My father-in-law has recently received a cancer diagnosis. There are several people in my church who are battling cancer right now. Let’s take a few moments to pray for Michael and for others who are struggling during this time. This prayer comes from the guys at the Boars Head Tavern. It’s specifically about Michael, but you can also use these words to lift up others who are suffering.

Our Father,

First of all we acknowledge You as our God, our Maker, and our Saviour. We are awed by Your majesty. We are comforted by Your presence. We are grateful for every good and perfect gift from Your hand.

We are also sad and upset. Our friend Michael is sick. The news concerning him is not what we want to hear, not what we hoped to hear. We love him. Our hearts are heavy.

Lord, You know and love Michael so much more and better than we do. You know his frame, You know his mind, You know his heart, You know the burden he carries. Please be with him. Work in his life. Comfort his heart with the gospel. Heal his body. Lift his burdens.

Give him sweet sleep, a growing appetite and happy days of physical strength, mental keenness, emotional well-being, spiritual vitality, and Christian hope rooted in the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus.

Lord, we pray for our sister Denise. Strengthen her with your grace, give her hope, and grant her the joy of serving Michael now, as she has for many years. Grant them both that “joy unspeakable and full of glory” as they face these days together.

We pray for Noel and for Clay and their spouses. May they be comforted by You and able to minister to their dad and mom with the comfort they receive from You.

Finally (though certainly not least), Father, we thank You for the Good News. For that Gospel that Michael loves so much, that Gospel that he writes of and teaches with such joyful confidence and humility. Thank You that Your Son Jesus, our Good Shepherd, has gone before Michael in the place where he is now, in the valley of the shadow of death. Thank You that Jesus has been in the jaws of death itself and come out victorious. We trust in this Good News. We trust Jesus. We praise and thank You that Michael is trusting You as well. What a comfort and a blessing this is.

All these prayers and concerns and joys and sadness we bring to You, Father, in the words that Jesus taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen

+

If in our march through this world, so full of mire as it is, we have any spot on us,
dear Savior, wash our feet and declare us “clean.”

May we know that there is no condemnation, no separation;
sin is removed as to its separating as well as its destroying power,
and may we enter into full fellowship with God.

Perfect your work within our hearts.
We are saved, but we would be saved from sin of every form and degree;
from sins that lie within, and we are scarcely aware that they are there.

If we have any pride of which we are not conscious,
any unbelief of which we are not aware,
if there is a form of idolatry which we have not yet perceived,
we ask you, Lord, to search us as with candles
till you spy out the evil and then put it away.
We are not satisfied with pardoned sin,
We pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.”

Save us, we pray, from ordinary religion;
give us the peculiar grace of a peculiar people.
May we abide in Christ,
may we live near to God.

Lord, arouse us to a deep concern for all with whom we come in contact from day to day.
Make us all missionaries at home or in the street, or in our workshop,
wherever Providence has cast our lot, may we there shine as lights in the world.

- Charles Spurgeon, adapted

I have not loved you with my whole heart, and mind, and strength. I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I have not forgiven others, as I have been forgiven.
Have mercy on me, Lord.

I have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us. I have not been true to the mind of Christ. I have grieved your Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on me, Lord.

I confess to you, Lord, all my past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of my life.
I confess to you, Lord.

My self-indulgent appetites and ways, and my exploitation of other people,
I confess to you, Lord.

My anger at my own frustration, and my envy of those more fortunate than I,
I confess to you, Lord.

My intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and my dishonesty in daily life and work,
I confess to you, Lord.

My negligence in prayer and worship, and my failure to commend the faith that is in me,
I confess to you, Lord.

Accept my repentance, Lord, for the wrongs I have done: for my blindness to human need and suffering, and my indifference to indulgence and curelty,
Accept my repentance, Lord.

For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward my neighbors, and for my prejudice and contempt towards those who differ from me,
Accept my repentance, Lord.

For my waste and pollution of your creation, and my lack of concern for those who come after us,
Accept my repentance Lord.
Restore me, good Lord, and let your anger depart from me,
Favorably hear me for your mercy is great.
Accomplish in me and all of your church the work of your salvation,
That I may show forth all your glory in the world.

By the cross of your Son, our Lord,
Bring me with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

- from The Book of Common Prayer

O Lord, in thy wrath, rebuke me not,
Neither chasten me in thy displeasure.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak.
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed.
My soul is also sore troubled.
But, Lord, how long wilt thou punish me?
O save me, O save me, for thy mercy’s sake.

————————

Amen. Lord, have mercy.

HT: Strangely Dim

You know my ignorance,
be my wisdom.

Teach me,
that I may not be a blind leader of the blind,
but a scribe well instructed about the kingdom of God.

Oh, let not the people see me;
let them see you in your vesture dipped in blood!

Let not the people hear me;
let them hear you in your voice of saving truth!

- Bishop Daniel A. Payne

adapted from The Faithful Preacher: Recapturing the Vision of Three Pioneering African-American Pastors

Keep your Church steadfast upon the rock of this faith,
so that in our unity and peace
we may proclaim the one truth
and follow the one Lord,
our Savior Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Fill my memory with the record of your mighty works;
enlighten my understanding with the light of your Holy Spirit;
and may all the desires of my heart and will center in what you would have me do.

Make me an instrument of your salvation for the people entrusted to my care,
and grant that by my life and teaching I may set forth your true and living Word.

Be always with me in carrying out the duties of my faith.

In prayer, enliven my devotion;
in praises, heighten my love and gratitude;
in conversation, give me readiness of thought and expression;
and grant that, by the clearness and brightness of your holy Word,
all the world may be drawn into your blessed kingdom.

All this I ask for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.

- F.B. Meyer

Lord God Almighty,
I understand that I am unable to do anything without your help,
so I ask you to enable me by your grace to fulfill your will.

Give me grace to do whatever brings most glory and honor to you,
pleasure and profit to me,
and life and love to others.

Help me to number my days,
spending my time wisely,
living my life with all my might while I still have breath.

Humble me in the knowledge that I am chief of sinners;
when I hear of the sins of others,
help me to not look upon them with pride,
but to look upon myself with shame,
confessing my own sins to you.

When I go through difficulties and trials,
remind me of the pains of hell
from which you have already delivered me.

Place people in my path who need my help,
and give me a compassionate and generous spirit.

Fill my heart with such love
that I would never do anything out of a spirit of revenge,
nor lose my temper with those around me.
Hold my tongue when I am tempted to speak evil of others.

Thank you for the gospel and for the hope of glory.
Help me to live in light of these truths every day of my life,
so that when the time of my death arrives,
I will rest assuredly in you,
and you will be most glorified in me.

In Christ’s name…

- Trevin Wax (adapted from the first 21 of Jonathan Edwards’ resolutions)

Our Father in Heaven,
Let your name be honored and set apart as Holy.
Please, we want your Kingdom to fully come to earth.
We want your will to be done here as it is already done in heaven.
We ask that you continue to give us food for our bodies
and provide for the physical needs we have.
We also ask that you forgive us,
and restore us to the right relationship with you that our sin has hindered.
We will forgive others like you have forgiven us.
Keep us from Temptation,
you know how weak we are.
Please spare us from the evil one in this world
who wants to kill steal and destroy.
You alone can do these things,
because you have the power.
It is your kingdom.
You are glorious!
You are eternal, unchanging God!
Bless your name!
So be it.

- Weston Wax