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, 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 130
1 Out of the depths I call to you, Lord!
2 Lord, listen to my voice;
let your ears be attentive
to my cry for help.
3 Lord, if you kept an account of iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the Lord; I wait
and put my hope in his word.
6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning—
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord.
For there is faithful love with the Lord,
and with him is redemption in abundance.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
New Testament Reading
Romans 5:1-11
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance,4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.
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 break their bondage
and set them free.
Through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Today, we are praying for Malawi and Zambia.
We are thankful for:
- the biodiversity and natural wonders in these lands
- church leaders who have spoken out and countered sexual violence and human rights abuses
- those who are dealing with challenges of migrations within, and to, these countries
- stable governance and economies, and rising living standards for many people in recent years.
We pray for:
- greater food security for those most vulnerable, especially in times of climate change
- an end to political and economic corruption
- rising standards of living, particularly for those most poor
- an end to exploitation of resources and of the people, especially those who are young and/or female.
We pray for:
- our governments, world leaders, and the needs of our world
- our senior church leaders, ministers, pastors, teachers, and missionaries
- our denomination, its ministers, staff and volunteers
- all the churches of our city or region
- our local congregation and all its ministries
- the needs of our families and friends
- our own personal challenges and opportunities
Pause for reflection
Classic Prayer
All glory and thanks, all honour and power,
all love and obedience
be to the blessed and undivided Trinity,
one God eternal.
The heavens declare thy glory,
the earth confesses thy providence,
the sea manifests thy power,
and every spirit, and every understanding creature
celebrates thy greatness for ever and ever.
All glory and majesty, all praises and dominion,
be unto thee, O God,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Contemporary Prayer
Sacrificial God, how can I comprehend
a deliverer who gives his life for powerless rebels,
for us even though we were your enemies?
Your love in Christ’s death is the matchless wonder of the world —
your greatest glory, the world’s deepest hope, and our sweetest joy.
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
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: Vladimir Zagitov, “Prayer. Christ in Desert,” oil on canvas, 2002. artmajeur.com
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