Wednesday, August 30, 2023
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, I confess today my worry and anxiety. Instead of resting in your sovereignty, I fear the unknown. Instead of bringing my requests before you in prayer, I worry and fret. Instead of letting you be God, I fight for control. Forgive me, O Lord. Help me to seek first your kingdom and your righteousness. Set me free from all anxious thoughts today. Give me contentment and peace, for you have assured me that if I seek your kingdom, I will not lack any good thing. Amen.
Old Testament Reading: 1 Kings 2:10-12 and 3:1-15
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: John 6:60-71
Prayer of Adoration:
Father, I adore you because the words that you have spoken are spirit and life. To whom shall I go? You have words of eternal life. I have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.
Psalm Reading: Psalm 90
Prayer of Consecration
O Lord, this psalm is an invitation to compare my transience to your permanence; my smallness to your vastness. Today I acknowledge that I am overly occupied by my work, my interests, and my ambitions. Your word reminds me that the span of my life is just a breath. You are an everlasting dwelling place; I am like grass that springs up and then fades. Teach me to number my days. Make me wise, living with eternity in mind. Satisfy me this morning with your steadfast love, that I may rejoice all my days. And establish the work of my hands, that what I do today may have lasting significance because it is done for your glory.
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.