Prayer
Help those you care for in the best possible way.
How we talk to God matters. One of the finest examples of reverent prayer is found in this exceptional collection of prayers for the use of families, written by Samuel Reed Fisher and published in 1855. Entitled, The Family Assistant, the book enjoyed wide circulation at the time. These reverent prayers reflect the strong faith of those who came before us. Absent the security and comforts of the modern world, they lived their daily lives in 19th Century America with complete and utter dependence upon God.
Though our world has changed, our need for God is just as great today as it was back then. These prayers reflect the spoken word of the time, yet can be read just as they are to call upon the Lord with reverence and awe.
A prayer from Dr. Fisher’s book is presented below, along with excerpts from additional selected prayers. Moreover, as examples of how these petitions might be tailored to individual needs, you will discover below a prayer written for a mother, and a dad, combining unique content with passages from Dr. Fisher’s book.
Reverent Prayer
A Prayer from The Family Assistant by Samuel Reed Fisher
FIRST WEEK
Wednesday Morning
Infinitely great and glorious Lord God Almighty ! whose throne is in the heavens, and whose kingdom ruleth over all. We are the creatures of thy power, the workmanship of thy hands, and the daily pensioners of thy bounty. Thou hast brought us into being and dost uphold and sustain us therein from day to day. To thee are we indebted for every mercy and blessing which distinguishes our lot.
We would this morning record thy loving kindness with grateful hearts. We would erect our Ebenezer to thee, and say, Hitherto, Lord, has thou helped us. It is of the Lord’s mercies, that we have not been consumed; yea, because thy compassions fail not, but are renewed every morning and evening, and repeated every moment of our lives. We would praise thee this morning for the comforts of the past night, and for the blessings and privileges with which we are this moment surrounded.
Let thy presence and blessing attend us this day. May we be secure under the shadow of thy wings against every thing that would disturb or destroy. Qualify thou us especially for the proper performance of our several duties, and for the faithful improvement of our multiplied privileges. Preside over all our thoughts, and feelings, and words, and actions, and overrule all for the glory of thy name and the good of our souls.
Bless us in our associated capacity. May we, as a family, be as much distinguished for our devotedness to thee, as we are for the mercies of thy Providence and the privileges of thy grace. Let us each one possess the spirit of our stations, and be enabled, in our respective spheres, to occupy faithfully, even until thou dost come. And grant, O Lord, especially, that we may all so live and act, that, as we now constitute a family here below, we may at last be permitted to constitute a portion of that great family, of which Christ Jesus is the head.
Look in mercy this day upon all who are near and dear unto our hearts. Provide thou for all their interests, and especially for those which relate to the welfare of their immortal souls. Make all thy children true to their relations and obligations. May they thus be instrumental in accomplishing much good in their day and generation. Have mercy upon sinners. Let them be plucked as brands from the eternal burnings, and made the trophies of thy grace, and the monuments of thy sparing mercy, and the living witnesses of thy boundless goodness and love.
Hear us, O Lord, in our prayers, this morning, seeing we offer all in the name and through the mediation of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. AMEN.
A prayer for mom
A prayer for mother you can tailor to her specific needs.
Almighty and most merciful God, whose ears are always open to the petitions of thy humble servants, unto thee do I lift up my soul. Thou art the God of all the families of the earth; but especially of those, in which thy name is known, and loved, and honored.
I come before you, Father, in the name of Jesus, to pray for my mom….
A prayer for dad
A prayer for father you can tailor to his specific needs.
Almighty and most merciful God, whose ears are always open to the petitions of thy humble servants, unto thee do I lift up my soul. Thou art the God of all the families of the earth; but especially of those, in which thy name is known, and loved, and honored.
I come before you, in the name of Jesus, to pray for my dad…..
Daily Prayer
Daily prayer excerpts from The Family Assistant by Samuel Reed Fisher
How to Use these Prayer Excerpts
Excerpts can be woven into personal and family prayers, and gatherings. The entire volume is intended as “an important auxiliary to many”, as the author has stated in the Preface below.
Preface
“With these remarks, the writer sends forth the present volume to the Christian public, with the hope, that it may meet with general acceptance, and the prayer, that, under the blessing of God, it may prove an important auxiliary to many in conducting their family devotions and other social religious exercises, and thus be the means of greatly furthering the important interests of family and social religion.” – Samuel Reed Fisher, The Family Assistant, Chambersburg, PA, October, 1855
Prayer Excerpts by Topic
When we are Alone
When we are alone, may we remember that our heavenly Father is with us.
Blessings
Dispose us ever to direct our prayer to thee and to look up; and daily at thy footstool to wait for thy blessing, more than they who watch for the morning.
