God prays creation into being

The very first prayers in the Bible resound with God’s poetic prayers and “Amen!”

Each “Let there be” begins an “Amen” to God’s prayers for us as our Heavenly Father and Creator God calls into being every living thing in the heavens and on the earth.

This poem prayer-a-phrases the beginning of that beginning as shown in today’s Bible reading from Genesis 1:

God’s Prayers for Creation
Genesis 1:1-13

In the beginning,
God….

In the beginning –

Chaos! Darkness!
A wasteland! A world
unformed….

Then a mighty wind –
Ruah –
swept over the waters,
the Spirit of God
hovered over the waters,

and God prayed:

“Let there be light,”
and the light answered
God’s prayer,
and it was good.

So God separated the light
from darkness.
God separated the waters above
and the waters below,
and the dry land appeared
at God’s calling,
and it was good.

Then God prayed:
“Let the earth bring forth,”
and the earth responded;
the earth obeyed,
and it was good.

© 2015, Mary Harwell Sayler, a poet, writer, and lifelong lover of Christ, the Bible, and the church, prayer-a-phrased today’s reading in Genesis 1 from translations found on Bible Gateway.

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Praying to know God’s ways

Psalm 25:4-9

Cause me to know Your ways, O LORD.
Teach me Your path for me.

Cause me to walk in Your truth (not mine!)
and teach me, O God of salvation.

Near You
all day
I wait.

And I remember Your mercies, O LORD,
for Your kindness stays with me –
from age to age.

You don’t even recall
my offenses or wrongs,
and yet You remember me!

For the sake of Your goodness, O LORD,
You – the Upright One, the Good One –
guide us in The Way.

Cause us to walk in Your court,
and teach us Your way
today.


© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, a poet, writer, and lifelong lover of Christ, the Bible, and the church, prayer-a-phrased today’s reading in Psalm 25 from translations found on Bible Gateway.

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A prayer for strength from Psalm 80

Oh, Shepherd of Your people,
lead us in Your flock.

Oh, God enthroned on cherubim,
stir Your strength and save us.

Restore us, oh, God
and shine on us with Your glory.

Return to us, oh, LORD of Hosts.
Regard us as the vine You set.

With Your right hand, You planted us
and made strong Your branch –
Your Son.

Let Your hand again
be on the Son of Man,
Whom You have made strong in us.
Then we shall not depart from You.

Give us life,
and we shall remain with You.

Revive us to call on Your Name.

Restore us, oh LORD – God
of the armies of Heaven,
and in Your shine, we shall be
saved.

Psalm 80:1-3,14-19

© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, a poet, writer, and lifelong lover of Christ, the Bible, and the church, prayer-a-phrased portions of Psalm 80 from translations provided on Bible Gateway.

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Jesus prays in the Spirit

Filled with joy at the Disciple’s return, Jesus
prayed in the Holy Spirit:

Praise You, Father,
LORD of heaven and earth!

From clever people, You have hidden
things You show to those who come to You
like little children.

Yes! How this pleases You!

All things
have been entrusted to Me
by My Father,
for no one but the Father
really knows Who I Am,

and no one really knows
Who You are, Father,
except Your Son
and everyone
to whom I have shown You
and to whom I will make You known.

Luke 10:21-22

© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, a poet, writer, and lifelong lover of Christ, the Bible, and the church, researched today’s reading from the Gospels in translations on Bible Gateway before prayer-a-phrasing this poem.

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Bible prayer on Halloween

The Apostle Paul’s prayer for the church in Philippi extends to us in today’s Bible reading as a timely word of remembrance, encouragement, and blessings found in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May the grace and peace of God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Every time I remember you,
I thank my God.

Every day I pray for you with joy –
from the first day until now –
for your coming together in the Gospel
gives confidence
that the good work
God began in you
will come to completion
in the day of Christ Jesus.

It’s right to think this way
as our hearts hold us together
in the Grace of God,
binding us and confining us
to defend and confirm the Good News.

For God is my witness
that I long for you all
from the very depths of Christ.

