Daily Prayer Devotional by Lue-Yee Tsang

Dai ly Pray er D evo t i o nal

Manna Christian Fellowship Princeton, 2013

Contents Prayer Services I. Evening Prayer

II. Litany 14 III. Examen 21 IV. Compline 26

Appendices A. Cultivating a Praying Community

B. A C T S : Elements of Prayer

C. Lectio Divina

D. Extemporary Prayer

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thess. 5. 17. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. Eph. 6. 17–18.

T   

D E P  The Leader shall begin the  , by reading one or more of the following Sentences of Scripture.

W   the wicked man turns away from the wickedness that he has committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves his soul alive. Ezek. . . I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Psalm . . Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Psalm . . The sacriﬁces of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm . . Rend your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the L your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and relents from calamity. Joel . . To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him and not obeyed the voice of the L our God to walk in his laws, which he set before us. Dan. . –.

O L, correct me, but with judgment; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. Jer. . , Psalm . . Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. St Matt. . . I will arise, and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. St Luke . –. Do not enter into judgment with your servant, O L ; for in your sight no one living will be justiﬁed. Psalm . . If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  John . –. Then the Leader shall say,

D    beloved brethren, the Scripture moves us, in various places, to acknowledge and confess our numerous sins and wickedness; and tells us not to disguise or hide them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father, but to confess them with a humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart; in order that we may obtain forgiveness of the same, by his infinite goodness and mercy. And although we ought, at all times, humbly to acknowledge our sins before God; yet we ought first and foremost to do so when we assemble and meet together to render thanks for the great benefits that 2

we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his most holy Word, and to ask those things which are required and necessary, as well for the body as for the soul. Therefore I urge and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice, to the throne of the heavenly grace, saying: A G eneral C onfes sion . To be said by the whole congregation, with the Leader, all kneeling.

A       and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from your ways like lost sheep, We have followed too much the designs and desires of our own hearts, We have oﬀended against your holy laws, We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us wretched oﬀenders; Pardon those, O God, who confess their faults; Restore those who are penitent; According to your promises declared to mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and thoughtful life, To the glory of your holy Name. Amen. Here all shall pause in silence for reflection and private confession of their sins.

Then the Leader shall say,

Grant to your faithful people, we beseech you, merciful Lord, your pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve you with an untroubled mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. The People shall answer here, and at the end of every prayer, Amen. Then the Leader shall say the Lord’s Prayer; the People still kneeling and repeating it with him, both here, and wherever else it is used in divine service.

O   Father in heaven, Hallowed be your Name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, As we forgive those who sin against us. And do not lead us into temptation; But deliver us from evil: For yours are the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Then likewise he shall say,

O L , open our lips. Answer. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Leader. O God, make speed to save us. Answer. O Lord, make haste to help us. 4

Here, all standing up, the Leader shall say,

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, to the ages without end. Amen. Minister. Praise the Lord. Answer. The Lord’s Name be praised. Then shall be said or sung the Psalm following.

V enite , E x ultemus D omino. Psalm . O , let us sing unto the L · let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving · and show ourselves glad in him with psalms. For the L is a great God · and a great King above all gods. In his hand are all the corners of the earth · and the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, for he made it · and his hands prepared the dry land. O come, let us worship and fall down · and kneel before the L  our Maker. 5

For he is the L our God · and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts · as in the Provocation, and as in the day of Temptation in the wilderness; When your fathers tempted me · proved me, and saw my works. Forty years long was I grieved with that generation, and said · It is a people that err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways. To them I swore in my wrath · that they should not enter my rest. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son · and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be · to the ages without end. Amen. Then shall follow a Portion of the Psalms, as they are appointed, or one of the Selections of the Psalms set forth by this Church. And at the end of every Psalm shall be said or sung the Gloria Patri, Glory be to the Father &c. Then shall be read distinctly, with an audible voice, the First Lesson, taken out of the Old Testament, the reader standing and turning himself in such a way as he may best be heard by all who are present.

