The Little Treasure of Prayers Part 4

42. Prayer in view of the Sufferings of Christ.

Alas! my Lord Jesus Christ, when I behold Thee, as Thou wast in the garden bowed down with heartfelt sorrow, and in great anguish didst sweat drops of blood, as Thou wast afterwards taken prisoner, bound, and during the whole night and hour of darkness mocked and insulted, in the morning early as the innocent Lamb accused, whipped with scourges, and finally sentenced to death, suspended on the cross, pierced in your hands and feet with ruthless nails, and not a member of Thy most holy body remaining without a wound:--Alas! when I see all this, I see nothing but my sins, guilt and iniquities which brought Thee into this plight, and for the sake of which Thou didst freely enter into such anguish and distress, into such sadness, pain and suffering. Alas! my Lord, it is all my guilt for which Thou didst suffer--I am the cause of it all. How wonderful are the ways and purposes of G.o.d! The Innocent One must pay for the guilt of the guilty, the Good One must suffer the punishments of the wicked. The Lord must atone the guilt of the servant, and that which sinful man has brought upon himself G.o.d must bear. O Thou Son of the living G.o.d, how great is Thy love and favor towards us mortals! What hast Thou not done and suffered to redeem me, a poor lost sinner, and to deliver me from death and eternal d.a.m.nation. I have done evil, and Thou art punished; I have sinned, and Thou must atone. I have been disobedient, and Thou must for my disobedience be overwhelmed with such anguish and distress. Alas! Thou Lord of Glory, what can I give Thee in return for this Thy great goodness and faithfulness which Thou hast shown towards me! Wherewith shall I, poor needy mortal, requite such unspeakable benefit? Alas! my Lord, it shall forever remain unrequited.

There is no service in heaven or on earth whereby to pay Thee sufficiently for it. It is Thy pure grace and favor towards me, a poor sinner, and that remains by me forever unrequited, forever unmerited. And since I have nothing wherewithall to pay my debt, therefore my heart shall evermore thank Thee for what Thou hast done to me, and I shall magnify, glorify and praise Thy name now and forever. Amen.

43. Prayer in time of Drought.

O Faithful G.o.d, Thou G.o.d of truth and righteousness, who unto the most comforting a.s.surance hast shown us in Thy word of truth, how that an earnest, zealous, faithful and persevering prayer, powerfully penetrates the clouds of heaven, and not only most certainly comes into Thy presence, but also that it avails and effects a great deal, we, Thy poor children, now come, upon Thy comforting promise, in this extraordinarily protracted season of heat and drought, with our faithful, hearty and earnest prayer before the face of Thy lofty and divine majesty, and humbly beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst graciously hear us according to Thy promise, turn Thy great wrath in mercy from us, give unto the parched earth again its needed moisture, and cause a propitious shower to fall in quickening drops upon the earth, in order that it may again bring forth the ordained fruits so necessary for the support of our temporal life, which Thou in Thy paternal providence hast already ordained in the first creation. As of old Thou didst unlock the windows of heaven in answer to the faithful prayer of Thy servant and prophet Elias, and didst cause it to rain upon the thirsty earth, so we also confide the same to Thee now, that Thou wilt let Thy grace reign over us in this season of heat and drought, and out of Thy fatherly care for us, grant us our earnest pet.i.tion and prayer, unto Thy honor and our salvation, through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, our only Redeemer and Saviour. Amen.

44. Prayer for Suns.h.i.+ne in a protracted Season of Wet and Rain.

Lord G.o.d almighty, Thou who doest clothe the heaven with darkness, and makest their covering as a sack; Thou didst in thy wrath punish the impenitent old world for their wickedness and vice, with the overflowing waters of the flood, and didst destroy all the creatures of the earth, that live and have their being on dry land. We also at this time, according to Thy strict righteousness, on account of our manifold sins which we have committed against Thee, are visited with unusual rain, continued and protracted wet weather by which the land and the fruits thereof are greatly injured. Merciful Father, Thou who didst close the fountains of the deep as well as the windows of heaven at the time of the deluge, and didst command the rain from heaven to cease, take away from us all our sins and transgressions, and turn away from us the just punishment of our iniquities, the destructive rain and great waters. For the earth is sad, and the heavens are mourning. Behold the pledge in the clouds--the rainbow--and remember Thy promise, give good and fruitful weather, that the fruits in field and garden may prosper, and not be destroyed by the abundant and superfluous rain, and thus bring upon us famine and scarcity. Lord G.o.d of truth, Thou who canst not lie, Thou hast said: There shall henceforth be no more deluge to destroy the earth.

