Book of Daily Prayer (66-70)

 66. PRAYERS CAN'T BE ANSWERED UNLESS THEY ARE PRAYED

 

Life   without purpose

         is barren indeed 

There can't be a harvest

         unless you plant seed,

There can't be attainment

         unless there's a goal,

And we humans are but a robot

         unless there's a soul ..

If we send no ships out,

         no ships will come in,

Unless we believe in the creator,

         there is no creation within…

 

67. KEEP GOING

 

There's no skill in easy sailing

When skies are clear and blue.

There's no joy in merely doing

Things that anyone can do.

But there is great satisfaction,

That is mighty sweet to take

When you reach a destination

That you said you couldn't make.

68. FOR COURAGE

When tensions build up at school and pressures at home begin to mount and life becomes almost too much to bear, I sometimes get scared, Lord. I get the urge to run away and hide like the young man in the garden who fled when the police came to arrest You. How is it that You stood Your ground and did not back off from Your teaching? A little while before, You sweated blood but you found strength to yield to God's will and draw power from it. The next time I waver or grow faint hearted help me to stand firm. And having found the source of strength to reach out to others who may be just as scared as I.

69. BE WITH US

Keep us, 0 Lord, from pettiness. Let us be thoughtful in word and deed. Help us to put away pretense, and face each other in deep trust without fear or self-pity. Help us to guard against faultfinding, and be quick to discover the best in each other and in every situation. Guard us from ill temper and hasty judgment; encourage us to take time for all things, to grow calm, serene and gentle. Help us to be generous with kind words and compliments. Teach us never to ignore, never to hurt, and never to take each other for granted. Engrave charity and compassion on our hearts. Please, pray for us.

70. LOOK BEYOND

God, help us to look beyond the bread we eat to the source of all goodness, your loving kindness. As you feed us so generously, may we give graciously to others of our time, talent and earthly goods. We pray this with hearts hungry for your heavenly food.