The good news of Christ
Psalm 43.3-5 NIV (1984)
Send forth and guide me your truth and light
To your holy mountain where you dwell;
I then will worship in joyful delight,
With praise, O God, my heart will swell.
Why, my soul, be so downcast?
Why in your heart be so distraught?
Put hope in God, to faith hold fast;
Yet will I praise him for all he’s wrought.
Heavenly Father, you seek those who seek you. You reward those who pursue your peace. You bless those who open their lives to your hand. I want to be one of those.
Yesterday, in the meetings of the congregations, people were present who had made sacrifices to assemble. Bless them for their efforts. Continue reading “Sacrifices to assemble”
Holy Father, another day is here. I shall look upon it as a gift of life, as a door of opportunity, as the expression of love.
Oppression, hatred, falsehood, and dishonesty rule the world. We are still surprised by it, although we shouldn’t be. Let your Kingdom, seen now in the people of Christ, be my refuge and safe space.
Carry me beyond the façades of the lost, to enter their emptiness and fear, and deliver to them the peace of eternal hope.
Let me see Jesus who forgot himself in order to save others.
I shall look upon this day, whatever its limitations, as a mission to fulfill.
Jesus is my Lord, the Spirit my helper, your Word my guide and power. Amen.
Dear God who cares for your creation,
Look down upon us with compassion.
See our need and save our spirits.
Open our eyes to what’s important.
Our hearts are longing for your presence.
Help us change what dims our view
Of your good will and certain promise.
Today be with our souls. Amen.
Father, you made us in your image.
And when we defaced it, you sent your Son, in the fullness of time, to restore it.
You love us and sacrificed for our good.
You sent your Spirit to help us and gave us your Word.
We accept, O Lord, your grace.
Keep us from denying your love.
Keep us from believing the lie that we are worthless.
We rejoice in your kindness and patience.
We confess our need and therefore we seek your Kingdom.
In Jesus’ name we pray and praise you. Amen.
Kind Lord of the Eternal Kingdom:
Hear us, Sovereign of our lives,
We plead for mercy, make for safety;
You know our needs at every turn,
Before ourselves perceive or feel. Continue reading “Crawling Toward Your Fullest Glory”
Our Father in Heaven,
You sent your only Son to earth,
to stretch out arms of love on the cross
and receive the sins of the whole world.
He took upon himself our suffering.
Now anyone who wills can come
within reach of your saving embrace.
Hope and faith and life
can now be had by all.
So clothe us in your Holy Spirit,
so that we your humble servants,
reaching forth our hands in love
and sharing words of compassion and truth,
may bring those who do not know you
into your Kingdom of light and love.
Be glorified in us
as you glorify your name
in Christ. Amen.
A prayer to the sovereign God of the Universe
My life is in your hands,
Like all the starry bands,
From distant past,
To the very last,
At sea, or on farthest lands. Continue reading “My Life Is in Your Hands”
I do not pray that God will remove all your troubles, but that you will find in them motive for growth and thanksgiving for his goodness.
I do not pray that you will have an easy way of it, but that you will be given strength for each step and learn dependence upon the Almighty.
I do not pray that you will be saved from the sorrows of this world, but that you will find comfort in the arms of the Heavenly Father. Continue reading “I do not pray this for you”
Our Father in Heaven,
Our minds are often lazy. Our understanding is limited. We are not used to reasoning. We are moved by emotion or social pressure. Our attention is taken by the media and entertainment. We no longer know how to think in a logical and sequential way. Continue reading “Lazy minds”