Quotes About Prayer

Why pray? Evidently, God likes to be asked. God certainly does not need our wisdom or our knowledge, nor even the information contained in our prayers ("your Father knows what you need before you ask him"). But by inviting us into the partnership of creation, God also invites us into relationship. God is love, said the apostle John. God does not merely have love or feel love. God is love and cannot not love. As such, God yearns for relationship with the creatures made in his image.

Prayer is to the skeptic a delusion, a waste of time. To the believer it represents perhaps the most important use of time.

Some who attempt prayer never have the sense of anyone listening on the other end. They blame themselves for doing it wrong.... Prayer requires the faith to believe that God listens.

The Lord's Prayer is 66 words, the Gettysburg Address is 286 words, and there are 1,322 words in the Declaration of Independence. Yet, government regulations on the sale of cabbage total 26,911 words.

had been the case with the previous Temple, Jews who were unable or even unwilling to come from distant parts to Jerusalem practiced sacrifice in their own locales. Several hundred years later, in the third century, the first evidence emerges of institutions in which a new form of devotion—prayer—appears. These sites where prayer was practiced were called "synagogues" (Greek for assembly).

Some years ago a prayer was read from the pulpit in every church in Greece, asking the Almighty to spare the Greeks from the 'scourge' of foreign tourism. When

Our God, You open Your hand, and fill all things living with plenteousness; to You I commit all those who are dear to me; watch over them, I pray, and provide all things needful for their souls and bodies, now and for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. —NERSES (4TH C.)

Give me an upright heart which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon me also, O Lord my God, understanding to know Thee, diligence to seek Thee, wisdom to find Thee, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. —THOMAS AQUINAS (1225–1274)

Calm me, O Lord, as You stilled the storm; Still me, O Lord; keep me from harm. Let all the storms within me cease. Enfold me, Lord, in Your peace. Amen. —CELTIC PRAYER

O Lord, take full possession of my heart, raise there Your throne, and command there as You do in heaven. Being created by You, let me live for You; being created for You, let me always act for Your glory; being redeemed by You, let me give to You what is Yours; and let my spirit cling to You alone, for Your name's sake. Amen. —JOHN WESLEY (1703–1791)

Hear me, Lord, Holy Father, almighty and eternal God, and graciously send Your holy angel from heaven to watch over, to cherish, to protect, to abide with, and to defend all who dwell in this house; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. —TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC PRAYER

Lord, be with me this day, Within me to purify me; Above me to draw me up; Beneath me to sustain me; Before me to lead me; Behind me to restrain me; Around me to protect me. Amen. —PATRICK OF IRELAND (c. 387–c. 460)

O Jesus, keep me under the standard of Your cross. Let me not just look at You crucified, but have You living in my heart. Amen. —BERNADETTE OF LOURDES (1844

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen. —ANCIENT EASTERN ORTHODOX PRAYER

Grant, I beseech Thee, O Lord, that by the observance of this Lent I may advance in the knowledge of the mystery of Christ, and show forth His mind in conduct worthy of my calling; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. —GELASIAN SACRAMENTARY

Father, I thank Thee for the night, And for the pleasant morning light, For rest, and food, and loving care, And all that makes the world so fair. Help me to do the things I should, To be to others kind and good, In all I do, in work and play, To grow more loving every day. Amen. —REBECCA J. WESTON (1835

Take me, I pray Thee, O Lord of my life, into Thy keeping this night and for ever. O Thou light of lights, keep me from inward darkness; grant me so to sleep in peace, that I may arise to work according to Thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. —LANCELOT ANDREWES (1555–1626)

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: be gracious to all who have gone astray from Thy ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Thy Word, Jesus Christ Thy Son; who with Thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. —BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

Holy Lord, almighty and eternal Father, thank You for Your mercy that has protected me throughout this day. Let me pass through this night peacefully and with a pure mind and body, that rising with purity in the morning, I may serve You gratefully. Amen. —ALCUIN OF YORK (c. 735–804)

O Lord our God, what sins I have this day committed in word, deed, or thought, forgive me, for You are gracious and You love all people. Grant me peaceful and undisturbed sleep, send me Your guardian angel to protect and guard me from every evil, for You are the guardian of our souls and bodies and to You I ascribe glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, now and for ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. —RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PRAYER

Keep me, O Lord, while I tarry on this earth, in a serious seeking after Thee, and in an affectionate walking with Thee, every day of my life;

My God, I pray that I may so know You and love you, that I may rejoice in You. And if I may not do so fully in this life, let me go steadily on to the day when I come to that in fullness.

faith is not content with asking once or twice, but will go on asking, seeking and knocking until the prayer is answered ( Luke 11:9-13).

That's the prayer God loves to answer. Have you ever prayed, "Lord, give me more money so I can give more money to someone else"? "For your work"? This is how Jesus prays: "Give this to me and then I can give more to you. Give me more time and I'll give more time to you. Give me more energy and I'll have more energy to give to you." Jesus was right to pray, "Give glory to me,