Daily Prayer for Friday, February 12, 2021

“Tell me the story often, for I forget so soon; the early dew of morning has passed away at noon.”        
                                              —A. Katherine Hankey, 1866

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                                                 1 Corinthians 15:12, 20
This is the hope that we proclaim:
that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

Prayer                                                  attr. to Mozarabic Psalter, possibly 8th C.
May the Lord+ Jesus Christ,
who is the splendor of eternal Light,
remove from your hearts
the darkness of night. Amen.
May he drive far from you
the snares of the crafty enemy,
and always give you
his angel of light
to guard you. Amen.
That you may rise to your morning praises,
kept safe in him,
in whom is all
the fullness of your salvation.
Amen.

Hymn of the Day                            
I Shall Not Be Moved, by Johnny Cash.  Listen and pray. 

Reading of the Day                                                     1 Corinthians 15:1-11
15 Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.
3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Prayers for self and others
Please pray today for those who are being affected by Covid-19 and by its side effects in our world.  Pray for the thousands who are still being diagnosed positive in the U.S. each day, and for the thousands who are dying.  Please continue to pray for Marcy Szeliga and for Mark Sabala, both working as nurses with Covid patients, and for Brandon Jantzen and his family— Brandon is experiencing continuing health problems after having Covid.  Pray for the Session at John Knox as we lead the congregation through an unfamiliar wilderness.  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
Whatever you do, in word or deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Alleluia!