St. Patrick’s Prayer for Today

What are your plans for today? I’m flying to Eugene, Oregon to speak at the Oregon Christian Writers Conference tomorrow. My husband will drop me off at the Bellingham airport early so he can spend the afternoon dealing with details surrounding our summer ministry trips.

Perhaps your day will be filled with caring for children, a senior parent, or someone with special needs. Maybe you’re fighting a virus or struggling with chronic illness. You might visit a friend or family member in the hospital, or you might spend all day in an office….and you’ll fight traffic to get there.

Or maybe you’re enjoying a much-needed vacation, and you’re lounging on a beach somewhere warm. Maybe your heart’s in a happy place, or perhaps worry and fear are working hard to drag it down.

Whatever your day holds, I pray you’ll experience an overwhelming sense of God’s presence, power, and peace.

A prayer from St. Patrick

Here’s a beautiful prayer from St. Patrick—the words calm my heart and help me focus on Christ.

Take a few minutes to ponder them, and may they bless you in the same way.

As I rise today,
may the strength of God pilot me,
the power of God uphold me,
the wisdom of God guide me.

May the eye of God look before me,
the ear of God hear me,
the words of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me,
the way of God lie before me,
the shield of God defend me,
the host of God save me.

May Christ shield me today.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Amen.

Enjoy your weekend!