Note: before every Lesson, the Leader shall say, Here begins such a Chapter, or verse of such a Chapter, of such a Book: and after every Lesson, Here ends the ﬁrst, or the second Lesson. And after that Magniﬁcat (or the Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary), as follows, or else Psalm  or a hymn.

Magnificat. St Luke . . M soul magnifies the Lord · and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For he has looked upon · the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold, from now on · all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty has magnified me · and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on thosewho fear him · throughout all generations. He has showed strength with his arm · he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has brought down the mighty from their seat · and has exalted the humble and meek. He has filled the hungry with good things · and the rich he has sent empty away.

He remembering his mercy has helped his servant Israel · as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son · and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be · to the ages without end. Amen. Then shall be read, in like manner, the second Lesson, taken out of the New Testament; after which Nunc dimittis (or the Song of Simeon), as follows, or else Psalm  or a hymn.

Nunc Dimitti s . St Luke . . L , now you let your servant depart in peace · according to your word. For my eyes have seen · your salvation; Which you have prepared · before the face of every people; To be a light to enlighten the Gentiles · and to be the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son · and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be · to the ages without end. Amen. 8

Then shall the Leader and the People, standing, say the Apostles’ Creed.

I       in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into Hades; The third day he rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body; And the Life everlasting. Amen. And after that, these Prayers following, all devoutly kneeling: the Leader first pronouncing loud and clear,

The Lord be with you. Answer. And with your spirit. Leader. Let us pray. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Then the Leader and People shall say the Lord’s Prayer loud and clear.

O Lord, show your mercy upon us. Answer. And grant us your salvation Leader. O Lord, guide and defend our rulers. Answer. And mercifully hear us when we call upon you. Leader. Clothe your ministers with righteousness. Answer. And make your chosen people joyful. Leader. O Lord, save your people. Answer. And bless your inheritance. Leader. Give peace in our time, O Lord. Answer. Because there is none other who ﬁghts for us; but only you, O God. Leader. O God, make clean our hearts within us. Answer. And do not take your Holy Spirit from us. Then shall follow three Collects: The ﬁrst of the day: The second for Peace: The third for Aid against all Perils, as hereafter follows. Of these, the two last Collects shall be said every day at Evening Prayer without alteration.

A C ollect for Peace. O G , from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works proceed: Give your servants that peace which the world cannot give; that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments, and also that we, being defended by you from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and tranquility; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. A C ollect for Aid against Perils. L      our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord; and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. The Service may end here; in places where they sing, here follows the Anthem or Hymn, after which the Leader may either begin the Litany or else continue with a few prayers.

A Prayer f or the Clergy and People. A       and everlasting God, from whom comes every good and perfect gift; Send down upon our Bishops, and other Clergy, and upon the Congregations committed to 11

their charge, the healthful Spirit of your grace; and, that they may truly please you, pour upon them the continual dew of your blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honor of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen. A Prayer for the U. S . Pre sident, and all in Civil Authority. O L , our heavenly Father, high and mighty, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, from your throne beholding all who live on earth; Most heartily we beseech you to look with favor upon the President of the United States, and all others in authority; and so grant them the wisdom and strength to know and to do your will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, that they may serve your people faithfully to your honor and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A General Thanks giving. A       God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you most humble and hearty thanks for all your goodness and loving kindness to us, and to all men. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; and above all, for your immeasruable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord 12

Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech you, give us that due sense of all your mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we may proclaim your praise not only with our lips but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, to the ages without end. Amen. A Prayer of St Chrys ostom. A       God, who has given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications to you, and promises that when two or three are gathered together in your Name you will grant their requests; Fulﬁll now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of your servants, as may be to their greatest beneﬁt; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting. Amen.  C or.  .  . T  grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

The L i ta n y, or g e ner a l suppl ic ation The Leader shall first solicit any urgent prayer requests to be remembered.

