The watchword for the week:
Jesus says, “I am the gate. Whoever enters by
me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.” John 10:9
Let the whole earth be joyful in you, O God,
We greet you with gladness, and celebrate your presence with a song.
For we know that you are creating us,
you are alive in us and we belong to you.
We enter your gates a motley procession,
But we enter with heartfelt thanksgiving and joy.
For you are gracious and your embrace is compassionate,
faithful through all generations.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil; for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.
Let us Confess our Sins:
O God, we thank you for sending the gift of your steadfast love to us each day, even though we do not always claim it. Move us, by your Spirit, to accept your love and share it freely with those who need it. Forgive us when:
We are slow to seek reconciliation with others,
When we cling to the feeling of having been wronged,
When we fail to extend to others the same compassion you freely give to us.
Break in on our selfishness, and astonish us anew, O God! Our prayer is that you will claim us again and strengthen us to respond to the needs of those who are hurting. Amen.
The Easter message calls us to be kind to one another, to be tenderhearted, to forgive one another, and to be forgiven. When we enter his gates, Jesus feeds us with his life. Hear, then, the good news: those who are in Christ are a new creation; the old has passed away, behold the new has come. Thanks be 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 today’s Moravian Daily Texts. Don’t rush over them as a task to be completed. If you don’t have a Text Book, you can find today’s texts and the prayer in the column to the right of the page. These are the words that God would have you to cherish for this day. These are words that could transform your life if you allow them to. So read slowly and deliberately. Pause at words or phrases that happen to catch your spirit, for these are places where God might be speaking to you. When you have finished with the Daily Texts, take time to pray for the things that are upon your heart, for the needs of those you love, and for the needs of a hurting world. Know that your time of prayer can help you to clarify where God would want you to focus your energy. When you are ready, continue with the prayer as follows:
Let us now pray together:
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 genuinely 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 live-giving strength, and keep us from all evil. Gracious God, this is your kingdom, and we acknowledge your power and glory, both now and always. AMEN.
Jesus makes my heart rejoice,
I’m his sheep and know his voice,
He’s a shepherd kind and gracious,
And his pastures are delicious,
Constant love to me he shows,
Yea my very name he knows.
(Hymn 662 v.1 from the Moravian Book of Worship)
And now may the love of God, the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
Be with us now and forever. Amen.