Therefore be merciful, O Lord! and do not out of wrath close up the bowels of Thy compa.s.sion, O do not take Thy favor and mercy from us! Do Thou not give unto us idle teeth, and lack of bread, bless our bread, that we may always have something to eat, and praise Thy holy name; thus shall we know that we are Thy children indeed, for whom Thou dost most faithfully care, and praise Thee as our heavenly Father all the days of our lives. Amen.

45. Prayer for the precious Fruits of the Field.

Dear Lord, do Thou graciously keep the blessed fruits of the field, purify the air, give fruitful rain and good weather, that the fruits of the land may prosper; let them not be poisoned, so that by eating them we together with the cattle be not taken with pestilence, fever or other plagues; for such plagues come when evil spirits poison the air, and afterwards the fruits, wine and corn, so that we by Thy infliction eat and drink sickness and death with our own daily bread. Therefore, dear Lord, bless Thy gifts that they may redound to our health and prosperity, and that we also may not abuse them to the injury of our souls or to greater sinfulness, intemperance and idleness, out of which unchast.i.ty, adultery, profanity, swearing, murder, wars and all manner of evils flow; but give us grace to use Thy gifts to our souls' salvation, and the amendment of our lives, and that the fruits of the Land be the means of furthering and keeping the health of our bodies and souls. Amen.

46. Prayer during a Storm.

Great G.o.d of might and power in heaven and in earth, by Thy thunder and lightening we are now reminded of Thy great wrath over us sinful mortals.

By such sound of Thy voice which makes all creatures to tremble and to fear, Thou doest call us, as if it were with a bell of repentance, to the knowledge of our sins and to true repentance, in order that we may not be condemned with the wicked world. Thou art such a mighty and powerful Lord, that if Thou wouldst deal with us according to Thy strict righteousness, Thou couldst destroy the world with one clap of thunder and lightening. But we bend our knees in prayer before Thee and humbly beseech Thee, remit Thy great wrath enkindled against our sins. Have mercy on us, spare us, lift up Thy gracious countenance upon us, and be Thou merciful unto us. Preserve our bodies and lives, our homes and property, our town and land, our goods and possessions, and all that we have, also the fruits of the field from hail and sleet, from conflagrations and floods, and from all danger. Guard us also against an evil and sudden death, and mercifully grant that many sinners may by Thy word, thunder and lightning, be roused out of their wicked walk and life, and be truly and heartily converted to Thee. Let us every hour of our lives think of Thy glorious appearing to judge the quick and the dead, and be prepared to receive Thee with joy, and with Thee to enter into the everlasting joys of Thy heavenly kingdom. Amen. O Lord, have mercy on us poor sinners, our bodies and souls, here in this present life and in the life to come. Amen.

47. Thanksgiving when the Storm is over.

Almighty G.o.d, heavenly Father, Thou hast said: Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me: we praise and thank Thee with our whole heart, that Thou hast, in mercy, heard our prayer and caused the threatening storm to cease, without injury to body or property. In this, Thou hast not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities; but hast dealt with us as a father with his children. Father of mercies, for the sake of Thine only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, cause these Thy fearful warnings to move us to constant amendment, that we may henceforth live in Thy fear and prepare ourselves for the coming of Thy dear Son, that we may with joy go forth to meet Him, and with shouts of joy enter heaven, in which dwelleth righteousness, and possess it forever, even for ever and ever, through Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

48. Prayer in great Weakness of Faith.

O Lord, I know it now of a truth that all men have not faith. I believe, dear Lord, help my unbelief! Do not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax; O Jesus, Thou who sittest at the right hand of G.o.d, make intercession for me, that my faith may not cease. Be the author and finisher of my faith, wherewith I shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Grant me that I believe, although I do not see, and thus be saved. Amen.

