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.