O G od the Father of Heaven; have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the Father of Heaven; have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the Son, Redeemer of the world; have mercy upon us wretched sinners. O God the Son, Redeemer of the world; have mercy upon us wretched sinners. O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son; have mercy upon us wretched sinners. O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son; have mercy upon us wretched sinners. O holy blessed and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God; have mercy upon us wretched sinners O holy blessed and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God; have mercy upon us wretched sinners. Do not remember, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; neither take vengeance for our sins: spare us, good Lord, spare your people, whom you have redeemed 14

with your most precious blood, and do not be angry with us forever. Spare us, good Lord. From all evil and mischief; from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the devil; from your wrath, and from everlasting damnation, Good Lord, deliver us. From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness, Good Lord, deliver us. From all inordinate and sinful affections; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil, Good Lord, deliver us. From lightning and tempest; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death, Good Lord, deliver us. From all sedition, privy conspiracy, and rebellion; from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart and contempt of your Word and Commandment, Good Lord, deliver us. By the mystery of your holy Incarnation; by your holy Nativity and Circumcision; by your Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation, Good Lord, deliver us. 15

By your Agony and Bloody Sweat; by your Cross and Passion; by your precious Death and Burial; by your glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the coming of the Holy Ghost, Good Lord, deliver us. In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, Good Lord, deliver us. We sinners beseech you to hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please you to rule and govern your holy Church universal in the right way; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to bless and preserve all Christian Rulers and Magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and to maintain truth; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to illuminate all Bishops, Pastors, and Ministers of the Church, with true knowledge and understanding of your Word; and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth and show it accordingly; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to send forth laborers into your harvest; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to bless and keep all your people; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. 16

That it may please you to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to give us a heart to love and fear you, and diligently to live after your commandments; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to give all your people the increase of grace to hear meekly thy Word and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to strengthen such as do stand; and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise up those who fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to relieve, help, and comfort, all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to preserve all who travel by land, water, or air; all women in the perils of childbirth, all sick persons, and young children; and to show your pity upon all prisoners and captives; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. 17

That it may please you to defend and provide for the fatherless children and widows, and all who are desolate and oppressed; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to have mercy upon all men; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to give and preserve to our use the fruits of the earth, each after its kind, so that in due time we may enjoy them; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. That it may please you to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endow us with the grace of your Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to your holy Word; We beseech you to hear us, good Lord. Son of God, we beseech you to hear us. Son of God, we beseech you to hear us. O Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world; Grant us your peace. O Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world; Have mercy upon us. Here may be said the Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Prayer.

Let us pray. We humbly beseech you, O Father, to look mercifully upon our infirmities; and, for the glory of your Name, turn from us all those evils which we have most justly deserved; and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in your mercy, and forever serve you in holiness and pureness of living, to your honour and glory; through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Here may additional prayers be said, and psalms sung, before the Prayer of St Chrysostom and the Grace.

A       God, who has given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications to you, and promises that when two or three are gathered together in your Name you will grant their requests; Fulﬁll now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of your servants, as may be to their greatest beneﬁt; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting. Amen. T  grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Addi t iona l P ray er s L ord God, who has sent the Prince of Peace for the life of the world, and by whose Word comes all knowledge: We give you thanks for the founders and other benefactors of Princeton University, by whose gifts we are nourished here for piety and learning; asking that we, rightly using these your gifts to your glory, may be led together with them into eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Amen. The beginning of the fall of man was trust in himself; the beginning of the restoring of man was distrust in himself, and trust in God. O most gracious and most wise guide, our Savior Jesus Christ, who will lead to immortal blessedness all those who truly and unfainedly trust in you, and commit themselves to you: Grant that, since we are truly blind and feeble, we may not presume our own understanding, but see so far that we may continually have you before our eyes, to follow you as our guide, to be obediently ready at your call, and to commit ourselves wholly to you; that you, who alone know the way, may lead us the same way to our heavenly desires, to the glory of the Father, with you and the Holy Ghost, now and forever.â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Amen.

Th e Exa m e n Here is described a meditative prayer exercise that encourages greater knowledge of self and of our adoption as God’s sons in Christ. It helps us find the freedom and courage to do God’s will, tuning our spiritual ears to his voice, and thereby nurturing our intimacy with Christ in everyday living. This examination is especially edifying near the close of the day, and may be followed by Evening Prayer or the office of Compline.

