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…Lo! the hosts of evil round us, Scorn thy Christ, assail thy ways!
--Harry Emerson Fosdick, 1930 Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences— Psalm 103: 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Prayer Gracious God, our way in the wilderness, guide us, by your Word, through these uncertain days, and minister to us with your Holy Spirit, so that we may be reformed, restored, and renewed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hymn of the Day – Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy (Celebration Hymnal #485) Written by John Hart in 1775 and set to a traditional American tune, this hymn recalls the story of the prodigal son returning to his father. This arrangement is for fiddle, dulcimer, and guitar. Listen and pray along with this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTz1MtQtqTc Reading of the Day: Psalm 91 1 You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, 2 will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; 4 he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 5 You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, 6 or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only look with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place, 10 no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot. 14 Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. 15 When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. 16 With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation. Prayers for self and others Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19, including Kay and Mark Sabala’s friend in California who has the virus, Mark Sabala in his work as a nurse at Willowbrook Hospital, Becky’s friend Scott and his family, Debbi’s daughter Linda and her family in New Jersey, and their neighbors, four of whom are sick with the virus. As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction May the God of love, who shared his love, strengthen us in our love for others. May the Son who shared his life grant us grace, that we might share our life. And may the Holy Spirit dwelling in us empower us to be only and always for others. Amen.
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Monday, March 30, 2020 - Daily Prayer
God of grace and God of glory, On Thy people pour Thy power… Harry Emerson Fosdick, 1930 Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences— Psalm 124: 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Prayer Startle us, O God, with your truth, and open our minds to your spirit, that we may be one with Christ our Lord, and serve as faithful disciples, through Jesus Christ. Amen. Hymn of the Day – The Servant Song (Glory to God #727) Listen and pray along with this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryHm5ZLyFsc Reading of the Day: Mark 9: 30-41 30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” 32 But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. 33 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. Prayers for self and others Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction May the God of love, who shared his love, strengthen us in our love for others. May the Son who shared his life grant us grace, that we might share our life. And may the Holy Spirit dwelling in us empower us to be only and always for others. Amen. Morning by morning new mercies I see…
Thomas Chisholm, 1923 Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences— Ephesians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. Prayer John Climacus (c. 600) God of all good, you are life and salvation to all – faithful and unfaithful, just and unjust, pious and impious, passionate and dispassionate, holy and worldly, wise and simple, healthy and sick, young and old. Make us faithful and wise in your worship and service, day by day and step by step adding fire to fire, fervor to fervor, zeal to zeal, and love to love; in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen. Hymn of the Day – Take, O Take Me As I Am (Glory to God #698) This hymn is a song from the Taize community in France and is intended to be sung repetitively and in a chant-like mode until it becomes a prayer of your spirit. To experience this effect, click on the link above, and sing or pray along. Silent Prayer Psalm of the Day: Psalm 27 27 The Lord is my light and my salvation. Should I fear anyone? The Lord is a fortress protecting my life. Should I be frightened of anything? 2 When evildoers come at me trying to eat me up-- it’s they, my foes and my enemies, who stumble and fall! 3 If an army camps against me, my heart won’t be afraid. If war comes up against me, I will continue to trust in this: 4 I have asked one thing from the Lord-- it’s all I seek: to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, seeing the Lord’s beauty and constantly adoring his temple. 5 Because he will shelter me in his own dwelling during troubling times; he will hide me in a secret place in his own tent; he will set me up high, safe on a rock. 6 Now my head is higher than the enemies surrounding me, and I will offer sacrifices in God’s tent-- sacrifices with shouts of joy! I will sing and praise the Lord. 7 Lord, listen to my voice when I cry out-- have mercy on me and answer me! 8 Come, my heart says, seek God’s face. Lord, I do seek your face! 9 Please don’t hide it from me! Don’t push your servant aside angrily-- you have been my help! God who saves me, don’t neglect me! Don’t leave me all alone! 10 Even if my father and mother left me all alone, the Lord would take me in. 11 Lord, teach me your way; because of my opponents, lead me on a good path. 12 Don’t give me over to the desires of my enemies, because false witnesses and violent accusers have taken their stand against me. 13 But I have sure faith that I will experience the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living! 14 Hope in the Lord! Be strong! Let your heart take courage! Hope in the Lord! Prayers for self and others Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction May the steadfast love of God, the abundant grace of Jesus Christ, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit be with us this day and always. Amen. Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not…
