Prayer

MEDITATION FOR ST. PAUL'S

In the beginning was God
The Creator of all that is good
The Creator of Love
We know him to be an Omnipotent God and Awesome
And yet we are privileged to call him Father
He is a fair and just God
And above all he loves all that he has made
He loves us his children
Our families
Our neighbours and friends
And those people we find it impossible to count as friends

In Love he gave us his most treasured gift
His beloved son Jesus
Jesus was God Incarnate
Through his Son God was able to walk amongst us on this earth
He came to show us what love is really about
It’s about sharing the love God has given us
Sharing love one to another
Jesus has enabled us to see God as we sit at the feet of a humble carpenter
His words tell us more about the name God calls himself
I AM
We learn to accept him as the Bread of Life which we need each day to sustain our life with him
We learn to trust him with our lives as he teaches us that he is the good shepherd
He comes to find us when we are lost
He encircles us with his love and brings us back to life even
Jesus our Lord is King
But he also came as a servant
Serving those who were often called the outcast in society
He teaches us to copy his righteousness
To show love to those we walk with who are lonely, sad,depressed, or homeless
When we show compassion to people such as these we minister to God
Each helping hand kind word or encouraging smile
Is our praise to the Father
We learn to call him Abba and he listens
And in response he pours the gift of peace into our hearts
He waits for us today to meet us as never before to cover and surround us with his love
Because we are his children
He listens to our worries and joys and focus’ us with his eyes
His eyes pierce our very soul

They are the eyes of the man who came from Nazareth
Jesus, who walked with similar Speople to ourselves
Some who loved him
Some who ignored him
Some who spurned him

When we are at our darkest hour
We are never alone
Not today, or any time in the future
For we are His
Our Father has many gifts for us
Reach out today, for one of those special gifts
That gift which is special to you from him
A unique gift to his unique child
We only have to ask
And the Helper
The Holy Spirit will come and fill our hearts with His love
The Lord our God comes to us in all aspects of our daily life
Our lives are blessed with the beings of the Trinity

Jesus, gave his life for us, by dying on a cruel cross
His pain has made it possible to release us from our sins, through his great cleansing power
At our death our faith will lead us on to Eternal life
We will walk towards Him, who is I AM
Jesus the Beloved Son and the Holy Spirit
Imagine the great home coming for each one of us
What joy what praise there will be.


(A simple meditation for our special friends from St Paul’s who mean so much to us)

Di Bristow 05.07.09

Amida: The Standing Prayer

Patriarchs
Blessed are You, Lord our God and the God of our Fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob; the great, mighty and awesome God, God Most High, who bestows acts of lovingkindness and creates all, who remembers the lovingkindness of the Fathers and will bring a Redeemer to their children’s children for the sake of His name, in love.

Divine Might
You are eternally mighty, Lord.  You give life to the dead and have power to save.  He makes the wind blow and the rain fall.  He sustains the living with lovingkindness, and with great compassion resurrects the dead.  He supports the fallen, heals the sick, sets captives free, and keeps His faith with those who sleep in the dust.  Who is like You, Master of might, and to whom can You be compared, O King who brings death and gives life, and makes salvation grow?  Faithful are You to resurrect the dead.  Blessed are You, Lord, who resurrects the dead.

Holiness
You are holy and Your name is holy, and holy ones praise You daily, Selah!  Blessed are You, the holy God.

Knowledge
You grace humanity with knowledge and teach mortals understanding.  Grace us with the knowledge, understanding and discernment that come from You.  Blessed are You, Lord, who graciously grants knowledge.

Repentance
Bring us back, our Father, to Your Torah.  Draw us near, our King to Your service.  Lead us back to You in perfect repentance.  Blessed are You, Lord, who desires repentance.

Forgiveness
Forgive us, our Father, for we have sinned.  Pardon us, our King, for we have transgressed; for You pardon and forgive.  Blessed are You, Lord, the gracious One who repeatedly forgives. 

Redemption
Look on our affliction, plead our cause, and redeem us soon for Your name’s sake, for You are a powerful Redeemer.  Blessed are You, Lord, the Redeemer of Israel.

Healing
Heal us, Lord, and we shall be healed.  Save us and we shall be saved, for You are our praise.  Bring complete recovery for all our ailments, for You, God, King, are a faithful and compassionate Healer.  Blessed are You, Lord, Healer of the sick of His people Israel. 