S cripture Les s on. The Leader shall read, at his discretion, a passage of Scripture that has been on his heart; which read, he shall say, “Here ends the Lesson.” To Remember the Pre sence of G od. “Up now, slight man! flee, for a little while, your occupations; hide yourself, for a time, from your disturbing thoughts. Cast aside, now, your burdensome cares, and put away your toilsome business. Yield room for some little time to God; and rest for a little time in him. Enter the inner chamber of your mind; shut out all thoughts save that of God, and such as can aid you in seeking him; close your door and seek him. Speak now, my whole heart! speak now to God, saying, 21

I seek your face; your face, Lord, will I seek (Psalm 27.â&#x20AC;&#x2030;8). And come you now, O Lord my God, teach my heart where and how it may seek you, where and how it may find you.â&#x20AC;? Where, O Lord, can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Surely the Lord is in this place. And I see, raised from the dead, Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. And God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, has made us alive together with Christ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. He is the Vine; I am a branch. I picture him and believe him to be looking down with tender care for all who come in his name with prayer to the Father. By faith I see him looking intently at what I now prepare to do. I am a temple of the Holy Spirit: as surely as if he stood before me now, Jesus Christ dwells in my heart by faith, and the Father and the Son come to abide in my human soul. If God is there silently and surely in my soul, then nearer is he than my own breathing. In him I rest my soul; be still, O my soul, and know that he is God. 22

To Than k God for Bles sings Received. The First Point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits I have received. As I survey the day, I recall the grace and mercy that God has bestowed upon me: a kind word, a cool breeze, an edifying conversation, the taste of something sweet. Blessed be the Lord for these, and for the more permanent blessings that touched today. Have my God-given gifts helped me in a task? Praise be to God. Has the gospel become clearer to me through the trials and joys of the day? Praise be to God. To K now the Holy Spiritâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s Work. The Second Point is to ask grace to know my sins and rid myself of them. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. The Third Point is to ask an account of my soul from the hour of rising to the present examen, hour by hour or period by period; first as to thoughts, then words, then deeds. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can understand it? For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders. What, my God, has proceeded from my heart today? I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a 23

people of unclean lips. My lips have spoken lies; my tongue mutters perversities. My feet run to evil, and I hasten to wickedness. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The Fourth Point is to ask pardon of God our Lord for my faults. O most great, most just and gracious God; you are of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; but you have promised mercy through Jesus Christ to all who repent and believe in him. I confess that I have sinned and come short of the glory of God. I have neglected and abused your holy worship. I have dealt unjustly and uncharitably with my neighbors. I have not sought first your kingdom. You have revealed your wonderful love to me in Christ and offered me pardon and salvation in him; but I have turned away. I have run into temptation; and the sin that I should have hated, I have committed. Have mercy on me, most merciful Father! In your rich and manifold mercies, take pity upon me! In your Son is my salvation, in your promises my hope. Take me as your child and revive me with the Spirit of your Son, and in the end receive me into your glory, through Jesus Christ my only Savior. The Fifth Point is to resolve, with Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace, to amend my faults. I am a debtor, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if I live after the flesh, I shall die; but if by the Spirit I put to death the deeds of the body, I shall live. So let me put to death my sins of today, which God has searched 24

within me. Let me lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let me run with endurance the race that is set before me, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. For those whom the Father foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Therefore I say, as the Lord has taught me, Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your Name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, As we forgive those who sin against us. And do not lead us into temptation; But deliver us from evil: For yours are the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.â&#x20AC;&#x201A;Amen.

C om p l i n e This Service may be used when Evening Prayer has been previously said, before students from each college retire for the night. All standing up, the Leader shall begin by reading the following Sentence of Scripture.

1 St Peter 5. 8–9. Brethren , be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, being steadfast in the faith. Then shall the Minister and people, devoutly kneeling, say together the Confession following; and afterwards the Prayer for Forgiveness.

We confess to God the Father Almighty, to his only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and to God the Holy Ghost, that we have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, by our fault, our own fault, our own grievous fault. Wherefore we pray Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, to have mercy upon us, to forgive us all that is past, and to grant us grace to amend our lives in time to come. Amen.