Thomas Chisholm, 1923 Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences-- Psalm 143:1 Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness; answer me in your righteousness. Prayer Dear Father in heaven, in quietness we come to you and ask you for your Spirit. We ask this especially for the time of waiting still required of us as we hope and strive for light to come into all hearts, for light to shine where there is so much death. We must not despair of our inner life even when life around us rages as if it would suck us down into its whirlpool with no way out. But you will guard us. Watch over us, we pray, also in hours of temptation, so that we may remain under your care. Watch over us so that we have hope and joy in you, assured that your goal for us all is true life from above, a life of resurrection. Amen. Hymn of the Day – One Bread, One Body (Glory to God #530) Click the link to hear a choral arrangement of this hymn by the St. Louis Jesuits. Listen to it as you pray. Silent Prayer Gospel Reading: Mark 8: 1-10 In those days there was another large crowd with nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples and told them, 2 “I feel sorry for the crowd because they have been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them away hungry to their homes, they won’t have enough strength to travel, for some have come a long distance.” 4 His disciples responded, “How can anyone get enough food in this wilderness to satisfy these people?” 5 Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?” They said, “Seven loaves.” 6 He told the crowd to sit on the ground. He took the seven loaves, gave thanks, broke them apart, and gave them to his disciples to distribute; and they gave the bread to the crowd. 7 They also had a few fish. He said a blessing over them, then gave them to the disciples to hand out also. 8 They ate until they were full. They collected seven baskets full of leftovers. 9 This was a crowd of about four thousand people! Jesus sent them away, 10 then got into a boat with his disciples and went over to the region of Dalmanutha. Prayers for self and others Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction May the steadfast love of God, the abundant grace of Jesus Christ, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit be with us this day and always. Amen. There is no shadow of turning with Thee…
Thomas Chisholm, 1923 Preparation for worship Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences— Psalm 37:23-24 Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when he delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand. Prayer St. Patrick of Ireland (adapted) Lord, be with us this day. Within us to purify us; above us to draw us up; beneath us to sustain us; before us to lead us; behind us to restrain us; around us to protect us. Lord, be with us this day. Amen. Hymn of the Day – Be Thou My Vision (The Presbyterian Hymnal #339) Click on the hymn title to listen along as you pray Silent Prayer Gospel Reading: Mark 8: 22-26 22 Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch and heal him. 23 Taking the blind man’s hand, Jesus led him out of the village. After spitting on his eyes and laying his hands on the man, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 The man looked up and said, “I see people. They look like trees, only they are walking around.” 25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again. He looked with his eyes wide open, his sight was restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26 Then Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t go into the village!” Prayers for self and others Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction May the steadfast love of God, the abundant grace of Jesus Christ, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit be with us this day and always. Amen. Great is thy faithfulness, O God my father…
Thomas Chisholm, 1923 Preparation for worship - Sit in a relaxed position. Take a slow, deep breath (or 2 or 3 or as many as needed) until you feel your body, mind, and soul begin to relax and rest in the Spirit. Take time to reflect as you move through this time of worship… Opening Sentences Psalm 86:11-12 Show me your way, O Lord, that I may follow in your truth. Teach me to revere your name, and my whole heart will praise you. Prayer God of love, as you have given your life to us, so may we live according to your holy will revealed in Jesus Christ. Make us bold to share your life, and show your love, in the power of your Holy Spirit. Grant this through Jesus Christ our Redeemer and Lord. Amen. Hymn of the Day – How Firm a Foundation (The Presbyterian Hymnal #361) To meditate with and through a beautiful choral arrangement of this hymn, click this link: How Firm a Foundation Silent Prayer Psalm of the day: Psalm 119: 73-80 73 Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. 74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word. 75 I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. 76 May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. 77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. 78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts. 79 May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes. 80 May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees, that I may not be put to shame. Prayers for self and others Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God. Benediction May the steadfast love of God, the abundant grace of Jesus Christ, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit be with us this day and always. Amen. |
AuthorBecky Downs, pastor of John Knox, started writing daily prayers for the congregation at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, to encourage the congregation in their faith during their time of separation from each other. The daily prayers were posted throughout the year. You might want to choose one a day to read, and modify the specific prayers for self and others to fit your life today. Archives
April 2021
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