Daily Prayer for Monday, April 20, 2020

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land…
                                                            William Williams, 1745
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—                                                                  Luke 24:44
Remember all that Jesus has said and done;
in Christ the promises of God are fulfilled.

Prayer                                             based on a prayer of Columba (c. 521-597)
With you, O God, to guide me,
I journey on my way.
I know you are beside me
all through the night and day.
Within your hand you hold me;
what do I have to fear?
Your loving arms enfold me,
your grace is always near.  Amen.    

Hymn of the Day
Amazing Grace                                               (The Presbyterian Hymnal #280)
We’ll hear a different video of Amazing Grace each Monday.  Click here to here today’s- a beautiful version in Cajun French, suggested by Debbi Englade.  If you have special songs you’d like to have included in morning prayers, just contact Becky. 

Reading of the Day:                                                             1 Peter 1: 1-12 
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
​Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
            
Prayers for self and others
Please pray today for those who are being affected by COVID 19, including Mark Sabala and Marcy Szeliga in their work as nurses, Debbi’s daughter Linda’s neighbors, Star Sims and her sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, all hospitalized with the virus, Donna’s cousin Lynn Thygessen, who is in serious condition with the virus, and Mary Warwick from TWRC. Pray for teachers and students, especially those who are graduating and missing the recognitions of their hard work and accomplishments. 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:
Now to the Sovereign eternal,
immortal, invisible, the only God,
be honor and glory for ever and ever.  Amen.