Thursday, December 7, 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 45:14-25
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 1:26-38
Prayer of Adoration:
Lord God, I adore you for the gift of faith. Like her father Abraham, Mary believed you and found favor in your sight. Thank you that you accomplish your purposes through the trusting, humble, faithful submission of your people.
Psalm Reading: Psalm 120
Prayer of Consecration
O God: this Psalm is a cry of distress, acknowledging that your people need deliverance from lying, deceitful, violent people. Sometimes I am TOO aware of the evils of the world; and sometimes I am not aware enough. So sharpen my vision today, and deepen my longing for your deliverance. Do not let the freshness of the morning, or the glow of health, or the present strength of my life deceive me into a false reliance upon my own strength. All these good gifts come from you, but they are not mine to keep. My hope is not in my own strength or competence, but in the promise that Christ has come and will come again. Give me grace today to follow the road that you walked, and to your name be all glory and praise, even to the end.
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.