49. Prayer in great Trouble and Danger.

O almighty G.o.d and Father, who art ever ready to help, Thou seest the great trouble and danger in which we are living; we know of no counsel or help, and have no strength of ourselves to come out of trouble, therefore our eyes look unto Thee, who alone art our consolation, refuge and helper, and hast said: Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Our heart clings to Thy word of promise and in childlike humility and confidence seeks Thy face. O Lord, hide not Thy face, full of compa.s.sion, from us, and put not Thy children away in anger. Leave us not, neither forsake us, O G.o.d of our salvation, who workest salvation in the midst of the earth. Let Thy help also come unto us and be merciful unto us. O Lord, our G.o.d, in Thee do we put our trust and under the shadow of Thy wings do we make our refuge until these calamities be overpast. Turn again unto us and satisfy us early with Thy mercy and we will freely sacrifice unto Thee, we will praise Thy name, O Lord, for it is good. Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Give us help from trouble and we will praise Thee, and rejoice in Thy salvation all the days of our life. Amen.

50. Thanksgiving after a safe Journey.

Gracious G.o.d, heavenly Father, I thank Thee with my whole heart, that Thou hast in safety brought me to my journey's end, and that to my joy, Thy holy angels have led me back to my family. As a Father Thou hast also kept me from all evil, prevented robbers and murderers from killing me, wild beasts from tearing me to pieces, floods of water and other perils from destroying or injuring me. Thou hast led me in safety as the angel Raphael led the young Tobias. All this I owe to Thy paternal care and almighty protection. In mercy keep me and mine, take us under Thy mighty protection, and by Thy power preserve body and soul unto eternal life for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

51. Thanksgiving for Deliverance out of Tribulation.

I will praise Thee, O Lord my G.o.d, with all my heart, and I will glorify Thy name forevermore. I will praise Thee for ever, because Thou canst do all things well. Behold, instead of peace I had great bitterness, but Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption. In my distress I called unto Thee, and Thou hast heard my voice, and my cry did enter into Thy ears, and Thou hast comforted me. Thou hast faithfully helped me, in mercy upheld my soul, and finally delivered me out of my great tribulation. My Lord and my G.o.d, what shall I render unto Thee for all the benefits which Thou daily bestowest? I will praise Thy name all the days of my life, I will magnify Thee among all Thy people, and Thy glory shall continually be in my mouth. Thy Spirit, O faithful G.o.d, enable me to pay my vows and never to forget the benefits Thou hast bestowed upon my soul. Let me spread Thy praise in time, and also in Eternity, together with the elect, sing everlasting Hallelujahs to the honor of Thy name. Amen.

52. Morning Prayer of a sick Person.

O Thou faithful G.o.d and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! I will thank and praise Thee that Thou hast so mercifully kept, protected and strengthened me in my weakness. In Jesus' name, turn unto me to-day and the remaining days of my life, cleanse me from my sin, comfort me by Thy grace, strengthen me by Thy power, lead me by Thy Holy Spirit, that I may live and suffer in accordance with Thy will. I commit my sick body and my soul into Thy holy hands, let Thy holy angel have charge concerning me that the wicked one may have no power or influence over me, through Jesus Christ, our only comfort and Redeemer, in the power of the Holy Ghost.

Amen.

53. Another Morning Prayer in Sickness.

I commit myself this morning and all the days of my life into Thy hands, O G.o.d, the eternal Father who hast created me, O G.o.d, the eternal Son who hast redeemed me, O G.o.d, the Holy Ghost who hast sanctified me in holy baptism. O eternal G.o.dhead, O perfect humanity, O holy Trinity, ever keep me ready to enter into everlasting salvation. Amen.