And this is my prayer:

That your love may grow and grow
in knowledge and insight,
so you may know what’s best
and discern what’s of value,

becoming genuine and guiltless
each day in Christ
as you're filled
with the fruit of righteousness,
given to you through Christ Jesus
to bring glory and praise to God.


© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased this poem from today’s Bible Reading in Philippians 1:1-11, drawing from many of the translations on Bible Gateway and also her previous prayer-a-phrase, which appeared last year, entitled “May the peace of the Lord be with us.”


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A call to prayer

Praise the LORD God!
Call upon His Name.

Make His acts known among the people.
Tell everyone
His Name is above all names.

Sing of the LORD
Who does glorious things,
and let this be known
in all the earth.

Sing and shout for joy,
all peoples of God,
for great in our midst
is the Holy One,
the God of Israel.

Isaiah 12:4-6


©2014, Mary Harwell Sayler. This poem prayer-a-phrase of Isaiah 12:4-6 draws from the many translations found on Bible Gateway.

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A prayer request for God’s help

Isaiah 33:2

O LORD God, favor us
with Your grace and mercy
as we await You
every morning.

Be to us
Your strength
and Your salvation
in times of trouble
and distress.

May God guide, protect, and empower our families, our country, the church Body of Christ, and all Christians throughout the world in Jesus’ Name.


©2014, Mary Sayler. This poem prayer-a-phrase of Isaiah 33 from today’s Reading Plan on Bible Gateway draws from several translations found on that site.

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Prayer as blessing

May the LORD keep you
in His blessing.

May the face of the LORD
shine on you brightly
and graciously.

May the LORD lift you
into His close company
and bequeath to you
His peace.

©2014 Mary Sayler based this prayer poem on Numbers 6:24-26 from the many translations provided by Bible Gateway.

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The Lord’s Prayer after the resurrection

Our Lord Jesus
Who’s now in Heaven,
Holy is Your Name
in Which we pray.

Let Your Kingdom come!
Let Your will be done
on earth
as happens in Heaven.

Give us this day
Your living Bread,
and forgive us
our trespasses
as we forgive those
who cross
the line with us.

Lead us not into
terrible trials,
but deliver us from evil,
for the Kingdom of God
is Yours!

And the power of God
is Yours.

And the glory
of God is Yours –
now
and forever –

in You,
in us.

May we all be One in Jesus’ Name.

©2014, Mary Harwell Sayler.


The Holy Scriptures for this prayer-a-phrased prayer-poem by Mary Sayler resulted from resources she found on Bible Gateway.

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Prayer in time of trouble

O Lord, turn Your ear toward me
and hear me please
for I feel poor and pitiful
with none to trust
but You.

Keep my soul safe, O God,
for I am faithful.

Save me to serve You.

Answer my all-day call
with Your grace and mercy.

To You I lift my mind,
my will, my spirit,
and You raise my soul on high!

For You are kind
and eager to forgive
all who call on You.

O Lord, I give You
the voice of my plea
for You will hear
and answer.



©2014, Mary Harwell Sayler studied several translations of Psalm 86:1-7 on Bible Gateway before writing the above prayer-a-phrased poem.

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Global Day of Prayer

On this Global Day of Prayer, may 2 Chronicles 7:14 move us to pray as God guides in Jesus’ Name.

If My people who
are called by My Name
will humble themselves -

If My people who
are called by My Name
will call on Me –

If My people will turn
from their wicked ways –

I will hear from the heights.

I will forgive and repair
the separation
that comes from sin.

I will heal the lands.


©2014 Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased 2 Chronicles 7:14 from the many translations found on Bible Gateway.



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Prayer as story, evidence, and honor

On this Veteran’s Day, we remember the men and women who serve our country as the people of Israel remembered their leaders and how God worked in their lives. This unique relationship set them apart as a special people whom the LORD guided, protected, and blessed as they remained true to God. May we, too, be faithful and true and blessed.

Then the spiritual leaders called out
to the people and said:

Stand up
and praise the Lord your God,
Who lives forever and ever!