Then all shall say,

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, to the ages without end. Amen. Minister. Praise the Lord. Answer. The Lord’s Name be praised. Then shall be said or sung one or more of the following Psalms: Psalm 4; Psalm 31. 1–6; Psalm 91; Psalm 134. After this shall be read one of the following short Lessons, or some other passage of Holy Scripture.

You, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us, O Lord our God. Jeremiah 14. 9. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. St Matthew 11. 28–30. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13. 20–21. Here follows Te lucis ante terminum, or some other hymn.

Before the ending of the day, Creator of the world, we pray That with thy wonted favour thou Wouldst be our guard and keeper now. From all ill dreams defend our eyes, From nightly fears and fantasies; Tread under foot our ghostly foe, That no pollution we may know.

O Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son; Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee, Doth live and reign eternally. Amen. Leader. Into your hands I commend my spirit. Answer. For you have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth. Leader. Keep me as the apple of the eye; Answer. Hide me under the shadow of your wings. Then shall be said the Apostles’ Creed by the Leader and People standing,

And after that these Prayers following, all devoutly kneeling.

Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. O   Father in heaven, Hallowed be your Name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, As we forgive those who sin against us. And do not lead us into temptation; But deliver us from evil: For yours are the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Then shall be said,

Leader. O Lord, show your mercy upon us; Answer. And grant us your salvation. Leader. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin; Answer. O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us. Leader. O Lord, let your mercy be upon us: Answer. As our trust is in you. Leader. O Lord, hear our prayer; Answer. And let our cry come to you. 30

Let us pray. L ighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord; and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Give us light in the night season, we beseech you, O Lord, and grant that our rest may be without sin, and our waking to your service; that we may come in peace and safety to the waking of the Great Day; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Here the Leader may add a few prayers at his discretion, concluding thus.

Leader. Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers; Answer. To be praised and glorified above all for ever. Leader. Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; Answer. Let us praise him and magnify him for ever. Leader. Blessed are you, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven; Answer. To be praised and glorified above all for ever. Leader. The Almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Answer. Amen. 31

Appe ndi x A :

Cu lt i vat i ng a P ray i ng C om mun it y As God teaches us and guides us through his Word, we grow in holiness: we come to know ourselves more truly and fully even as we come to know our triune God more truly and fully. John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion 3. 20. 3 (tr. Battles), names six reasons for calling upon God: First, that our hearts may be fired with a zealous and burning desire ever to seek, love and serve him, while we become accustomed in every need to flee to him as to a sacred anchor. Secondly, that there may enter our hearts no desire and no wish at all of which we should be ashamed to make him a witness, while we learn to set all our wishes before his eyes, and even to pour out our whole hearts. Thirdly, that we be prepared to receive his benefits with true gratitude of heart and thanksgiving, benefits that our prayer reminds us come from his hand [cf. Ps. 145. 15–16]. Fourthly, moreover, that, having obtained what we were seeking, and being convinced that he has answered our prayers, we should be led to meditation upon his kindness more ardently. And fifthly, that at the same

time we embrace with greater delight those things which we acknowledge to have been obtained by prayers. Finally, that use and experience may, according to the measure of our feebleness, confirm his providence, while we understand not only that he promises never to fail us, and of his own will opens the way to call upon him at the very point of necessity, but also that he ever extends his hand to help his own, not wet-nursing them with words but defending them with present help.