Prosperity
Bless this year for us, Lord our God, and all its types of produce for good.  Grant blessing on the face of the earth, and from Your goodness satisfy us, blessing our year as the best of years.  Blessed are You, Lord, who blesses the years.

Ingathering of Exiles
Sound the great shofar  for our freedom, raise high the banner to gather our exiles, and gather us together from the four quarters of the earth.  Blessed are You, Lord, who gathers the dispersed of His people Israel. 

Justice
Restore our judges as at first and our counsellors as at the beginning, and remove from us sorrow and sighing.  May You alone, Lord, reign over us with lovingkindness and compassion, and vindicate us in justice.  Blessed are You, Lord, the King who loves righteousness and justice. 

Against Informers
For slanderers let there be no hope, and may all wickedness perish in an instant.  May all Your enemies swiftly be cut down.  May You swiftly uproot, crush, cast down and humble the kingdom of arrogance swiftly in our days.  Blessed are You, Lord, who destroys enemies and humbles the arrogant.

The Righteous
To the righteous, the pious, the elders of Your people the house of Israel, the remnant of their scholars, the righteous converts, and to us, may Your compassion be aroused, Lord our God.  Grant a good reward to all who sincerely trust in Your name.  Set our lot with them for ever, so that we may never be ashamed, for in You we trust.  Blessed are You, Lord, who is the support and trust of the righteous.

Rebuilding Jerusalem
To Jerusalem, You city, may You return in compassion, and may You dwell in it as You promised.  May You rebuild it rapidly in our days as an everlasting structure, and install within it soon the throne of David.  Blessed are You, Lord, who builds Jerusalem.

Kingdom of David
May the offshoot of Your servant David soon flower, and may his pride be raised high by Your salvation, for we wait for Your salvation all day.  Blessed are You, Lord, who makes the glory of salvation flourish.

Response to Prayer
Listen to our voice, Lord our God.  Spare us and have compassion on us, and in compassion and favour accept our prayer, for You, God, listen to prayers and pleas.  Do not turn us away, O our King, empty-handed from Your presence, for You listen with compassion to the prayer of Your people Israel.  Blessed are You, Lord, who listens to prayer. 

Temple Service
Find favour, Lord our God, in Your people Israel and their prayer.  Restore the service to Your most holy house, and accept in love and favour the fire-offerings of Israel and their prayer.  May the service of Your people Israel always find favour with You.  And may our eyes witness Your return to Zion in compassion.  Blessed are You, Lord, who restores His Presence to Zion. 

Thanksgiving
We give thanks to You, for You are the Lord our God and God of our ancestors for ever and all time.  You are the Rock of our lives.  Shield of our salvation from generation to generation.  We will thank You and declare You praise for our lives, which are entrusted into Your hand; our souls, which are placed in Your charge; for Your miracles which are with us every day; and for all Your wonders and favours at all times, evening, morning and midday.

You are good – for Your compassion never fails.  You are compassionate – for Your lovingkindnesses never cease.  We have always placed our hope in You.  For all these things may Your name be blessed and exalted, our King, continually, for ever and all time.  Let all that lives thank You, selah! And praise Your name in truth, God, our Saviour and Help, Selah!

Peace
Grant peace, goodness and blessing, grace, lovingkindness and compassion to us and all Israel Your people.  Bless us, our Father,  all as one, with the light of Your face, for by the light of Your face You have given us, Lord our God, the Torah of life and love of kindness, righteousness, blessing, compassion, life and peace.  May it be good in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel at every time, in every hour, with Your peace.  Blessed are You, Lord, who blesses His people Israel with peace.
May God  guard my tongue fro evil and my lips from deceitful speech.  To those who curse me, let my soul be silent; may my soul be to all like the dust.  Open my heart to Your Torah and let my soul pursue Your commandments.  As for all who plan evil against me, swiftly thwart their counsel and frustrate their plans.  Act for the sake of Your name; act for the sake of Your right hand; act for the sake of Your holiness; act for the sake of Your Torah,  That Your beloved ones may be delivered, save with Your right hand and answer me.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart find favour before You, Lord, my Rock and Redeemer.