For True Singing, UMH 069
Glorious God, source of joy and righteousness, enable us as redeemed and forgiven children evermore to rejoice in singing Your praises. Grant that what we sing with our lips we may believe in our hearts, and what we believe in our hearts we may practice in our lives; so that being doers of the Word and not hearers only, we may receive everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Praising God of Many Names, UMH 104
O burning Mountain, O chosen Sun, O perfect Moon, O fathomless Well, O unattainable Height, O Clearness beyond measure, O Wisdom without end, O Mercy without limit, O Strength beyond resistance, O Crown beyond all majesty: The humblest thing You created sings Your praise. Amen.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit, UMH 329
O Great Spirit, Whose breath gives life to the world, and Whose voice is heard in the soft breeze: We need Your strength and wisdom. Cause us to walk in beauty. Give us eyes ever to behold the red and purple sunset. Make us wise so that we may understand what You have taught us. Help us learn the lessons You have placed in every leaf and rock. Make us always ready to come to You with clean hands and steady eyes, so when life fades, like the fading sunset, our spirits may come to You without shame. Amen.
An Invitation to the Holy Spirit, UMH 335
O God, the Holy Spirit, come to us, and among us; come as the wind, and cleanse us; come as the fire, and burn; come as the dew, and refresh; convict, convert, and consecrate many hearts and lives to our great good and to Your greater glory; and this we ask for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
Freedom in Christ, UMH 360
Gracious God, make me sensitive to all the evidences of Your goodness; and may I, trusting in You, free myself of the terror of death, and feel free to live intensely and happily the life You have given me. Amen.
For Guidance, UMH 366
O God, just as we look into a mirror to see any marks on our face, so let us look to You in order to understand the things we have done amiss. We are like a reed shaken in the wind; we are inexpressibly weak. Leave us not to ourselves, but to dwell in our hearts and guide our thoughts and actions. Amen.
Prayer for a New Heart, UMH 392
You who are over us, You who are one of us, You who are: Give me a pure heart, that I may see You; a humble heart, that I may hear You; a heart of love, that I may serve You; a heart of faith, that I may abide in You. Amen.
For Holiness of Heart, UMH 401
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart. Here is the citadel of all my desiring, where my hopes are born and the deep resolutions of my spirit take wings. In this center, my fears are nourished, and all my hates are nurtured. Here my loves are cherished, and all the deep hungers of my spirit are honored without quivering and without shock. In my heart, above all else, let love and integrity envelope me until my love is perfected and the last vestige of my desiring is no longer in conflict with Your Spirit. Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart. Amen.
Prayer of John Chrysostom, UMH 412
Almighty God, You have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to You; and You have promised through Your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in His Name, You will be in the midst of them. Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of Your Truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
Finding Rest in God, UMH 423
Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in Thee. Amen.
For Our Country, UMH 429
O God, keep our country under Your protection. Wipe out sin from this land; lift it up from the depth of sorrow, O Lord, our shining light. Save us from deep grief and misfortune, Lord of all nations. Bless us with Your wisdom, so that the poor may not be oppressed and the rich may not be oppressors. Make this a nation having no ruler except God, a nation having no authority but that
of Love. Amen.
For Courage to Do Justice, UMH 456
O Lord, open my eyes that I may see the needs of others; open my ears that I may hear their cries; open my heart so that they need not be without support; let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong, nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich. Show me where love and hope and faith are needed, and use me to bring them to those places. And so open my eyes and my ears that I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace for You. Amen.
In Time of Illness, UMH 460
O God, who forgives our sins and heals our diseases, we cry out to You. Our strength has been brought low, and we know not what the future holds. In our bodies, there is pain; in our souls, anxiety and unrest. If it may be, restore us to health. We ask no miracle of deliverance, and if in the order of nature our suffering must continue, help us to accept it without rebellion. If it must lead us toward the valley of the shadow, help us to fear no evil, but to go bravely into Your nearer presence. In Your good keeping, all is well. Into Your hand, we commend our bodies and our spirits. Do with us as You will. Amen.
An Invitation to Christ, UMH 466
Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness. Come, my Life, and revive me from death. Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds. Come, Flame of divine love, and burn up the thorns of my sins, kindling my heart with the flame of Your love. Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there. For You alone are my King and my Lord. Amen.
For Illumination, UMH 477
Open wide the window of our spirits, O Lord, and fill us full of light; open wide the door of our hearts, that we may receive and entertain You with all our powers of adoration and love. Amen.
The Prayer of Saint Francis, UMH 481
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I 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.
For God’s Gifts, UMH 489
O Holy God, open unto me light for my darkness, courage for my fear, hope for my despair. O loving God, open unto me wisdom for my confusion, forgiveness for my sins, love for my hate. O God of peace, open unto me peace for my turmoil, joy for my sorrow, strength for my weakness. O generous God, open my heart to receive all Your gifts. Amen.
Three Things We Pray, UMH 493
Thanks be to You, O Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which You have given us; for all the pains and insults which You have borne for us. O most merciful Redeemer, friend, and brother, may we know You more clearly, love You more dearly, and follow You more nearly, for Your own sake. Amen.
For Overcoming Adversity, UMH 531
Lord, we pray not for tranquility, nor that our tribulations may cease; we pray for Thy Spirit and Thy love, that Thou grant us strength and grace to overcome adversity; through Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Refuge amid Distraction, UMH 535
Like an ant on a stick both ends of which are burning, I go back and forth without knowing what to do, and in great despair. Like the inescapable shadow that follows me, the dead weight of sin haunts me. Graciously look upon me. Your love is my refuge. Amen.
Prayer of Ignatius of Loyola, UMH 570
Teach us, good Lord, to serve You as You deserve; to give and not count the cost; to fight and not heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labor and not to ask for any reward, except that of knowing that we do Your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Renewal of the Church, UMH 574
Renew Your Church, Lord, Your people in this land. Save us from cheap words and self-deception in Your service. In the power of Your Spirit transform us, and shape us by Your cross. Amen.
A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition, UMH 607
I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low for You. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You art mine, and I am Yours. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, be ratified in heaven. Amen.
For Help for the Forthcoming Day, UMH 681
Almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us with Your mighty power, and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, ordered by Your governance, may be always righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
At the Close of Day, UMH 689
O Lord my God, I thank You that You have brought this day to its close. I thank You that You give rest to body and soul. Your hand has been over me, guarding me and preserving me. Forgive my feeble faith and all the wrong I have done this day, and help me to forgive all who have wronged me. Grant that I may sleep in peace under Your care, and defend me from the temptations of darkness. Into Your hands I commend my loved ones, I commend this household, I commend my body and soul. O God, Your Holy Name be praised. Amen.
For Direction, UMH 705
Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings, with Your most gracious favor, and further us with Your continual help, that in all our works, begun, continued, and ended in You, we may glorify Your Holy Name, and finally, by Your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.