Then they prayed:
May Your glorious name be praised
for You are far higher than every
praise and blessing.

You alone, O Lord, made the skies, the heavens, the stars.
You alone made the earth and seas and everything in them.
You alone preserve Your creation,
and the heavenly powers worship You alone.

You, the Lord God, chose Abram and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham. When he proved faithful, You made a covenant with him and his descendants… and You have done what You promised, for You alone remain true to Your word.

You alone saw the misery of our ancestors in Egypt and heard their cries beside the Red Sea.

You alone performed miracles, signs, and wonders to thwart Pharaoh and his people, who mistreated our ancestors, and Your glorious name has never been forgotten.

You alone divided the sea for Your people, and they alone walked on dry land as their enemies sank like stones beneath the mighty waters.

You alone led by a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, so our ancestors could find their way.

When You came down from heaven, You spoke to Your people at Mount Sinai, giving just laws and instructions, giving good decrees and commands.

You instructed Your people to remember Your holy day of rest, and, through Moses Your servant, told what we need to know to obey You alone.

You gave bread from heaven to appease hunger and water from the rock to ease thirst.

You commanded Your people to go take possession of the land You had sworn to give them, and yet, our ancestors paid no attention to Your sound teachings. They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles You had done for them but instead became stubborn, appointing a leader to return them to the slavery they had known.

But You are a God who forgives
with grace and mercy,
slow to anger but fast
in unfailing love.

You did not abandon Your people, even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and proclaimed the thing a god!
Oh, what terrible blasphemies!

But You in Your great mercy
did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led by day, and the pillar of fire by night.

You sent your good Spirit to instruct Your people, and You continued to give manna from heaven and water for thirst. For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, and nothing did they lack. Even their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell.

You helped our ancestors overcome kingdoms and nations, and You placed Your people in every corner of the land.... You multiplied their descendants as numerous as stars in the sky and brought them into the land as You had promised. You subdued whole nations before them. Even the Canaanites, who lived there were powerless when Your people subdued nations and kings. Our ancestors seized fortified cities and lush land. They took over houses filled with good things and found cisterns already dug and an abundance of vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees.

And they ate until full,
and they prospered,
and Your people delighted
in every bountiful blessing
given by You alone.

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased today’s Daily Bible Reading in Nehemiah 9:5-25 after searching scripture in a variety of translations provided online by BibleGateway.com.

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Prayer as worship

And those who had triumphed
over the beastly law and its numerous names
stood beside a glassy sea
holding their God-given harps
as they harmoniously sang
the song of Moses the servant of God
and the song of the Lamb, saying:

“Mighty and marvelous
are Your works, O Lord God,
the Omnipotent,
the Righteous,
the Just.

“Your ways are true, O Sovereign King
of the ages, of the nations, of us,
and all shall reverence and glorify
Your Name, O Lord,
giving You honor and praise and worship.

“For You alone are holy.
And all nations
will come to worship You
and adore You
for Your justice
when the righteousness You’ve shown
has been made known.”

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased today’s Daily Bible Reading in Revelation 15:2-4 from a search of scriptures in a variety of translations provided online by BibleGateway.com.

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Golden prayer

And to His followers, Jesus said:

Keep on asking,
and it will be given to you.

Keep on seeking,
and you will find.

Keep knocking,
and the door will be opened.

Those who ask
receive.

Those who search
find,

and a door will be opened
for those who knock.

Think of it like this:

If your child asks for bread,
will you give a stone
shaped like a loaf of bread?

If your child asks for a fish,
will you give a snake
shaped like an edible eel?

If you, who surely aren’t perfect,
know how to give good gifts
to your children,
how much more
will your Father in Heaven
give good to those who ask?

But keep on doing to others
as you want them to do to you,
for this fulfills the law and the prophets.

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrase of Matthew 7:1-12 from today’s Daily Bible Readings

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Soul prayer

Bless the LORD, O my soul!
May all that is within me
bless Your holy Name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul.
May I not forget
God’s benefits.

