The Watchword for the Week:
God says, "I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak." Ezekiel 34:16
Call to Prayer: Ephesians 1:3-6
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world
to be holy and blameless before him in love.
5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Psalm for the Week: Psalm 95:1-7a
1 O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
Knowing that Jesus Christ sits on the seat of judgment, let us humbly come before him confessing our sins.
Gracious God, it is our deepest desire in life to place you at the center of our lives and master of our every thought and action. But with a humble heart we confess that we often find ourselves living out our own short-sighted and selfish desires before we consider your will for us. We find ourselves doing things without considering their impact on our lives beyond the moment, much less how our actions might hurt others and disappoint you. Furthermore, in our congregations we often get distracted by trivial pursuits rather than building up the kingdom of God. For these thoughts and actions and for failing to surrender all of our lives to you, we are truly sorry and we humbly repent. We seek to turn our lives back to you as the author and perfector of our every moment of life. Hear our prayer, O Lord. AMEN.
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.
The Reading of the Daily Texts can be done here. As you read the text that were randomly chosen for today, what thoughts of thanksgiving come to mind.
After you have concluded with the prayer in the Daily Text continue further to lift up prayers of joy and concern as they are brought to your mind by the Holy Spirit. What you have concluded with these prayers, continue as follows:
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, hear us.
Master of all the universe, we praise your name because you have lovingly made each one of us. As we orient our lives to you 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 when we get distracted, and may we forgive those who have done wrong to us just as you have pardoned us. In times of temptation may we keep our eyes on you, and keep us from all evil. Gracious God, this is your kingdom and we surrender ourselves to your glory, both now and forever more. AMEN.
A Prayer of Thanksgiving (Adapted from the Liturgy of Thanksgiving, MBW page 161-162)
For the creation itself and the nourishment we receive from its resources,
We give you thanks, Creator God.
For the seedtime and harvest, sunshine and rain, oceans and forests,
We give you thanks, Creator God.
For the wondrous way in which we are woven into the environment,
We give you thanks, Creator God.
For all the creative things we are enabled to do through the gifts and talents you have given us,
We give you thanks, Creator God.
For your presence with us in times of heath or illness, joy or sorrow,
We give you thanks, Creator God.
For the courage and healing that you provide when we are broken and discouraged in the midst of our earthly pilgrimage,
We acknowledge with thanks your leadership in our journey.
For the gift of time and the guidance you give, for the redemptive use of our days,
We are grateful, loving Savior.
For the satisfaction and renewal that come from our labor and leisure,
We are grateful, loving Savior.
For directing us to do justice and to love mercy,
We are grateful, loving Savior.
For the chance to begin again whenever we falter, or fail to place you first in our lives,
We are grateful, loving Savior, for your faithfulness endures through all generations.
All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above, then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
For all his love. Amen.
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