image via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
Lord, teach us to pray.
Some of us are not skilled in the art of prayer.
We thank you that you are hearing us even now.
As we draw near to you in thought, our spirits long for your Spirit,
and reach out for you, longing to feel you near.
We do not know how to express the deepest emotions
that lie hidden in our hearts.
In these moments, we have no polished phrases
In these moments, we have no polished phrases
with which to impress one another,
no finely molded, delicately turned clauses to present to you.
Nor would we be confined to conventional petitions,
repeating our prayers like reverent mantras.
We know, our Father, that we are closest to you
when we have left behind
the things that have held us captive for so long.
We do not want to be ignorant in prayer and, like children,
We do not want to be ignorant in prayer and, like children,
make shopping lists for you.
Rather, we pray that you will give unto us only what we really need.
We do not want to make our prayers so that they annoy you,
an omnipotent God, so that you do what we want you to do.
Rather, give us the vision, the courage,
that enlarges our horizons and stretches our faith
to the adventure of seeking your loving will for our lives
We thank you that you are hearing us even now.
We thank you for the grace of prayer.
We thank you for yourself.
Peter Marshall, 1902 – 1949, Chaplain of the US Senate
HarperCollins Book of Prayers, freely modified
HarperCollins Book of Prayers, freely modified
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But when you pray, go into your room, close the door
and pray to your Father, who is unseen.
Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you.
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans,
for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need
before you ask him.
prayer & verse 