Coming from different backgrounds and traditions, we all have much to learn from each other, and should recognize our need to grow with unfamiliar forms of prayer. Much of this growth happens as we wrestle with God in understanding, experiencing, and practicing prayer. It’s helpful for us to think of cultivating our prayer according to a framework of three perspectives: normative (head), existential (heart), and situational (hands). Prayer leaders should feel free to develop new ways to pray faithfully and comprehensively. Normative: Under standing Prayer. Cultivating a praying community involves once in a while reexamining the question, “What is prayer?” Understanding better the means by which we speak to God the Father, through Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit, helps us to gain assurance that our loving Father listens indeed to prayer. 33

Normative teaching on prayer may explore biblical examples of prayer (e.g. Jesus’ high-priestly prayer, John 17, and the Lord’s Prayer, Matt. 6), the content of prayers (lament, confession, adoration, thanksgiving, supplication), and our difficulties in understanding prayer (e.g. why God doesn’t answer my prayers, how God can answer prayers and remain omniscient, and why pray if God will work anyway). Some forms of prayer, such as the Evening Prayer service, can work simultaneously to teach us about prayer and help us engage in it. Ex i stential: the E x perience of Prayer. While rooted in a normative reality, prayer is not only rational: it expresses not only our thoughts to God, but also our feelings and emotions. God desires to be not just the object of contemplation but also the greatest longing of our hearts. Prayer is, therefore, satisfying as an experience, and can often help us convey our emotions toward God and toward our life situations. For those unused to engaging emotively in prayer, more freeform, personally specific kinds of prayer can cultivate the experience of their relationship with God. One example is simultaneous prayer, in which students all express to God their feelings, fears, hopes, and desires aloud, at the same time. This allows us to diagnose our idolatrous desires 34

and express more effectively our existential need for God. Likewise, the Examen can be a more existentially engaging prayer. Above all, the Psalms, the songbook of the Bible, span in their emotional breadth the range of our spiritual experience, and their rich expression can help us put our emotions into words. Situational : the Practice of Prayer. Prayer, though certainly meant to be a mode of thought or expression guided by God, spills over to our actions too. It is this active dimension of prayer that motivates the Bene dictine motto, ora et labora (‘pray and work’); Brother Lawrence, similarly, is revered for recognizing that God is ever present and speaking in everyday life, and for seeing his existence as a living conversation with God. Incorporating active elements into our prayer meetings will challenge us to have obedience result from our prayers but also increasingly to understand our lives as living sacrifices and prayers. Prayer leaders may encourage the use of various postures to stress how prayer interacts with our hands along with our heads and hearts. Extended times for sharing prayer requests help us flesh out how our daily situations are within the sovereign control of the Father, how Jesus Christ walks with us through the joys and trials of our lives, and how the Holy Ghost continually intercedes for us 35

with groanings that words cannot express when we are at a loss for what to say and feel toward God. Prayer walks, which may begin with the Litany, stir our hearts to see people, places, and needs through God’s eyes, encouraging faith to see God’s vision rather than dwell in cloistered fear. In prayer linked specifically to places, spiritual mission and warfare become immediate, in the here and now – at dorms, in colleges, at Frist, at McCosh, on the Street, in the E-Quad, at the Wa, at the fountain, and elsewhere – strengthening the connection between the internal witness of the gospel and the external need for the renewal of all things. On a prayer walk, ask God to give you eyes to see the harvest, and a spirit of grace and supplication; ask for boldness and open doors to this campus and community; ask for insight into God’s kingdom plans for Princeton, and rejoice in the opportunity. God is here. Finally, because prayer is rooted in life’s circumstances, to cultivate a praying community is to stress its frequent practice. We encourage regular attendance at prayer meetings, that we may all grow in understanding, experiencing, and practicing prayer.

Resources for Study Andrewes, Lancelot. Preces Privatae. Various translations, as at ‹http:// books.google.com/books?id=RdM-AAAAYAAJ›.

