Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Opening Prayer:
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
Confession of Sin & Prayer for Grace
Almighty God, in whom we live and move and have our being, you have made us for yourself, so that our hearts are restless until they rest in you. Yet in my foolishness I have not trusted you, nor rested in my election as your beloved child. I confess my unbelief. Lord, grant me purity of heart and strength of purpose. Let no selfish passion hinder me from knowing your will, nor weakness from doing your will. In your light may I see light, and in your service find perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 25
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
New Testament Reading: Luke 13:10-17
Prayer of Adoration:
Lord, I adore you for your righteous indignation toward injustice and wickedness. You are not weak and ineffectual; you are intent on ridding your good creation of the stain of sin. Thank you for this strong, prophetic reminder that you will one day set things right.
Psalm Reading: Psalm 112
Prayer of Consecration
As I meditate on this psalm, I long to be like the righteous man it describes. I want to delight in your commands and deal generously with everyone. I would love to be steady and unmoved in the face of difficult times, shining like a light. But I know all too well my struggles and fears, my failures and shortcomings. Even as I’m filled with the desire to grow into this image, I stumble. Thank you, Lord, that Jesus perfectly embodied this ideal on my behalf. He is the one whose righteousness endures forever. He is the one who is gracious and merciful, never moved, always steadfast, abundantly generous, a light dawning in the darkness. As I go about my day, help me return to this picture of Jesus and by meditating on it, be transformed by it.
BENEDICTION
And now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and always, until the day of Christ's return.
