fundamental part of Bethlehem House Ministries. We pray daily for all, especially those who are suffering and in need. Prayer definitely renews our sense of mission and offers inspiration for the work that we do each day. If there is something in your heart that you would like us to pray for, feel free to let us know about it by using the contact form below. Our team will gladly join with you in prayer.