Anselm of Canterbury. Proslogion, in Anselm of Canterbury: The Major Works (Oxford World’s Classics). Oxford Univ. Press, 2008. Baxter, Richard. The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, chapters xiii–xvi, on meditation. ‹http://www.ccel.org/ccel/baxter/saints_rest.toc.html›. Bennett, Arthur G., ed. Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions. Banner of Truth, 1975. Showing the central place of prayer in the Christian’s mortification (death to sin) and vivification (renewed living in Christ Jesus). A prayer guide is available ‹http://www.joethorn.net/valley/›. The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The official service book, for centuries, of the Protestant reformed Church of England. See also the American books of 1892 and 1928. Cosin, John. A Collection of Private Devotions for the Hours of Prayer. ‹http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UVkNAAAAYAAJ›. Keller, Timothy. ‘Kingdom-Centered Prayer’. Anticipating God’s spiritual work of Kingdom revival. ‹http://sevenpdx.org/downloads/ kingdom-centered-prayer.pdf›. Lewis, C. S. Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer. Mariner, 2002. Murray, Andrew. The Prayer Life. On countering prayerlessness. Packer, J. I. Keep in Step with the Spirit: Finding Fullness in Our Walk with God. Baker, 2005. . Praying the Lord’s Prayer. Crossway, 2007. Pratt, Richard L. Pray with Your Eyes Open: Looking at God, Ourselves, and Our Prayers. P & R, 1987. Wright, N. T. The Lord & His Prayer. Eerdmans, 1997. On the Lord’s Prayer embodying the life of citizens of God’s coming Kingdom.

Appe ndi x B:

A C T S : E le men ts of P ray er There are primarily four kinds of prayer: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication, often remembered by the acronym acts. Each of these is essential to a balanced life of prayer. Adoration is the highest act of prayer. Scripture depicts the throne of God surrounded by angels who offer unceasing praise to the King of Kings for the glory of his unchanging attributes. For this purpose was the world made, that all flesh might declare, both in words and in silence, in mani fold witness, the goodness of the Lord God: his love, his holiness, his truth, his justice, his majesty, his might. It is God’s due to be forever praised by his creatures, who show forth the Father’s love for the Son, the Son’s radiance as the authoritative Word of the Father, and the Holy Spirit’s bond between the two as a gift and presence of glory. Since the first sin of Adam, however, fallen mankind has no longer been fit to sing God’s praises; our very lips have been polluted by the condition of our hearts. The Lord is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look at iniq38

uity. Therefore, knowing our unworthiness, how far we fall short of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glory, we confess to him the uncleanness of our hearts and our lips. Reflecting upon our unfaithfulness to the just duty owed to our Maker, we express our sorrow and cast our hopes upon the one who only can make us pure, our Savior Jesus Christ. We ask him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that we may henceforth live worthy of his grace, being pure and holy. Thanksgiving is the proper response to the God who has not only made all the world for our delight but also forgiven our sins and given us the power, and the right, to enjoy his blessings. For of his fatherly goodness he has given us father and mother, and food and clothing, and sense and reason, and friends and civilization, pardoning in Christ all things we have done in contempt of his love and, indeed, of our very salvation. While we seek to lead lives of gratitude, in keeping with our nature, supplication is indispensible. We acknowledge God as the source of every blessing and ask his grace to help us, both with inward regeneration and with outward support, to live according to his Word. For this need we ask for all things that aid our obedience to Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commandments, whether for faithful ministers of his Word or for strength to bear temptation or for relief of our necessities.

Appe ndi x C :

L e c t io D i vi na Lectio divina, or divine reading, involves meditative listening to the reading, out loud and slowly, of a short passage or a few isolated verses of Scripture. It can be done alone or with a group. Those who listen should bear in mind that this reading is not analysis; the point is to listen expectantly and open oneself to Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word, receiving it personally as a gift.

Choose a short passage of Scripture for meditation, which is to be slowly read aloud. Quiet yourself and ask the Holy Spirit to guard and guide your meditation, helping you be attentive and read with an open heart and will. The leader, if any, shall open with a brief, spoken prayer. First reading. One participant reads the passage aloud, slowly. After one minute of silent reflection before God, in which you note whatever words or phrases particularly strike you, write down one of these; in a group, each participant shares his word or phrase without comment. Second reading. A second participant, if any, reads the same passage aloud from a different translation. Pondering the words being read, your attention fixed directly on Christ, your feelings and thoughts centered on him. As the 40

