The day begins with risen light,
With peace within to meet the fight
Without. Be glorified, O Lord,
In me, who in the beginning died
To self, whose will must daily die.
Look down with your benevolent eye
To bless with power, for foe and friend,
To reach with shining faith the end.
The Night Is Gone
The night is gone, the day has dawned,
And God smiles on his chosen people;
Be the love of Christ our strength and bond:
When trials assail, let hearts be peaceful.
The gentle rain dampens the noise
Father, just as the gentle rain dampens the noise, let your kindness that descends from heaven suppress the world’s temptations and the strivings of the flesh.
As the light of day brightens the sky, let the knowledge of you and your benefits cheer our souls.
The wind makes us feel the air we cannot see. May your Spirit bring to us the comprehension of your love.
Not our own worst enemy
O God, my Savior, my hope is in you all the day long. Sustain me this day, until the last rays of the sun, until every task is done, until the head lies upon the pillow and the mind gives up its last waking thought.
Keep me from giving any occasion for taking offense in anything as we seek to reconcile everyone to you, to receive your saving grace. Let no fault be found in our service, no reason for rejection within us, no impurity of heart, no lack of love, no willfulness or stubbornness, no aversion to suffering for the kingdom, no selfishness or impatience in the task at hand.
Let our efforts not be destroyed by the enemy. Keep him far from us. Preserve us and through us produce fruit that remains. Work in us so that we are not our own worst enemy.
Keep us from entanglements with the world, partnerships with unbelievers, or any sort of fellowship with the darkness. Let us not be tempted to use the tools of unrighteousness to accomplish spiritual and heavenly goals. Help us refrain from bending biblical principles, sacrificing the truth of the gospel, or accepting less than holy practices.
Remind us that we are working with you and under your guidance, by your truth and power, expressing your love and mercy. Your goals are ours, your desires our motivation, your mission our task, your time our urgency.
Psa 25; 2 Cor 6
To love and serve
Father, while last night we counted our blessings of the day, we awaken this morning to the prospect of wonderful opportunities to love and serve.
We will be grateful also in each moment of this day, for what we may learn and for how we may be of use to the kingdom. Continue reading “To love and serve”
The coming day
Lord, give me strength to greet
The coming day in peace;
Keep firm my moving feet,
Make all good fruit increase.
Remind me of your will,
On your light I rely,
To none may I do ill,
But good to passersby.