Category: Time to Pray

  • Colossians 1 12-14

    …giving thanks
    to the Father
    who makes you fit to share the allotted portion
    of the holy ones,
    that is ‘in the light’
    who rescues us from the dominion of darkness
    and brings (us) over to the kingdom of the Son,
    of his love,
    in whom we have redemption,
    the forgiveness of sins.

    Grant, Lord,
    that we may hold to you without parting,
    worship you without wearying,
    serve you without failing;
    faithfully seek you,
    happily find you,
    and forever possess you,
    the only God,blessed now and for ever.
    Amen

    St Anselm

  • Colossians 1 9- 12

    Because of this, also
    from the time we heard,
    we have not stopped praying on your behalf,
    (and asking)
    that you may be filled (by God)
    with knowledge of his will
    (in having) all spiritual
    wisdom
    and understanding,
    so that you will walk worthily of the Lord
    to please him in every way,
    in good work of every kind
    bearing fruit
    and growing in the knowledge of God,
    being empowered with all power
    because of his mighty glory
    for steadfastness and patience
    in every kind of way
    -with joy-
    giving thanks to God
    who makes you fit
    to inherit the allotted portion of the holy ones
    that is ‘in the light… ‘


    Thank you, dear Jesus,
    for all you have given me,
    for all you have taken away from me,
    for all you have left me.

    Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

  • Colossians 1 3-8

    We give thanks
    to God
    the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ
    always,
    when we are praying for you,
    – having heard about your faith in Christ Jesus,
    – and the love you have for all the holy ones
    on account of the Hope,
    stored up
    for you
    in the heavens
    which you heard before
    in the message of truth,
    that is the Gospel,
    which has come to be with you
    (and) just as in every place in the world
    it is bearing fruit,
    and growing
    just so it is in you
    from the day you heard it
    and understood the grace of God
    in truth
    Just as you learned it from Epaphras
    the beloved,
    our fellow slave
    who is faithful for us
    a servant of Christ
    who also has informed us
    of your love in the Spirit.


    Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
    Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
    where there is injury, pardon;
    where there is discord, union,
    where there is doubt, faith;
    where there is despair, hope;
    where there is darkness, light;
    and where there is sadness, joy.

    For your mercy and your truth’s sake

    Amen.

    St. Francis of Assisi

  • Colossians 1 1-2

    Paul
    an apostle of Christ Jesus
    by the will of God
    and Timothy
    (our?) brother

    to the holy ones
    in Colossae
    that is the faithful sisters / brothers
    in Christ

    grace to you all
    and
    peace
    from God, our Father.

    Colossae in Asia Minor

    O Lord Jesus Christ,
    stay beside me to defend me,
    within me to guide me,
    before me to lead me,
    and above me to bless me,
    that with you and in you,
    I may live, and move and have my being,
    for ever and ever.
    Amen.

    (unknown)

  • Romans 1 1-6

    (From) Paul,
    a slave of Christ Jesus,
    called (to be an) apostle
    set apart for the gospel of God,
    which he promised beforehand
    through his prophets
    in the Holy Scriptures
    concerning his son
    –who (was) became of the seed of David,
    according to the flesh
    –appointed the ‘Son of God in power’
    according to the Holy Spirit
    by resurrection from the dead people

    Jesus Christ,
    our Lord.
    through whom
    we have received grace
    and apostleship
    for the obedience of faith (ie. consisting in faith),
    among all the Gentiles
    for the sake of his name
    (among whom you are,)
    called Jesus Christ’s

    God be in head and in my understanding;
    God be in my eyes and in my looking;
    God be in my mouth and in my speaking;
    God be in my heart and in my thinking;
    God be at my end and at my departing.

  • Romans 16 25-27

    To the one who has power to strengthen you all
    – into an alignment with my gospel,
    – that is the preaching about Jesus Christ
    – that is the revelation of the mystery
    silenced for long time,
    but now revealed
    (and through the prophetic scriptures)
    according to the command of the eternal God
    – the obedience of faith
    having been made known
    among all the Gentiles
    to the only wise God,
    through Jesus Christ,
    be glory for ever.
    Amen.

    God, give me grace to accept with serenity
    the things that cannot be changed,
    Courage to change the things
    which should be changed,
    and the Wisdom to distinguish
    the one from the other.

    Living one day at a time,
    Enjoying one moment at a time,
    Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
    Taking, as Jesus did,
    This sinful world as it is,
    Not as I would have it,
    Trusting that You will make all things right,
    If I surrender to Your will,
    So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
    And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

    Amen.

  • Micah 5 2-4

    But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
        who are one of the little clans of Judah,
    from you shall come forth for me
        one who is to rule in Israel,
    whose origin is from of old,
        from ancient days.
    Therefore he shall give them up until the time
        when she who is in labour has brought forth;
    then the rest of his kindred shall return
        to the people of Israel.
    And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
        in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
    And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
        to the ends of the earth…

    O Lord Jesus Christ,
    stay beside me to defend me,
    within me to guide me,
    before me to lead me,
    and above me to bless me,
    that with you and in you,
    I may live, and move and have my being,
    for ever and ever.
    Amen.

    (unknown)

  • Luke 1 39-45

    Having got ready,
    Mary, in those days
    went to the hill country
    with haste
    to a town of Judah,
    and she went
    to the house of Zechariah,
    and greeted Elizabeth.

    And it came to pass
    as Elzabeth heard Mary’s greeting
    the baby moved in her womb,
    and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
    and she exclaimed with a great cry,
    and said:
    ‘Blessed are you among women,
    and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
    And why me, why this?
    that the mother of my Lord has come to me?
    For, look
    as the sound of your greeting came to my ears,
    the baby in my womb
    moved with joy.
    And blessed is she who has believed
    that there would be fulfilment
    of the things spoken to her
    by the Lord.

    Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
    Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
    Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
    Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5 16-24

    Always rejoice,
    constantly pray.
    Give thanks
    in all situations
    – for this is the will of God
    in Christ Jesus
    for you all.

    Do not extinguish the Spirit,
    do not despise prophecies.
    But test all things,
    Hold fast to the good.
    Abstain from every kind of evil

    Then
    may the God of peace himself
    sanctify you completely,
    and may
    your whole spirit, soul and body
    be kept blamelessly
    in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

    The one who calls you is faithful,
    and he will do it.

    Lord, you have given me so much,
    I ask for one more thing –
    a grateful heart.

    George Herbert

  • 1 Timothy 2 1-6

    Therefore I encourage you
    first of all
    to make
    petitions,
    prayers,
    intercessions
    and thanksgivings
    for all people,
    for kings
    and for all who are in positions of authority,
    that we might lead a peaceful and quiet life.
    in all godliness and seriousness.
    This is good and pleasing to God, our saviour,
    who wishes all people to be saved
    and to come to knowledge of the truth.
    For there is one God,
    and one mediator,
    between God and humanity
    (the) man Jesus Christ
    who gave himself as a ransom for everyone
    a testimony at the proper time.

    Be thou a bright flame before me,
    Be thou a guiding star above me
    Be thou a smooth path below me
    Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
    Today – tonight -forever
    Amen.

    St Columba