Thursday, October 17, 2024
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
Lord Jesus, I confess to you the shallowness of my repentance. I am content to deal with surface sins, rather than exploring the dark contours of my inner being. I am content to offer words of repentance, rather than bringing forth the fruit of repentance. Humble me greatly today. Reveal to me the depth of my depravity and the strength of my idolatry, that I may drink more deeply of your mercy and delight more fully in the beauty of Jesus Christ my Savior. Amen.
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 1:10-18
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: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Prayer of Adoration:
O God: I praise you for the ministry of the apostles, who were first approved by you to be entrusted with the gospel. Thank you that by their obedience, the gospel has been passed on to us, through an unbroken chain of Christians throughout history. By your grace, may you see fit to pass this treasure to another generation through my words and witness.
Psalm Reading: Psalm 90
Prayer of Consecration
O God: I come to you today as the One who has been our dwelling place throughout all generations. From everlasting to everlasting, you are God; I am not the first to cry out to you, nor will I be the last. I ask your grace today to live with eternity in mind. If I am blessed, I have 70 or 80 years on this earth; then I disappear like a vapor. In 100 years, few people will remember who I was or what I did. So let me not give my days to meaningless triviality. Instead, let me live for what matters. Help me invest in the people around me, pointing them toward Your kingdom and Your glory. Help me make the most of my time, using every opportunity to further your purposes. Help me number my days, living with the end in mind and making a difference in my generation. Let your favor be upon me, and establish the work of my hands.
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.