life experience of people, places, feelings, relationships, and events comes to mind, pray for them. After 3–5 minutes’ silence, write down where this passage touches your life experience; in a group, each participant shares his answer in turn, again without comment. Third reading. A third participant, if any, reads the same passage aloud from yet another translation. Rest in the embrace of Christ; see his comfort and his love. Listen to what God is inviting you to be and how he is inviting you to change, in your relationship with him and with others on earth. For 3–5 minutes, write down what you believe God wants you to do; in a group, each participant shares what he has recorded. This is the time to respond to God with heart open and will surrendered, to submit emotions, attitude, and disposition to match the precepts God has given in holy Scripture. Give thanks for God’s gift, and confess to God what sins are hindering your growth in the fruit of the Spirit, asking for grace in your struggle against these sins; in a group, each participant prays aloud for the person to his right, praying only for what that person has expressed upon the third reading (this prayer may continue after the meeting, throughout the day or evening). For a group of five, allow about twenty-five minutes in all, longer with more participants.

Appe ndi x D :

Ext e m p or a ry P r ay er Often group prayer involves detailed discussion of prayer needs that often leaves little time to actually pray, or else one long monologue prayer after another. Conversational prayer, in contrast, recognizes that prayer, which includes God from the outset, is a dialogue that the Holy Spirit leads. Therefore, as formal liturgical dialogue exemplifies, we converse not only with God (cf. Appendix C) but also with the others present. Below you will find suggestions for focusing your times of corporate prayer. You are free, of course, to shift the focus as the Spirit leads; but it is wise, when you pray as a group, for the leader to present a focus or purpose for the prayer time, and often to begin with praise to the one we pray to. To Begin With. Be sparing with time used to make prayer requests: let the spirit of the matter come out in earnest prayer. Agree to confidentiality if this is appropriate for what is disclosed. This measure can be important for keeping prayer from being a cover for gossip and boasting. 42

Basic Guideline s . Be brief: restrain yourself to a couple of sentences at a time, covering one basic thought instead of many. The ancient form of the collect, usually one sentence, is useful for this purpose: (1) Invocation or address, indicating the person of Trinity addressed, usually God the Father, rarely God the Son; (2) description of a divine attribute bearing on the petition; (3) the petition, for one thing only and that in the tersest language; (4) the desired result, beginning â&#x20AC;&#x153;(in order) thatâ&#x20AC;?; (5) conclusion indicating the mediation of Jesus Christ. Here is an example: Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. When praying aloud, pray loudly enough that others can hear you, and avoid praying with your head down. In this way others may understand what is being prayed and add their assent. In the group, pray spontaneously, as in a normal conversation, rather than going around the circle. Build on the 43

prayers of others, as in conversation; when a topic is complete, the silence will make this clear. Anyone, not just the leader, may move on to the next topic. If in the course of prayer a Scripture passage comes to mind, do pray it if it seems related: this is often how the Holy Spirit edifies us in prayer. When not uttering a prayer yourself, stay actively involved. Discipline yourself not to think about what to pray next; instead, pray silently along with whoever is praying aloud. Seek not only to understand the words of your brothers and sisters, but also to empathize with them. Wilt thou love God, as he thee? Then digest, My soul, this wholesome meditation, How God the Spirit, by angels waited on In heaven, doth make his Temple in thy breast. The Father having begot a Son most blest, And still begetting, (for he ne’er be gone) Hath deigned to choose thee by adoption, Co-heir t’ his glory, and Sabbath’ endless rest. And as a robbed man, which by search doth find His stol’n stuff sold, must lose or buy ’t again: The Son of glory came down, and was slain, Us whom he’d made, and Satan stol’n, to unbind. ’Twas much that man was made like God before, But, that God should be made like man, much more. 44

O Lord Jesus Christ, Draw thou our hearts unto thee; join them together in inseparable love, that we may abide in thee, and thou in us, and that the everlasting covenant between us may stand sure forever. O wound our hearts with the fiery darts of thy piercing love. Let them pierce through all our slothful members and inward powers, that we, being happily wounded, may so become whole and sound. Let us have no lover but thyself alone; let us seek no joy nor comfort except in thee.â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Amen.

M anna C hristian Fellowship is an interdenominational, evangelical chaplaincy dedicated to developing and engaging a gospel worldview. Large Group Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Murray-Dodge Hall. Prayer Meetings Mon.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Fri., 5 p.m., Spelman 26.