For the past two years, my mornings with the Lord have been guided by my little blue book. I was given the book, “A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants,” at the Transforming Community in Chicago. For each week of the year it contains the Lectionary readings, some inspirational writings, a hymn, and some prayers. (When I don’t know the hymn, I sing it out loud to the tune of “Amazing Grace” which, somehow, usually works.)

What follows here is the prayer for the week offered in my little blue book. I have prayed this prayer out loud every morning this week and I used it to close out the podcast we recorded yesterday for our church family. It seems divinely-ordained to be used by God’s people this week. It’s attributed to William Barclay. And I’d like to share it with you.

O God, our Father, we know that the issues of life and death are in your hands, and we know that you are loving us with an everlasting love. If it is your will, grant us to live in happiness and peace.

In all our undertakings,
grant us prosperity and good success.
In all our friendships,
grant us to find our friends faithful and true.
In all bodily things,
make us fit and healthy,
able for the work of the day.
In all the things of the mind,
make us calm and serene,
free from anxiety and worry.
In material things,
save us from poverty and want.
In spiritual things,
save us from doubt and distrust.
Grant us
in our work, satisfaction;
in our study, true wisdom;
in our pleasure, gladness;
in our love, loyalty.

And if misfortune does come to us, grant that any trial may only bring us closer to one another and closer to you; and grant that nothing may shake our certainty that you work all things together for good, and that a Father’s hand will never cause his child a needless tear.

Hear this, our prayer;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.