Week Of Prayer – Week 5
June 20 – Prayer of Help
(If you are curious how early Christians perceived the faith and prayed, then the next few weeks, we are going to share some of their prayers. It gives us a look into their thoughts and concerns, and I think we will discover that they were rather similar to ours today. I encourage you to pray the prayers slowly until they become your heartfelt prayer to God. You can, also, use them as a launching point to offer your own prayers. For the majority of these prayers, there will be no commentary or questions.)
We ask you, Master, be our helper and defender. Rescue those of our number in distress; raise up the fallen; assist the needy; heal the sick; turn back those of your people who stray; feed the hungry; release our captives; revive the weak; encourage those who lose heart. Let all the nations realize that you are the only God, that Jesus Christ is your Child, and that we are your people and the sheep of your pasture.
Clement of Rome, bishop, died in A.D. 99 or 101
June 21 – Prayer for Blessings
May God, who sees all things, and who is the Ruler of all spirits and the Lord of all flesh – who chose our Lord Jesus Christ and us through Him to be a peculiar people – grant to every soul that calls upon His glorious and holy Name, faith, peace, patience, long-suffering, self-control, purity, and sobriety, to the well-pleasing of His Name, through our High Priest and Protector, Jesus Christ, by whom be to Him glory, and majesty, and power, and honor, both now and forevermore. AMEN.
Clement of Rome, bishop, died in A.D. 99 or 101
June 22 – Prayer for Forgiveness
You did make to appear the enduring fabric of the world by the works of Your hand; You, Lord, did create the earth on which we dwell, – You, who are faithful in all generations, just in judgments, wonderful in strength and majesty, with wisdom creating and with understanding fixing the things which were made, who are good among them that are being saved and faithful among them whose trust is in You; O merciful and Compassionate One, forgive us our iniquities and offenses and transgressions and trespasses. Reckon not every sin of Your servants and handmaids, but You will purify us with the purification of Your truth; and direct our steps that we may walk in holiness of heart and do what is good and well-pleasing in Your sight and in the sight of our rulers. Yes, Lord, make Your face to shine upon us for good in peace, that we may be shielded by Your mighty hand and delivered from every sin by Your uplifted arm. and deliver us from those who hate us wrongfully. Give concord and peace to us and all who dewll upon the earth, even as You gave to our fathers, when they called upon You in faith and truth, submissive as we are to Your almighty and all-excellent Name. AMEN
Clement of Rome, bishop, died in A.D. 99 or 101
June 23 – Prayer to God the Father
I appeal to you, Lord, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob and Israel, You the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Infinitely merciful as You are, it is Your will that we should learn to know You. You made heaven and earth, You rule supreme over all that is. You are the true, the only God; there is no other god above You. Through our Lord Jesus Christ…and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, grant that all who read what I have written here may know You, because You alone are God; let them draw strength from You; keep them from all teaching that is heretical, irreligious or godless.
St Irenaeus of Lyons, 130–202 AD
June 24 – Prayer to the Divine Tutor
Be kind to Your little children, Lord; that is what we ask of You as their Tutor, You the Father, Israel’s guide; Son, yes, but Father as well. Grant that by doing what You told us to do, we may achieve a faithful likeness to the Image and, as far as is possible for us, may find in You a good God and a lenient Judge. May we all live in the peace that comes from You. May we journey towards Your city, sailing through the waters of sin untouched by the waves, borne tranquilly along by the Holy Spirit, Your Wisdom beyond all telling. Night and day until the last day of all, may our praises give You thanks, our thanksgiving praise You: You who alone are both Father and Son, Son and Father, the Son who is our Tutor and our Teacher, together with the Holy Spirit.
St Clement of Alexandria, 150–215 AD
June 25 – Prayer for Peace of Mind
Let us pray that Jesus may reign over us and that our land may be at peace-i.e., that our bodies may be free from the assaults of fleshly desires. When these have ceased, we shall be able to rest, beneath our vines, our fig-trees and our olives. Father, Son and Holy Spirit will shelter us as we rest, our peace of mind and body once recovered. Glory to God the eternal, age after age. Amen.
Origen, 184–253 AD
June 26 – Blue Grass Prayer
As we prepare for worship, let us pray this prayer for one another in the Body of Christ.
“O Glorious One, we pray that we would bring you glory by completing the work you have entrusted to us. As we go about your ministry and mission, may we know the full measure of Jesus’ joy. As we go about your work in a hostile world, we plead that you would protect us from the evil one who wants to destroy your work in us. And by the power of your word, we ask you would make us holy, a pure bride for our coming Groom. Keep us in love and unity with one another to be a positive witness to the world so they might believe that Jesus is the way to life. We deeply desire to be known as your people so that we can always be with you and see your glory both on earth and in heaven. Amen.”