Prayer

Prayer is an opportunity to talk to and listen to God. At times, prayer is an individual conversation between you and God where you share your joys and needs and listen for God’s guidance and wisdom. At times, prayer takes place in the midst of the community and involves everyone present lifting up the joys and concerns of all God’s people. Through the years, a variety of prayer forms and methods have developed. The key is to find the method that works best to connect you to God.

Praying the Mystery is a series of biblical readings, prayers and thoughts from Pastor David L. Miller, the pastor of St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Naperville, IL and former editor of the Lutheran magazine.

The following prayers are from the Lutheran Book of Worship and can serve as a beginning point for your prayer in these areas.

Sickness

O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully hear our prayers and grant to your servant the help of your power, this his/her sickness may be turned into health and our anxiety into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Anxiety, Apprehension, Fear

O most loving Father, you want us to give thanks for all things, to fear nothing except losing you, and to lay all our cares on you, knowing that you care for us. Grant that fears and anxieties in this mortal life may not hide from us the light of your immortal love shown to us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Before Surgery

Loving God, hold name in your care. Give wisdom and skill to his/her doctors and nurses, and enable them to serve your purposes of love and healing, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Peace

O God, it is your will to hold both heaven and earth in a single peace. Let the design of your great love shine on the waste of our anger and sorrow, and give peace to your Church, peace among nations, peace in our homes, and peace in our hearts, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Poor and Neglected

Almighty and merciful God we call to mind before you all those whom it would be easy to forget: the homeless, the destitute, the sick, the aged, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis

Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us 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;
where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that we may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and
it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Thankfulness

Almighty God, giver of all things, with gladness we give thanks for all your goodness. We bless you for the love which has created and which sustains us from day to day. We praise you for the gift of your Son our Savior, through whom you have made known your will and grace. We thank you for the Holy Spirit, the comforter; for your holy Church; for the means of grace; for the lives of all faithful and good people; and for the hope of the life to come. Help us to treasure in our hearts all that our Lord has done for us, and enable us to show our thankfulness by lives that are wholly given to your service. Amen.

Forms of Prayer

Luther’s Writings on the Lord’s Prayer in the Small Catechism

Prayer Resources from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Praying the Mystery