May God the Father,
and the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ,
build us up in faith and truth and love,
and grant us our portion among the saints
with all those who believe on our Lord Jesus Christ.
We pray for all saints,
for kings and rulers,
for the enemies of the cross of Christ,
and for ourselves we pray that our fruit may abound
and we may be made perfect in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

- Polycarp

Our Lord in heaven,
our hearts overflow when we think of Your goodness to us.

Even though some of us may have difficult times
and insoluble problems to face,
yet You fit for each one of us Your blessing.

You do not lay upon us any burden we are unable to bear.
You always intend and purpose some good thing for us.
As we are sick,You are teaching us to lean upon Your kind arm.
In our heartaches, You are showing us that You are our hope and our refuge.

Lord, had we a thousand lives to dedicate to You,
it would be too short a time.
We pray that through all eternity we may live in Your presence;
bow before You, sing Your praises, speak of You loving kindness.

O God, how wonderful You are to us.
And we pray that the sweet communion and fellowship of our church
can be felt by even a passerby, a stranger in our midst;
the love of God in Christ Jesus that passes all understanding,
ours to enjoy, to share, to possess forever and ever.
Thank You, Master, for every good thing You give us…

- W. A. Criswell, adapted

Lord God,
almighty and everlasting Father,
you have brought me in safety to this new day:

Preserve me with your mighty power,
that I may not fall into sin,
nor be overcome by adversity;
and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose;
through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

- Book of Common Prayer

I like this song from Tenth Avenue North, and the music video is worth watching (especially the second verse).

Who will bring me to rest in You?

Who will send You into my heart
so to overwhelm it
that my sins will be blotted out
and I may embrace You, my only good?

What are You to me?
Have mercy that I may speak.

What am I to You
that You should command me to love You,
and if I do not,
are angry and threaten vast misery?

Is it, then, a trifling sorrow not to love You?
It is not so to me.

Tell me, by Your mercy, O Lord, my God,
what You are to me.
“Say to my soul, I am your salvation.”
So speak that I may hear.
Behold, the ears of my heart are before You, O Lord;
open them and “say to my soul, I am your salvation.”

I will hasten after that voice,
and I will lay hold upon You.
Hide not Your face from me.
Even if I die, let me see Your face lest I die.

- Augustine of Hippo

Almighty, eternal God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Creator of heaven and earth and man,
together with Your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
Your Word and Image,
and with Your Holy Spirit:

Have mercy upon us
and forgive us our sins for Your Son’s sake,
whom You have made our Mediator
according to Your wonderful counsels,
and do guide and sanctify us by Your Holy Spirit,
who has poured out upon the apostles.

Grant that we may truly know and praise You throughout eternity! Amen.

- Philipp Melanchthon, 1497-1560

Lord,
I want people around me to know
that I believe You are the light of the world.

I want to love You so much
that people can see in my life
– even if they never listen to my words –
that I believe You are the light of the world.

I know that making my witness visible
in and of itself,
is not enough.
I must have courage in the presence of my friends
to point to You and say clearly,
“Behold, the Lamb of God!
Behold, the light of the world.”

If I continue to walk silently
while others are walking in darkness, it is my own fault,
for You, Jesus, are the light of my life — of all life.

- Calvin Miller

I pray, O God, that I may know you and love you,
so that I may rejoice in you.

And if I cannot do so fully in this life
may I progress gradually until it comes to fullness.

Let the knowledge of you grow in me here,
and there be made complete;
Let your love grow in me here
and there be made complete,
so that here my joy may be great in hope,
and there be complete in reality.

Lord, by your Son, you command,
or rather, counsel us to ask
and you promise that we shall receive so that our “joy may be complete.”
I ask, Lord, as you counsel through our admirable Counselor.
May I receive what you promise through your truth so that my “joy may be complete.”

Until then let my mind meditate on it,
let my tongue speak of it,
let my heart love it,
let my mouth preach it.
Let my soul hunger for it,
let my flesh thirst for it,
my whole being desire it,
until I enter into the “joy of the Lord,”
who is God, Three in One, “blessed forever. Amen.”

Anselm, Proslogion

We most humbly beg You to give us grace…

not only to be hearers of the Word,
but doers also of the same;

not only to love,
but also to obey Your gospel;

not only to favor,
but also to follow Your godly doctrine,

not only to profess,
but also to practice Your blessed commandments…

to the honor of Your holy Name, and the health of our souls.

- Thomas Becon, 1511-1567

Jesus, the sinner’s Friend, to Thee,
Lost and undone, for aid I flee,
Weary of earth, myself, and sin:
Open Thine arms, and take me in.

Pity and heal my sin sick soul;
‘Tis Thou alone canst make me whole;
Dark, till in me Thine image shine,
And lost, I am, till Thou art mine.

At last I own it cannot be
That I should fit myself for Thee:
Here, then, to Thee I all resign;
Thine is the work, and only Thine.

What shall I say Thy grace to move?
Lord, I am sin, but Thou art love;
I give up every plea beside—
Lord, I am lost, but Thou hast died.

- Charles Wesley