Saturday, December 24, 2022
Opening Prayer:
O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know my thoughts before I think them. You know my words before I speak them. You know my past, my present, and my future. Awaken me now, to seek you while you may be found, To call upon you while you are near, And to live a life that brings glory to your name.
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: Isaiah 64
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: Acts 13:16-33
Prayer of Adoration:
Father, I worship you for the good news that in Jesus, your Son, the hope of Israel is realized and accomplished. What you promised to Abraham… what you pledged to Moses… what you foreshadowed in David... you fulfilled in Jesus. Thank you for raising Jesus from the dead, in faithfulness to your promises.
Psalm Reading: Psalm 118
Prayer of Consecration
I thank you, Lord, that your steadfast love endures forever. Thank you that you’re on my side, that you answer me, and that you set me free. When I feel pressed by temptation today, let me call on you for help. When I feel weary with my work today, let me proclaim that the Lord is my strength. When I must fight for joy today, let me remember the glad songs of salvation. This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it! All of this glorious abundance is mine because Jesus, the stone that the builders rejected, became the cornerstone. Expand my capacity for awe, delight, and celebration this Advent season, so I can say, “This is the Lord’s doing, and it’s marvelous in my sight.”
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.
