The watchword for the week:
If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Galatians 5:25
O come let us worship and lift our hearts high
and adore our God, our Creator.
We are God’s people,
crafted by the skill of God’s hands.
Psalm 16
Protect me, O God,
for in you I take refuge.
I say to God, “You are my God;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the holy ones in the land,
they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.
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.
God is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.
I bless God who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I keep God always before me;
because God is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad,
and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.
For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit.
You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Let us Confess our Sins:
Gracious God, we are thankful for the gift of your Spirit around us and within us each day, beckoning us to follow you more faithfully. But we now confess that, at times, we have been unfaithful servants seeking worldly acceptance, self-gratification, and material gain. We often deceive ourselves into thinking we are self-sufficient and can live without you. May we be guided once again by your Spirit to live lives worthy of our calling in Christ, with humility and patience, bearing one another in love, and eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We pray for this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thanks be to God, who has loved us from the beginning and promises that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Our Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces and remove the disgrace of his people from the earth. In that day we will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. Let us rejoice in his salvation.”
Take time to read today’s Daily Texts. If you do not have a copy of the Daily Texts, you will find today’s texts posted in the margin on your page’s right side (at the bottom of the page if you are on a mobile phone). God speaks to us through the inspiration of scripture, so approach the opportunity to read the texts as a privilege, eagerly anticipating what might be conveyed to you today. How might today’s Word make a part of your life new again? When you have finished praying, continue as follows.
O Lord, hear us now as we, your children, pray together.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and forever. Amen.
Guided by your Spirit, send us to bring good news to the oppressed,
and to bind the wounds of those broken in heart,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of prisons to those who are bound,
to announce the year of your grace,
to comfort all who mourn,
to give them a garland of consolation,
instead of the ashes of mourning,
the oil of gladness and healing,
and the rolling tears that wash away sorrow.
So may we be called oaks of righteousness,
trees that you plant to shade and sustain.
As the earth puts forth its blossom,
and as seeds in the garden spring up,
so you make justice flower,
and bear its fruit of peace among the peoples.
Lord of the dance, in whom we live and move and exult for joy,
guide our steps through the complexity of our lives.
Keep us mindful of your guiding Spirit and how we can enable love to come alive in the hearts of those we serve and come in contact with this very day. AMEN.