Prayers For This Day

Proverbs 30:8, Matthew 6:11 "Give us the bread of life...for THIS day."

O LORD, illuminate my mind with truth, inflame my heart with love, inspire my will with courage, enrich my life with service.

Forgive what I have been. Sanctify what I am. Order what I shall be.

Fill me with the spirit of thanksgiving, gratitude, and expectancy. Light the lamp of hope in my heart. Shine in me and through me as I walk with Thee this day...always in the shadow of the cross.

By every thought, word, and action, may I return this day to Thee as a pleasing sacrifice of praise. (Hebrews 13:15)

Father, grant me this day opportunities to show Thy love, to share a word of encouragement and the Good News of salvation in Jesus.

And if this day I forget Thee, do not Thou forget me.

Thomas Ken, "Awake, My Soul", Morning Song, Manual of Prayers of the Use of the Scholars of Winchester College, 1674

As soon as ever you awake in the morning...strive as much as you can to keep all worldly thoughts out of your mind, till you have presented the first-fruits of the day to God, which will be an excellent preparative, to make you spend the rest of it better, and therefore be sure to sing the morning and evening hymn in your chamber devoutly, remembering that the Psalmist, upon happy experience, assures you that it is a good thing to tell of the loving kindness of the Lord early in the morning, and of his truth in the night season.

Awake, my soul, and with the sun

Thy daily stage of duty run;

Shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise

To pay thy morning sacrifice.

Thy precious time misspent, redeem;

Each present day thy last esteem,

Improve thy talent with due care;

For the Great Day thyself prepare.

By influence of Light divine

Let thine own light to others shine.

Reflect all Heaven’s propitious ways

In ardent love, and cheerful praise.

In conversation be sincere;

Keep conscience as the noontide clear;

Think how all-seeing God thy ways

And all thy secret thoughts surveys.

Wake, and lift up thyself, my heart,

And with the angels bear thy part,

Who all night long unwearied sing

High praise to the eternal King.

All praise to Thee, Who safe has kept

And hast refreshed me while I slept.

Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake

I may of endless light partake.

Heav’n is, dear Lord, where’er Thou art!

O never then from me depart,

For to my soul ‘tis hell to be

But for one moment void of Thee.

Lord, I my vows to Thee renew;

Disperse my sins as morning dew.

Guard my first springs of thought and will,

And with Thyself my spirit fill.

Direct, control, suggest, this day,

All I design, or do, or say,

That all my powers, with all their might,

In Thy sole glory may unite.

I would not wake nor rise again,

And Heaven itself I would disdain,

Wert Thou not there to be enjoyed,

And I in hymns to be employed!

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow!

Praise Him, all creatures here below!

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host!

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

Ashton Oxenden, Prayers for Private Use, 1868

Warm my cold heart, Lord, I beseech Thee. Make me this day to be kind to my fellowmen, to be gentle and unselfish, careful to hurt no one by word or deed, but anxious to do good to all, and to make others happy. O Lord, forgive the sins of my temper. Pardon all my hasty words and unchristian thoughts. Make me watchful, that I offend not with my tongue. Give me a meek and loving spirit. I would not live unto myself, but unto Thee. Keep me from sin this day, and all that may offend Thee; for Jesus Christ's sake.

Lord, I know not what is before me this day, but Thou knowest. I desire to leave all in Thy hands, and to place myself at Thy disposal. Do for me as Thou seest best. Prosper me in all that I undertake. Give me good success, if it be Thy will. But, if Thou seest that crosses and disappointments are better for me, give me grace to accept them as from Thee. Enable me to bear them meekly and cheerfully, and to say, Father, no my will, but Thine, be done.

O my God, make me happy this day in Thy service. Keep my conscience void of offence. Let me do nothing, say nothing, desire nothing, which is contrary to Thy will. Give me a thankful spirit. O for a heart to praise Thee for all that Thou hast given me, and for all Thou hast withheld from me.

