The good news of Christ
No friend like you—how can this be,
When God and man to talk are free,
The Maker choosing to condescend
And on his creature blessings send?
Your presence turns my common way
To glorious steps; the normal day
To eternal light and heavenly rest—
In Christ I live and know you best.
In quiet submission and peace sublime,
I seek you in my fleeting time;
This sweet communion makes me see
My king and friend coming for me.
Show me, my Savior, a needy soul,
Where a word, a hand, a touch, can heal;
Make through me your presence real,
To strengthen the weak, restore men whole.
I have in me no power of mine,
Your Spirit stirs to wake the heart;
For nothing I do from you apart,
Who turned the water to perfect wine.
Thank you, sovereign God, for making me a part of your plan, for putting your word in my mouth, for allowing me to participate in the grandest project of all time, the rescue and transformation of souls.
To think that through your plan of salvation we touch eternity and extend the reach of your reign into more and more lives is nothing short of amazing.
Help us to be worthy of your calling, dependent on your strength, faithful to your truth, deposited in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
For those who reel from deepest grief,
Who cannot see the budding leaf,
For those consumed by sharp despair,
For these we make our daily prayer.
Lord, let me listen with all my faculties to your word, that I might practice it fully.
Let me also listen with focused attention to those around me.
By listening to both, help me to bring those I hear to listen to you. Amen.
Father, lift up the eyes of those who see only drudgery on Mondays. Help them to see the promise of the new day, the opportunity of serving God and neighbor, the sweetness of the early morning, the renewal of life and love.
First day, exciting day, a rousing day for praise,
For worship, building up the church, this special Day of days.
Give words, O Savior, fitting words, to bless your blessed name,
Surrounded by the worthy saints, I’ll never be the same!
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.
For those sins that I recall,
That today I have committed,
Please, O Lord, forgive them all,
In the Blood to be acquitted.
Not for these alone I plead,
But for those unknown transgressions,
Cover all my ignorant need,
Hear, O God, my night’s confessions.
If you give another day,
May I live the Master’s orders,
By the Spirit’s holy sway,
Joyful in his ample borders.
When we grow faint and frail,
Let not our tempers flare,
Let not our tongue come untied,
Let trials not cause despair.
Keep the cord from fraying,
Keep our feet from straying,
Keep our wills from swaying,
Be our certain strength and guide.
The flesh is weak and weary,
Our eyes are tired and teary,
The path is dry and dreary,
Let your power in us prevail.