Thou hast dealt with us in great loving kindness during the time past of our lives. From day to day, thou hast watched over us, and brought us in safety even to the present moment.
We have been abundantly favored with the comforts of thy Providence and with the blessings and privileges of thy grace.
Business or School
Be graciously present with us, through the whole of this day, and of this week, upon the secular employments of which we are now about to enter.
Strengthen us for the duties of this day. Suffer us not to be tempted above what we are able to bear; but with every temptation, make a way of escape.
If it should please thee to crown our efforts with success, so that we shall increase and abound in the good things of this life, let our rising in the world only go hand in hand with the preservation and comfortable subsistence of all around us.
Changes - Indecisiveness
Choose thou out for us all of our changes, and help us to accommodate ourselves to them, whether they be comfortable or afflictive.
Conflict
May we put on meekness under the greatest provocations; and, if it be possible, as much as lieth in us, may we live peaceably with all men.
May we humble ourselves under thy mighty hand, and be clothed with humility; decked with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which, in the sight of God, is of great price.
Country
Let the country in which we live, continue to be the object of thy special care.
Continue our peace, and increase our prosperity. Scatter every dark cloud which hangs over us. Promote among us that righteousness which exalteth a nation. Continue to be the Guardian and Benefactor of our land.
May our country still be the care of thy Providence. Let glory dwell in our land, and upon all the glory, let there be a defense. Rule in the hearts of our rulers, and make them public blessings. May those who are in places of public trust be faithful to the public interest; and may those who bear the sword, be a terror to evil doers, and a protection and praise to such as do well.
Daily Prayer
May we all esteem our daily worship of thee, the most needful part of our daily business, and the most pleasant of our daily comforts.
We offer our prayers in the midst of much distraction of thought. Deliver us from all those excessive cares about the things of this life in general, which would so engross our time and thoughts, that the one thing needful would be forgotten.
Enable us, with the utmost sincerity, to surrender ourselves unto thee. Teach us so to live, that we may glorify thee, who hast bought us with a price of such amazing value as the blood of thine own Son.
Family
Bless abundantly all the members of this family and make us blessings to each other.
May the children of this family, and all connected with us in the family relation, be a seed to serve thee.
May we be particularly concerned to be useful to those with whom we are most intimately connected in life, in promoting their spiritual and eternal interests.
May we of this family, be more useful to one another, especially in our best concerns; and may the heads of the family, in particular, be instruments of great and everlasting good to all committed to their charge.
Help
Blessed God, to thine almighty power do we flee. O thou that savest by thy right hand them that put their trust in thee, stretch out thine omnipotent arm to save us. We put ourselves under thy protection. Let thy grace be sufficient for us, and thy strength be made perfect in our weakness.
Help us to come and pour out our hearts before thee, with the same confidence and affection, with which children go to an earthy parent. Enable us to repose on thy love; to tell thee all our desires, and all our sorrows; and from the heart, to thank thee for all thy goodness to us.
Amidst all the difficulties and dangers of our mortal pilgrimage, may we feel ourselves supported, and borne forward by thine Almighty arm, towards the region of blessedness.
Prayer Closing
We present these, our imperfect praises and prayers, to thee, in the all-prevailing name of Jesus, who died for our sins, and who rose again for our justification and ever lives to make intercession for us; to whom be honor and dominion everlasting. AMEN.
Now unto the Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be ascribed, as is most due, all praise and power, dominion and glory, world without end. AMEN.
Prayer Opening
God of all goodness, mercy and grace! We acknowledge our dependence on thy providence, and desire to give thee the glory that is due unto thy name, for thy constant care over us, and kindness to us.
We acknowledge ourselves to be sinners before thee. We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. 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.
Blessed be thy name, that thou hast provided a way for our pardon and reconciliation in Jesus Christ. Lord, give us faith to embrace the offer, and to apply the sovereign remedy. May we seek in him, not only pardon and peace; but also grace and strength. We would believe; help thou our unbelief. Cause us to know the way, wherein we should walk; for we lift up our souls unto thee.
Sleep
Take us under thy protection this night, and enable us to close the day with thee, that we may lie down in peace, and our sleep may be sweet.
We commit ourselves to thy care. Refresh our bodies with rest, undisturbed with distrustful cares, or disquieting fears. But especially, let our souls be refreshed with thy love, and the light of thy countenance. For thy loving-kindness is better than life.
We commend ourselves to thy care and keeping during the night. Refresh our bodies with quiet repose; and renew our souls also with spiritual strength. May our last thoughts be with thee; and when we awake, may we be still with thee.
Do you like these prayers and excerpts? Do you have a prayer resource you’d like to suggest? Please contact us. We’d love to hear from you.
