​Household Prayers
Prayer is a spiritual exercise that helps build a personal relationship with God. It is also an opportunity to both speak with and listen to God.  

Sometimes the words come naturally, sometimes they don't. For the times when they don't, you can find prayers here that you can use. They are related to our Sunday Scripture readings.

Not every prayer will resonate with every person every week. But when they do, they can help each of us build a life of meaning and purpose in relationship with God.

Week of September 17, 2023

Household Prayer: Morning[1]
Gracious and loving God, thank you for this day.  Strengthen my resolve to love and show mercy throughout the day.  Lead my feet to your holy dwelling place, and guide the work I have to do for today.  In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Household Prayer: Evening
Merciful God, thank you for keeping me in the safety of your arms and for new mercies and the glory you showed through the day.  Keep my family and me through the night.  I thank and praise you!  In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Questions for Reflection
Forgiveness is a hard thing. When has someone forgiven you? Is there someone you need to forgive or ask forgiveness? 

Daily Awareness Reflection[2]
At the end of the day, I’ve been asking myself the following questions.  I jot down the answers and ask them again the next evening.  I’ve found it helps me to remain centered as well as increasing my awareness of God in my life.  It takes about 10 minutes.
  1. Slow down.  Stop.  Prepare yourself to pray by becoming aware of the love with which God looks on you …
  2. Note the gifts God has given you today.  Give thanks to God for them …
  3. Ask God that this be a time of special grace and revelation …
  4. With God, review the day.  Look at the stirrings of your heart, your thoughts, and your choices as the day progressed.  Which have been of God?  Which have not?  What does God want to say to you about both? …
  5. Ask for forgiveness for failures/omissions, for healing from their effects …
Look forward to the following day, and plan concretely with God how to live it according to God’s desire for your life …


[1] The Morning & Evening Prayer and Question for Reflection are reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word® Worship Companion. Copyright 2014.

[2] Elizabeth Liebert, The Soul of Discernment (Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 2015), 31.
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Prayers reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from
Feasting on the Word ® Worship Companion. Copyright 2013.