Daily Prayer for the Third Thursday in Advent

“O love beyond all telling, that led you to embrace, in love all loves excelling, our lost and fallen race…”        
                                                       —-Paul Gerhardt, 1653

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                                                                      Isaiah 12:5
Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be known in all the earth.

Prayer                                   Wild Goose Worship Group, Iona Community, 2000
Into our world
as into Mary’s womb…
Come, Lord Jesus.
Into the forgotten places,
as into the stable…
Come, Lord Jesus.
Into the lives of the poor, bringing hope;
into the lives of the powerful, bringing caution;
into the lives of the weary, bringing rest;
into the lives of the wise, bringing restlessness;
and into our lives and longings,
whatever our estate…
Come, Lord Jesus.
This is the good news:
Christ is coming,
and blessed are those who wait on the Lord.
Therefore come quickly, Lord.
Amen.

Hymn of the Day                            
The Wexford Carol, by Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krauss.  Listen and pray. 

Reading of the Day                                                                   James 5:7-11
7 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

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, for Denie and her husband; for Cindy and Eddye Stelchek; for Susan Smith’s brother-in-law John, who is still hospitalized with the virus after five weeks, and for Susan’s sister, who can’t visit him, for Delphine Zarsky’s niece’s family; for Becky’s friend Vanessa, whose husband died from the virus; and for Gloria Thomas’s granddaughter Lauren and her friend Seth— both diagnosed positive.  As we hear of more friends who are directly affected, or who are working in high risk places, we will list them here. Pray today for a revival of energy and commitment in all of us, to be patient and persistent in our good behavior during this pandemic.   Use this time to lift your joys, concerns, and hopes to God.

Benediction
May the God of peace make you holy
and the power of the Spirit sustain you
until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Alleluia!