The Watchword for this Week:
Jesus says, "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." John 6:63
How wonderful are your ways, loving God.
We look at the wonderful world which you have created, and we are filled with awe.
While we marvel at the complexity of this creation we are even more amazed at the love that you have for all of it, including humanity.
Compassion and steadfast love is what sets you apart from all else in this world. How wonderful you are.
Psalm 34:15-22
The eyes of God are on the righteous, and God's ears are open to their cry.
The face of God is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, God hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.
God is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but God rescues them from them all.
God keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken.
Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
God redeems the life of those who serve God; none of those who take refuge in God will be condemned.
In truth and honesty, let us draw near to the throne of grace and confess our sins to God.
God of spirit and life we come to you with a humble heart and a contrite spirit asking for your grace to be showered upon us. As we consider the pattern of your spirit we feel inadequate to even approach you, but hear us as we ask your forgiveness. We confess that we have not always reflected your compassion to those around us. While we find it easy to be compassionate towards those whom we love, we find that it is harder to do that with those who we consider to be our enemies. We find it easy to keep a score of those who have wronged us, while we ignore the pain that we have inflicted on others. Help us to look first at how we can best transform ourselves into a more faithful reflection of your love, instead of how we can change those with whom we have conflicted feelings. We hunger for your spirit and life, feed us this day. Amen.
The Lord your Redeemer says: Now your guilt is gone and your sins are forgiven. Let us give praise to 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. Don't rush to get the reading done, pause at words that happen to catch your spirit today. Ponder them, meditate on them, and pray.
When you have finished the prayer, continue as follows:
O Lord, hear us now as we, brothers and sisters in Christ, pray together.
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, instead of the call of the world; take from us the self-centeredness of our society. 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.
Lord, you now have set your servant free
to go in peace as you have promised;
for these eyes of mine have seen the Savior,
Whom you have prepared for all the world to see.
A Light to en-lighten the nations,
And the glory of your people Israel.
Send forth your Spirit, Lord,
Renew the face of the earth.
Creator Spirit, come and enable us to have compassion on others.
Feed our hungry hearts with spirit and life.
Lord, hear our prayer,
And let our cry come to You.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
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