In the rhythms of His Creation, God graciously placed cues and reminders that can regularly turn His people to prayer: morning and evening; Sabbath and work; winter, spring, summer and fall. Now is the perfect time to turn to prayers for fall.
Though we modern folk—with our electric lighting and temperature controls, among other things—are less sensitive to such prompts as previous generations, with just a little effort we can still let the changing seasons point us to prayer . . . as these simple prayers are intended to do.
The first three autumn prayers are written by me (the third with an assist by Emily Dickinson) and the fourth autumn prayer is unattributed:
1) Autumn Praise
I praise you, Lord, for autumn:
for falling temperatures and morning chill,
trees turned gold and red, brown and orange,
falling leaves and blowing leaves,
the smell of burning leaves,
the joy of leaf-pile jumping.
I praise you, Lord, for autumn:
the interplay of outside temperatures
and inside warmth,
the promise of cider and pumpkin bread,
the blessing of blankets and sweaters.
I praise you, Lord, for autumn:
the beauty and hope in the change of season,
the promise that the coming of autumn
heralds another ending,
a new beginning,
and the wonder of another winter,
another spring,
another summer,
yet to come.
2) A Powerful Prayer for Fall
Abba, Father, the trees are ablaze with your glory.
The seasons change, but you never do.
You are always beautiful,
in the green and freshness of spring
as in the golds and reds and chills of autumn.
Make me like you.
Let my life reflect your beauty,
season after season,
as the calendar of my life turns and turns and turns.
The trees are letting go of this year’s foliage.
Help me let go of both blessings and burdens,
and surrender them both to your loving care.
Fallen leaves pattern the ground with variety.
So design my own fallings and failings
into whatever design will please you most.
In Jesus’ name, I pray,
Amen.
3) An Simple Autumn Petition Prayer
As summer into autumn slips,*
O give me grace today
To rise and turn as summer’s leaves
Draw life and strength from heavenly rays.
(*first line from Emily Dickinson)
4) An Autumn Prayer Poem
When I must go, dear God, please let it be
A golden autumn day; when red leaves fall,
When purple grapes in shining clusters hang
And bittersweet glows bright against the wall,
When o’er the barren fields and russet meads
Their last farewells the crickets cry.
Let me make my silent journey
When the homing birds fly south across the sky.
When I must go, dear God, please let me go
As silently as autumn rain,
As still as lacy shadows ‘neath the willow trees,
As calm as is the moon above the hill.
So let me go—and may there be no grief
When life is done and I must say goodbye.
I’ll take my leave with flowers and falling leaf
And lie in peaceful sleep beneath the sky.
-Anonymous
What are your favorite prayers for fall?
