The Watchword for the week from the Moravian Daily Texts:
Proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2
Gracious God, amid a busy day
We pause to build our lives around you.
Amid a busy life
We pause to build our lives around you.
Amid the pain that we carry in our hearts,
We pause to build our lives around you.
Amid our joyful celebration of the gift of life,
We pause to build our lives around you.
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.
Psalm for the Week: Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
My help comes from God,
who made heaven and earth.
God will not let your foot be moved;
God who keeps you will not slumber.
God who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
God is your keeper;
God is your shade at your side.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
God will keep you from all evil;
God will keep your life.
God will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time on and forevermore.
Let us confess our sins to our loving God:
(Adapted from the Liturgy of Christian Unity in the Moravian Book of Worship, page 125. Used by permission of the Interprovincial Board of Communication)
Gracious Lord and God, we know that we will remain less than the whole persons you have called us to be in Christ Jesus until we acknowledge our sins to you, so we bow before you and pray: We confess that we have tried to run away and hide from you. We constantly deceive ourselves into thinking that we can live without you. We have made idols of our own achievements. We have treated other persons as though they did not bear your image. We have failed to enfold and include all persons within the outstretched and open arms of Jesus Christ, our Savior. And we have left undone those deeds of loving kindness and godly justice that you want us to pursue in your name. Bring your Spirit upon us in a gracious, healing way. Make us agents of reconciliation as we live within your holy presence. Amen.
Hear the comforting words of our Lord: Your sins are forgiven. Go and sin no more. Thanks be to God.
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.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, hear us.
Creator of all humanity, we call you Holy and seek to worship you all the days of our lives. We pray that the ways of your heavenly kingdom may be made real in the world that surrounds us. May the bread that we need for today be made available for us and all who are hungry, and may you forgive us just as we are able to forgive those who have sinned against us. In the time of moral testing, may we listen first for your voice calling to us. This world, and all that is in it, always has been and always will be yours, help us to lose ourselves to you and your kingdom. Help us to find who we truly are as we walk in your light. Amen.
God of all creation, we thank you for the great things you have done for us.
Help us to make you the cornerstone upon which we build our lives.
We thank you for the way that you have gifted each of us in unique and wonderful ways,
So that we may live gracefully as a reflection of what you have given us.
Savior of the world, guide us to build our lives on you,
Fan the flames of our faith so that we may passionately share your love with those with whom we live, work, and play.
May the love of God, the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
Be with us throughout the living of this day; we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.