Thursday, September 28, 2023
Opening Prayer:
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
Confession of Sin & Prayer for Grace
Merciful God, I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbor as myself. In your mercy, forgive what I have been, help me amend what I am, and direct what I shall be, so that I may delight in your will and walk in your ways, for the glory of your holy name. Through Jesus Christ our Lord: Amen.
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 50
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: Philippians 2:1-13
Prayer of Adoration:
Christ Jesus, I adore you because you took the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and humbling yourself to the point of death, even death on a cross. I adore your glorious name, which is above every name, and I look forward to the day when every knee will bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Psalm Reading: Psalm 116
Prayer of Consecration
Thank you Lord that your word offers a pattern for calling on you in all kinds of situations. This psalm is the prayer of someone coming through a period of suffering. It expresses gratitude and worship, without glossing over the reality of affliction. This psalm is a great teacher. It shows me two things: how to be honest about my experience, and what I can expect from you, O Lord. It’s true that I need help, yet you bend down low to hear me. It’s true that my feet are prone to stumble and my eyes to shed tears, yet you lovingly preserve me. It’s true that I will die someday, yet even my death is precious to you. With the psalmist, when I feel afflicted, I will lift up the cup of salvation. I will remember the ways that you deal bountifully with me. I will remind my soul to rest, because of your goodness.
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.
