Monday, May 29, 2023
Opening Prayer:
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Confession of Sin & Prayer for Grace
God of mercy, whose Son, Jesus Christ, beckons me with the wide embrace of his love: I confess that I have been a wayward child. I have disobeyed your commands; I have been deaf to your call; I have been cold to your love. In thought, word, and deed, I have hurt others and dishonored your name. In your great mercy, receive me again as your beloved child, not because I am worthy, but for the sake of Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 11:1-9
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 7:25-39
Prayer of Adoration:
Gracious Father: I have thirsted and found living water, and my heart overflows with the abundance of your grace. I adore you for the gift of the Holy Spirit!
Psalm Reading: Psalm 22
Prayer of Consecration
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” O God, it’s impossible to read this Psalm without thinking of Jesus on the cross, crying out to you in his great moment of need. Like him, I know that you invite ME to cry out to you. You see my anxieties and understand my concerns. When I reflect on my life, I see that you continually preserve me, provide for me, and work out your healing power in me. But it’s not enough to remember these things in private. This Psalm says you are “enthroned on the praises of Israel.” It’s through publicly praising you that I lift you up and show your greatness to the world. So I’ll praise you in the great congregation, joining with your people to celebrate your faithfulness. From the patriarchs and matriarchs of Scripture to the believers I know personally, there is so much evidence of your grace. Thank you for your faithfulness to your people.
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.
