Prayer for becoming an answer to a prayer

Lord God, enable us to pray in a way that is pleasing to you. Not only by speaking, but also by listening. Not only by making demands, but also by opening our hearts to what you demand from us. Not only by asking for answers, but also by offering ourselves to become an answer, so that you can work through us to bring comfort and healing to a broken world.

We are all, in our own way, broken vessels. Only you can take the shattered pieces and put them back together. Only you can make the vessel whole and fit to hold the water of life, so that others can drink from it and quench their thirst. Use our brokenness to heal the brokenness of others, and in this process, heal our own brokenness too.

Help us find help in the help we offer and comfort in the comfort we bring, with you guiding us all along the way. Teach us a way of giving that doesn't leave us poorer, but enriches us and makes us grow, which doesn't leave us empty, but fills us with the very things we give. For every gift that comes from you is a perfect gift, one that is not diminished, but increased by sharing, as it flows from your infinite resources of love. Enable us to have access to those resources and to make them available to others through the powerful work of your Holy Spirit in us, and for the sake of your beloved Son Jesus Christ.

Amen

Short Prayer for Compassion

Lord, let us never forget that true joy is hidden in compassion. Help us share our wounds and our brokenness with one another. Open our hearts and our minds to the fact that we are all your children and we belong to the same family.  Help us rejoice in our shared humanity and deepen our sense of fellowship together. In the name of your beloved son Jesus. Amen

A Short Prayer for Peace and Reconciliation

Lord, give us all things that are joyful and bring people together as opposed to things that bring pain and separation. Let those who are at home be merciful to those who are strangers and those who are rich be generous to those who are poor. Let our words and deeds bring peace and comfort through the Holy Spirit. Mend broken relationships and straighten love and faith in ourselves and our neighbours. For you are the father of the orphan, the protector of the widow, the friend of the stranger, the help of the poor and downcast. Let our life reflect your unconditional love as the river reflects the sun. For you are our hope and in you alone we put our trust now and forever.

Amen

A Short Prayer of Thanks

Lord, we praise you and we thank you for the wind that blows in our souls… the wind of the Holy Spirit carrying your whispers to us from eternity. For each trial through which we keep our longing for you unscathed. For being and remaining ever the same, even though our imperfect eye often distorts your image. For becoming wound for us to heal our wounds. For not leaving us hungry and frozen in the cold, but warmly inviting us all to your dinner table. For, by your living, you sanctified life. By your dying, you conquered death. By your suffering, you gave a meaning to suffering. By your loving, you showed us the true measure of love. For becoming a spring of living water in our hearts, so that we no longer have to thirst again. For you will complete the work you've started in our lives.

Amen

The Royal Way

When people hate you and despise you
And distort every word you say,
Don’t fight or curse them, don’t get even,
Forgiveness is the royal way.

When burdens are too hard to bear
And pain knocks down your house of clay,
Don’t moan, don’t give in to despair,
Endurance is the royal way.

When you see suffering and fear,
When others turn their face away,
Tend to the wounds and wipe the tears,
Compassion is the royal way.

And whether you meet kings or beggars,
Great saints or sinners gone astray,
Serve all as if they were your brothers,
Humility’s the royal way.

Whatever this world has to offer,
And in your journey come what may,
You’ll conquer all if you remember
That Jesus walked the royal way.