Invocation
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Pause for reflection
Good morning heavenly Father.
We worship you as the creator and sustainer of the universe.
Good morning Lord Jesus.
We worship you, Saviour and Lord of the world.
Good morning Holy Spirit.
We worship you, sanctifier of the people of God.
Opening sentences
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.
Who is it that you seek?
We seek the Lord our God.
Do you seek Him with all your heart?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your soul?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your mind?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your strength?
Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Declaration of faith
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that You are the Holy One of God.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.
Hebrew Bible reading
Psalm 103:1-5, 8, 13
Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits —
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s…
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love…
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
New Testament Reading
Luke 24:44-53
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Pause for reflection
Prayer of Confession
God of love, we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed:
we have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbour as ourselves.
But you have kept faith with us.
Have mercy on us; strip us of all that is not worthy;
and help us to live up to our calling.
We confess to you, Lord, what we are:
we are not the people we like others to think we are;
we are afraid to admit even to ourselves what lies in the depths of our souls.
But we do not want to hide our true selves from you.
We believe that you know us as we are, and yet you still love us.
Help us not to shrink from self-knowledge;
teach us to respect ourselves for your sake;
give us the courage to put our trust in your guiding power.
Raise us out of the paralysis of guilt and fear
and take us into the freedom and energy of forgiven people.
And for those who through long habit find forgiveness hard to accept,
we ask that you would break their bondage and set them free.
Through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
- for Indian Ocean Islands: Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles
- We are thankful for:
- the spectacular scenery, exotic plants, rare animals and abundant sea life that flourish in the region
- how people who are ethnically and religiously diverse have long lived together
- the economic developments that have lifted some out of poverty
- the vital evangelism, social and public witness of churches, and how the churches relate to people of other faiths.
- We pray for:
- the fragile environment and the unique plants, animals and lands, that they will be protected, especially as the sea rises
- tourism and other economic developments, that they will not threaten, but enhance life for all the people in these countries
- churches, that they will grow through evangelistic efforts and in their work with those of other faiths
- Christians to be bolder in their public witness for justice and reconciliation, especially in times of political turmoil.
- for governments, world leaders, and the needs of our world
- for senior church leaders, ministers, pastors, teachers, and missionaries
- for our denomination, its ministers, staff and volunteers
- for all the churches of our city or region
- for our local congregation and its ministries
- for the needs of our families and friends
- for our own personal challenges and opportunities
Pause for reflection
Personal prayer
God, I want your guidance and direction in all I do.
Let your wisdom counsel me, your hand guide me, and your arm support me.
I put myself into your hands.
Breathe into my soul holy and heavenly desires.
Conform me to your own image.
Make me like my Saviour.
Enable me in some measure to live here on earth as he lived,
and to act in all things as he would have acted. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son
to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection
delivered us from the power of our enemy:
Grant us so to die daily to sin,
that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13, NIV
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Sending Prayer
Sending God, how can we possibly represent you
to a watching world?
Let us start right here, on our knees,
seeking the power that comes from on high.
May your Spirit move us toward the world you love. Amen.
Heavenly Father, we pray that we may live this day in your presence
and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, we pray that this day
we may take up our cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, we pray that this day you will fill us with yourself
and cause your fruit to ripen in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, three persons in one God,
have mercy upon us. Amen.
Canticle
Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sources:
– John Stott, quoted in Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott (Downers Grove: IVP, 2010).
– Northumbria Community Trust, Celtic Daily Prayer (London: HarperCollins, 2015), https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/morning-prayer/
– Philip F. Reinders, Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible Through the Year (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2013), https://seekinggodsface.org
– World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle
– Sandy Boyce, “Prayers of Confession/Prayers of who we are,” https://pilgrimwr.unitingchurch.org.au/?p=400
– Trevin Wax, Psalms in 30 Days (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2021).
– Jeanie Gushee & David P. Gushee, A Morning and Evening Prayerbook (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2012).
Image source: National Day of Prayer
iDigress 