Thomas Guthrie

Way To Life, “The Work of God”, 1863

Let every day see some work done; some battle fought; some victory won. Rise every morning to make a new start for heaven; and let every sun that sets leave you a day's journey nearer it.

Saving Knowledge: Addressed To Young Men, 1870

Let this day see some sin crucified, some battel fought, some good done, some victory won. Let every fall be followed by a rise, and every step gained become, not a resting place, but a new starting point for further and higher progress.

God's Minute, A Book of 365 Daily Prayers Sixty Seconds Long for Home Worship

https://books.google.com/books?id=3iAwAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1&dq

Rev. W.H. Bucks

May the meditation of our hearts and the utterances of our lips be acceptable in Thy sight. Since each day hath its own peculiar temptations and trials, may we be able this day to cope with all our adversaries and successfully conquer them, leaving out impress for good on all with whom we may come in contact. May we realize this day, as never before the truthfulness of the promise: "The path of the righteous is as a shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." (Proverbs 4:18)

Rev. Emory W. Hunt

This day is Thy gift to us. May we return it to Thee so filled that the day may be pleasing to Thee, an honor to our living Lord, and a help to those with whom we live and work. Grant us some new manifestation of Thyself this day; some deeper experience of Thy grace; a clearer vision of our field of service, and more joy in its work.

Rev. G.M. Matthews

We beseech Thee to direct us in all our ways this day; give us guidance in our perplexities, strength in weakness, comfort in sorrows, inspiration in despondency, and courage in our battles of life. Give us patience and perseverance in our labor. Let us not become weary of well-doing. May we be real representatives of the Christ we confess and profess.

Rev. John Van Leer

Help us this day to bear one another’s burdens. (Galatians 6:2) May we be burden-bearers and not burden-makers.

Dr. Francis H. Green

Save us from listlessness and laziness; keep us from flimsiness and frivolity; deliver us from selfishness; fill us with cheer, and lead us to brighten the lives of all we meet. Remove from us all malice and meanness. Help us to flee from evil, follow after righteousness, and fight the good fight of faith. (1 Timothy 6:12)

Broaden our vision, deepen our earnestness, lengthen our love, intensify our reverence, and increase our usefulness.

Thomas Trotter D.D.

Grant us this day a fresh sense of Thy forgiving grace, that the sins of the past may not haunt and accuse us. Grant us Thy helping grace, that we may be steadfast in the presence of temptation; that we may be cheerful and faithful in the performance of our tasks; that we may carry our cross of trial, if such shall be laid upon us, bravely and unflinchingly; that we may put away our selfishness and unkindness, and live today a loving life with everyone.

Hon. John Stites

Give us this day the joy of a word fitly spoken to some timid, discouraged soul.

George Pidgeon D.D.

Grant us grace this day to let Christ live out His life in us. May He so possess our spirits, and govern our lives, that men, beholding us, may think of Him; listening to us, may hear His message; and in fellowship with us may feel the influence of His Spirit.

Rev. H.H. Bingham

Whether the day brings prosperity or loss, sunshine or shadow, blessings or bereavement, may our faith remain firm, our love unfailing, our hope undaunted. Today, through us, may (someone) be blessed…for His name’s sake.

George W. White, D.D.

Enable us so to live as to not spoil this day by a deed that might never be undone, or a word that might never be recalled. And this we can do only by His help who is our Savior.

Robert Collyer, Prayers Ancient and Modern, 1897

O Father, this day may bring some hard task to our life, or some hard trial to our love. We may grow weary, or sad, or hopeless in our lot. But, Father, our whole life until now has been one great proof of Thy care. Bread has come for our body, thought to our mind, love to our heart, and all from Thee. So help us, we implore Thee, while we stand still on this side of all that the day may bring, to resolve that we will trust Thee this day to shine into any gloom of the mind, to stand by us in any trial of our love, and to give us rest in Thy good time as we need. May this day be full of a power that shall bring us near to Thee, and make us more like Thee; and, O God, may we so trust Thee this day, that, when the day is done, our trust shall be firmer than ever.