Prayers for the 24th Week of Pentecost

The Watchword for the Week

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for God who has promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid;

cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

Today may we perfectly love You, and worthily magnify your holy name,

And now visit us with your Holy Spirit as we open our hearts to you. Amen.

Psalm for the Week: Psalm 16

1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."

3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.

4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips.

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

8 I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.

10 For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit.

11 You show me the path of life.

In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

We come before the throne of grace to unburden our hearts and to receive forgiveness. Let us confess our sin.

Gracious God, we affirm you as our creator, our redeemer, and the sustainer of our lives. You love us so very much that you have reached into our lives to claim us as your own. We confess however that we take your love for granted, and your grace is often forgotten. We allow our lives to become so cluttered that we forget to stop and count the steps that we have taken on any given day and ponder whether those steps have moved us closer or farther away from you. In so doing we cease to be faithful to you even as you have been faithful to us. We humbly ask that you would hear our prayer, know our hearts, and forgive us our sin.

The Lord says to each of us: “I will be merciful to your sins, and I will not remember them. Peace be unto you.” Let us give praise to the triune God:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Take time now to read the Daily Texts for today or another passage of scripture. Don't just rush over words, take time to ponder most especially words that catch your attention today. Chances are these are things that God wants you to pay attention to.

Whey you are done with your reading take time to pray for yourself, or community, and for the needs of the world. When you are done with your prayer, continue reading below.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, hear us.

Creator of us all, we praise your name because you have lovingly made each one of us. May your intended purpose be made real here on earth, even as it is already done in heaven. Feed us today with those things that we truly need, and may we share our abundance with others. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have done wrong to us. In times of temptation, may we know of your life-giving strength, and keep us from all evil. Gracious God, this is your kingdom, and we acknowledge your power and glory, both now and forever more. AMEN.

Empowering God, just as you created the heavens and the earth,

May you create within us a new life.

Open the eyes of our hearts

To see the impact that our every word and action can have on the lives around us.

You give us each day as a blessed gift.

Guide us and lead us to be faithful to you, faithful to our calling, and faithful in all that we do and say.

May the love of God, the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,

Be and abide with us now and forever. AMEN.

Prayers for the 24th Week of Pentecost

Watchword for the week:

The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. Psalm 146:8

The Lord is in the holy temple; let all the earth keep silence.
Gracious Lord, we are your holy temples when we acknowledge your presence within us.
As we marvel at the beauty of the changing seasons, we give praise to your creative power.
May we open our hearts to that same creative power within us.

Psalm for the Week:

Psalm 146

Praise be to God! Praise God, O my soul!

I will praise God as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

Do not put your trust in nobles,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.

When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans shall perish.

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Sovereign their God,

who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;

who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.

God sets the prisoners free; God opens the eyes of those who cannot see. God lifts up those who are bowed down; God loves the righteous.

God watches over the strangers
and upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked God brings to ruin.

The Sovereign will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise be to God!

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive us. Indeed we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous one, and He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Loving God, we thankfully acknowledge that you have stamped your very image within each of us and therefore we are holy, just as you are holy. We confess, however, there are times when we forget who you are, and therefore we lose sight of who we are both as individuals and as communities of faith. We ask that you forgive us for the times when we think of ourselves more highly that we ought and we refuse to acknowledge your holy image pressed within the essence of those who are around us, both near and far. Grant us today a humble spirit that seeks to honor you in the ways that we treat others.

The Lord says to each of us: “I will be merciful to your sins, and I will not remember them. Peace be unto you.” Let us therefore give praise to the triune God:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.


Take time now to listen for God's direction in your life as you read the Daily Texts for today, or another selection of scripture. When you are done reading pray for the needs of your family, friends, and the world.



Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, hear us.

Creator of the heavens and earth, praise be to your holy name. We pray that the gracious ways of heaven may be made real in the world that we inhabit. We hunger for much more than food today, and we pray that you will satisfy us, and all who have need. We are awed by your forgiving nature, and pray that you would grant us a humble spirit with which to forgive each other. While we know that you have created us to be holy, we ask that you keep us from the temptation of living a life which would tarnish your image within us. You have created a world that is holy, and your glory and power are displayed in many wonderful ways; may we give thanks for your blessings all the days our lives, even as we live into eternity. Amen.


And so my brothers and sisters build yourselves up on your most holy faith.
May we be strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit to pray every day and so be drawn closer to living a righteous life.
May we live a life that gives space for silence to ponder the mercy of our Lord, Jesus Christ,
and give praise for God’s miracle of the sacred within us and others.

And now unto the God who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you as holy before the throne of grace with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Prayers for the 22nd Week of Pentecost

Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:4,5

Praise be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Praise be to the One who does wonderful things.
Open our eyes, Lord, that we may see the many ways that you have blessed us.
Open our ears, Lord, that we may hear the cries of need in the world and respond as you lead us.
Open our hearts, Lord, that we might feel your presence with us this day.
With all of our heart, and soul, and might, we give you honor and praise.

Psalm for the Week: Psalm 119:1-8

Happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of God.

Happy are those who keep God's decrees,
who seek God with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in God's ways.

You have commanded that all your precepts shall be kept with diligence.

O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!

Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous ordinances.

I will observe your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.


Let us confess our sins to our loving God:

Gracious God your way is perfect and your will for our lives can bring us meaning. But we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have at times disregarded your will for us by looking at the world through selfish eyes. We have acted in ways that has brought pain to us and others, and has separated us from your love. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. Hear now our desire to love you with all of our heart, soul, and might, and to love others as you love us. Give us the wisdom to see the world through your compassionate eyes and share your loving presence with those in need.

Hear the comforting words of our Lord: Your sins are forgiven. Go and sin no more.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Take time now to read the Daily Texts for the day. Don't rush over this as if it is a task to check off of your to do list for the day. As you read, anticipate that God will be sharing with you wisdom for your life. Ponder over words and phrases that happen to speak to you today. When you are done pray for the needs of a hurting world. Ask God to show you ways that you can be a light unto the world.


Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, hear us.


Creator of all humanity, we call you Holy, and seek to worship you all the days of our lives. We pray that the ways of your heavenly kingdom may be made real in the world that surrounds us. May the bread that we need for today be made available for us and all who are hungry; and may you forgive us, just as we are able to forgive those who have sinned against us. In the time of moral testing, may we listen first for your voice calling to us. This world, and all that is in it, always has been and always will be yours, help us to lose ourselves to you and your kingdom. Help us to find who we truly are as we walk in your light. Amen.



God of the past, present, and eternity,
Fill us with your grace.
For the living of this day,
Give us wisdom and direction.
For the desire to share your grace in tangible ways,
Give us passion and purpose.
Lord of life in whom we live, and move, and have our being,
May we follow you all the days of our lives.
We exalt you and praise your name,
For you have done wonderful things and we are thankful.

May the love God, the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
Be and abide with us now and forever, Amen.