For the LORD
forgives all my sins
and heals all my infirmities.

God redeems my life from death
and covers me with mercy
and loving-kindness.

The LORD satisfies me
with good things
and renews my youth
like an eagle’s.

Bless the LORD, O my soul.
Bless the LORD.

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrase of my favorite Psalm 103 from today’s Daily Bible Readings

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Praying quietly

And Jesus taught us, saying:

Take care about practicing
righteousness
before other people
to be seen by them
rather than being rewarded
by your Heavenly Father Who Is.

When you give to the poor,
don’t be like the hypocrites
who enter the sanctuary, sounding
their own horn in hopes
of getting people praise.

When you hold out your right hand
to give,
don’t let your left hand
even know what you’re doing
that your giving may be
kept secret from yourself,
so only your Father sees and knows.

And when you pray,
don’t be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray
in the sanctuary and outside
on the street where everyone sees.
Truly, I tell you, they’ve received
their reward.

But when you pray, go
privately
into your own room
and shut the door and pray
to your Father Who Is
in secret.
And your Father Who sees
in secret
will reward you.


©2013 Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrase of today’s Daily Bible Reading in Matthew 6:1-6.

Praying for people

Pray for all people.
Ask God to help them.
Intercede on their behalf
and give thanks for them.

Pray, too, for leaders
and all authorities,
so we can lead our
quiet and peaceful lives
in godly dignity.

This pleases God –
our Savior, Who wants
everyone to be saved
and come to know
the truth: One God,
One Mediator between
God and mankind –
the man Christ
Jesus, Who gave Himself
to gain our freedom –
One Message God gave
at just the right time.

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrased from 1 Timothy 2:1-6 from today’s Daily Bible Reading

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Into a prayer shelter

Hear my cry, O LORD.
Listen to my prayer.

To You, my heavy heart calls
from a low place far away.

Set me on the Rock
that is higher than I
as I fly to my shelter in You.

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased this poem from today’s Daily Bible Reading in Psalm 61:1-3.


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A prophet prays for life to return

Background: During a severe drought, the LORD told Elijah the prophet to seek food and shelter in the home of a poor widow and child. When Elijah found the woman, she was getting ready to prepare the last meal for herself and her only son, but the prophet told her to share her food with him first and she would have all she needed until the drought ended. Though fearful, the woman believed Elijah and did as he said. The handful of flour and small amount of oil continued to flow, keeping Elijah, the widow, and child alive. Some time later, however, the boy became ill and died.

And the woman said to Elijah,
‘Man of God, what have you done?
Did you come to remind me of my sin
by killing my son?’

‘Give me your son,” Elijah said,
then took the boy to a room upstairs
where he’d been staying
and laying the child on the bed,
he prayed: ‘LORD God,
this woman let me stay in her home!
Oh, why have you done
this terrible thing and caused her son
to die?’

Then stretching himself out on the boy
three times, Elijah prayed to the LORD,
‘O, LORD, my God, let life come in
to this boy again!’

And the LORD answered the prayer
and the child began to breathe,
and Elijah carried the boy back
to his mother and said,
‘See! Your son is alive!’

And the woman said, ‘Now I know
you truly are a man of God,
and truly, through you, the LORD speaks.’


©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrase from today’s Daily Bible Reading of 1 Kings 17:17-24

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May the peace of the Lord be with us

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi and beyond:

May the grace and peace of God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Every time I remember you,
I thank my God.

Every day I pray for you with joy –
from the first day until now –
for your fellowship in the Gospel
gives confidence
that the good work
God began in you
will come to completion
in the day of Jesus Christ.

It’s right to think this way
as our hearts hold us together
in the Grace of God,
confining us to defend and confirm
the Gospel.

With God as my witness, I long for you
to have the compassion of Jesus Christ.

And this is my prayer:
That your love may abound more and more
with full knowledge and insight,
so you may know what’s best
and be sincere
without offending Christ –
filled with the fruit of righteousness
which comes to you through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.


© 2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrase of today’s Daily Bible Reading in Philippians 1:1-11


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