Morning prayer for Wednesday 25 February 2026

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 121

¹ I lift my eyes towards the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.

⁵ The Lord protects you;
the Lord is a shelter right by your side.
⁶ The sun will not strike you by day
or the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will protect you from all harm;
he will protect your life.
⁸ The Lord will protect your coming and going
both now and for ever.

New Testament Reading

Matthew 18:10-14

¹⁰ ‘See to it that you don’t despise one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of my Father in heaven. ¹² What do you think? If someone has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go and search for the stray? ¹³ And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over that sheep more than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. ¹⁴ In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

Pause for reflection

Prayer of Confession

Loving God, help us. When we have run away, 
when we have turned our backs on love, 
when we have sought immediate satisfaction 
and not long-term healing, help us.
Merciful God, forgive us. 
When we have been selfish, when we have been mean, 
when we have closed our ears to the cries of others, forgive us.
Powerful God, heal us. 
When we are so broken we cannot move, 
when we don’t know how to stem the bleeding of our wounds, 
when we are too ashamed to seek community, heal us.
Give us the courage, the strength, 
and the hope to accept your grace and hear your call in Christ.
Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

Today, we are praying for France, Germany, and Monaco.

We are thankful for:

• the rich historic and cultural legacies that have come to the world from these lands.
• Franco-German friendship, reconciliation and cooperation that has emerged since the hostilities of the second world war.
• how churches and governments in France and Germany have welcomed new immigrants.
• the generosity in supporting ecumenical, interfaith and development work in the world.

We pray for:

• overcoming fears and suspicions that still remain from 20^th century atrocities, and more recent terrorist attacks.
• churches and governments to effectively counter anti-immigrant populist sentiments in these countries so that they truly will become more multi-ethnic.
• economic decisions that are accountable to those who are most vulnerable and not only to those making a profit.
• election of political leaders who will further the common good not only for their country but for the sake of Europe and the rest of world.

In our own place in the world, we pray for: 

• all whose decisions involve questions of justice, mercy and peace

• federal, state and local politicians
• church leaders, ministers, pastors, teachers, and missionaries 
• all the churches of our city or region
• our local congregation and its ministries
• our local communities, businesses, and schools
• the needs of our families and friends
• our personal needs, challenges and opportunities

Pause for reflection

Classic Prayer

Steer the ship of my life, good Lord, to your quiet harbour, 
where I can be safe from the storms of sin and conflict. 
Show me the course I should take. 
Renew in me the gift of discernment, 
so that I can always see the right direction in which I should go. 
And give me the strength and the courage to choose the right course, 
even when the sea is rough and the waves are high, 
knowing that through enduring hardship and danger 
in your name we shall find comfort and peace. Amen.

(Basil of Caesarea)

Contemporary Prayer

I believe that God loves us. 
I believe that God stands patiently at our side.  
I believe that when we hold out our hand 
God takes it to help us discover peace and joy.  
God invites us to take on a new identity,  
as sons and daughters, following Jesus Christ.  

I believe that Jesus Christ came to embody God’s love. 
I believe that that love has been given in his acts and words  
to men and women like us. 
I believe that he gave himself to God  
to make God’s Kingdom come.  
I believe that his suffering testifies to the pain God feels 
in the face of human suffering. 
I believe that his rising from the dead demonstrates 
that God is present in all our darkness.  

I believe that the Holy Spirit enables us to receive God’s love. 
I believe that the Holy Spirit is at work in the world today, 
and that he is sending a great company of men and women on their journey. 
I believe that the Holy Spirit helps us recognize the signs of the Kingdom in the here and now. 
I believe that within the Christian community  
the role is passed on to keep watch and to tell our hope to the world. 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.