The attitude that one can’t genuinely pray a prayer written by another person puzzles me. Why can’t the Holy Spirit who empowers all prayer be at work if we use someone else’s words? It’s intention that matters.
All liturgical churches have collections of prayer that used in public worship. Sometimes these also include prayers that can be used by individuals in their devotions. Evangelical Lutheran Worship has dozens of prayers hidden away on pp. 72-87. There are also collections of prayers you can purchase. I often recommend Day by Day: The Notre Dame Prayerbook for Students. Then there is the Oxford Book of Prayer. I don’t often pray these, but they provide a marvelous examples of how language can be used in prayer.

The other day I cam across a the bed-time prayer my mother taught me as a child: “My Father hear my prayer, before I go to rest; It is thy little child that commeth to be blest.” What a treasure.

I also have a notebook in which I write down prayers. This is one of them by Richard of Chichester. “Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ for all the benefits and blessings you have given me, for all the pain and suffering you have born for me. Merciful Friends, Brother, and Redeemer, may I know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day.” You might recognize it as the source of the song “Day by Day” from the musical Godspell. That brings me next time to singing prayers.

Read Deuteronomy 6:1-9, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne

Today’s Reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%206:1-9