Morning Prayers
May 5-11, 2024
Work as a Rule of Life
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Rest as a Rule of Life
Today is a sacred day for rest and renewal of body, mind, and spirit.
Laugh, play, take a nap. Simply be present to each moment.
Daily Prayer for a Spring Forest Rule of Life
May our lives be a prayer
May God work through our prayers
May our work be an answer
To God’s will working through us
May we rest in God’s love
May God’s rest feed our souls
May our table be open
May we welcome friends and foes
May the poor be our neighbors
May our neighbors be blessed.
Amen
Daily Lectionary Readings: Acts 10:44-48 • Psalm 98 • 1 John 5:1-6 • John 15:9-17
Monday, May 6, 2024
Neighbor as a Rule of Life
Compose a new song, and sing it to the Eternal because of the unbelievable things God has done;
~Psalm 98:1a (Voice)
Silence
The Eternal is coming, and judgment will be what is right for the world and just to all people. ~Psalm 98:9b (Voice)
Prayers of Gratitude
Fresh every day is your Love, O God. We are called to abide in that Love as in the example of Jesus. Such living faith sustains and nourishes us for all that life brings.
Today, we raise our voices in praise and thanksgiving for the abundance of your love shown in many and varied ways. We proclaim our thanks for …..
The Lord’s Prayer
A Reading
John 15:9-17
Jesus’ command is simple – “Love one another as I have loved you.” Reflect on the simplicity of this commandment is the complexity of today’s world.
Intercessions
John writes Jesus’ address to his anxious disciples, “Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love…You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.” (MSG) We are people seeking to live in the love of God as Jesus’ disciples. We lift our voices and hearts in prayer for the world, our neighbors near and far, family and friends, and for ourselves. Grant us wisdom, mercy, and grace in abundance for this day, as we pray for others and ourselves…
Sending Forth Prayer
Show us the way to dwell in your love so we may joyfully open the doors to our neighbors near and far, sharing fruit of your compassionate merciful grace.
Daily Lectionary Readings: Monday, May 6, 2024: Psalm 93; Deuteronomy 7:1-11; 1 Timothy 6:11-12
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Neighbor as a Rule of Life
Sing to God a brand-new song.
God made a world of wonders!
He rolled up his sleeves,
and set things right.
God made history with salvation,
And showed the world what she could do.
~Psalm 98:1a (MSG)
Silence
God’ll straighten out the whole world, put the world right, and everyone in it.
~Psalm 98:9b
Prayers of Gratitude
We come to celebrate this new day and the many, varied ways we experience your Presence in the world around us. We offer our prayers of gratitude and delight…
The Lord’s Prayer
Silence
A Reading
Paul asks this young leader to shepherd a divided congregation through one problem after another. He points to a time when Jesus will arrive to set this world straight. 1 Timothy 6:2-12 (Voice)
Timothy, teach these instructions, and appeal to those under your ministry to live by them. If others are teaching otherwise and bringing unhealthy conversations to the community, if they are not sticking to the sound words in the teaching of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, if they are not teaching godly principles— then they are swollen with conceit, filled with self-importance, and without any proper understanding. They probably have a gross infatuation with controversy and will endlessly debate meanings of words. That kind of talk leads to envy, discord, slander, and evil mistrust; and these people constantly bicker because they are depraved in their minds and bereft of the truth. They think somehow that godliness is the way to get ahead. This is ironic because godliness, along with contentment, does put us ahead but not in the ways some imagine. You see we came into this world with nothing, and nothing is going with us on the way out! So as long as we are clothed and fed, we should be happy. But those who chase riches are constantly falling into temptation and snares. They are regularly caught by their own stupid and harmful desires, dragged down and pulled under into ruin and destruction. For the love of money—and what it can buy—is the root of all sorts of evil. Some already have wandered away from the true faith because they craved what it had to offer; but when reaching for the prize, they found their hands and hearts pierced with many sorrows. Timothy, don’t let this happen to you—run away from these things! You are a man of God. Your quest is for justice, godliness, faithfulness, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith! Cling to the eternal life you were called to when you confessed the good confession before witnesses.
Given the divisive rhetoric of today’s world, how do we understand
what it means to live in “godliness” and “fight the good fight?”
Intercessions
Holy One, sometimes it is so hard to sort through the clutter of words and anger that assail us on a daily basis. What do we believe? How do we discern truth from lies? How do we live as faithful disciples in the midst of the chaos? We ask for your guidance, strength, and courage to live into the way of Jesus more fully. We pray for friends, neighbors, our world, ourselves, in the merciful name of Christ who knows the challenges and walks this journey within and among us.
Sending Forth Prayer
Lead us today as we go out into the world in which we live, to do our best to
“fight the good fight in faith” with perseverance and compassion.
Daily Lectionary Readings: Tuesday, May 7, 2024: Psalm 93; Deuteronomy 11:1-17; 1 Timothy 6:13-16
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Neighbor as a Rule of Life
“Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. ~John 15:4
Silence
“But remember the root command: Love one another. ~John 15:17
Prayers of Gratitude
We live in community with neighbors, friends, family, strangers, and all creation. We recognize that in this finite time and space we are but one small part of the world in which you have created. Today we offer our prayers for compassion for the relationships of humankind, flora, fauna, critters of all shapes and sizes, the waters, land, and air in which we all abide.
The Lord’s Prayer
A Reading
Creation, we are taught, is not an act that happened once upon a time, once and forever. The act of bringing the world into existence is a continuous process. God called the world into being, and that call goes on. There is this present moment because God is present. Every instant is an act of creation. A moment is not a terminal but a flash, a signal of Beginning. Time is perpetual innovation, a synonym for continuous creation. Time is God’s gift to the world of space.
Abraham Joshua Heschel (The Sabbath, p 190)
Consider the words of Rabbi Heschel in light of abiding in God’s time and space.
Intercessions
We come with prayers for intercession with hearts bowed low. There is much in this world, near and far, in need of your love and mercy. Forgive us when we
falter and turn away. Move us with compassion and courage to do what is right to bring justice and hope. Give us eyes to see our neighbors who are struggling,
ears to hear the cries of the earth, hearts open to move toward acts of justice with persistent and abiding hope. We lift these prayers and more this day…
Sending Forth Prayer
Abide in Love, the earth is everyone’s home.
Know the unity of the world offers itself to each of us.
Daily Lectionary Readings: Wednesday, May 8, 2024: Psalm 93; Deuteronomy 11:18-21; Mark 16:19-20
Thursday, May 9, 2024
Neighbor as a Rule of Life
Clap your hands, people of all nations!
Praise our Creator with joyful songs!
Rejoice in the beauty of diversity!
Silence
Presiding over all that exists, Creator invites us to co-create
with acts of mercy, justice, and peace for all the world.
Prayers of Gratitude
What prayers of thanksgiving do you carry this day?
The Lord’s Prayer
Silence
A Reading
Acts 1:1-11
Reflect on the ways we too, sometimes just stand here looking up at an empty sky wondering when Jesus will return?
Intercessions
It would be so much simpler if you returned, Jesus, right here and right now. We need your help cleaning up this mess we’ve made on Earth. We come with bowed heads and hurting hearts, not knowing where to start. Yet, we do know we can begin with your promise that we only need ask, and we will be given what we need. We ask for hope and healing, for wisdom and courage to be faithful followers of the way of Christ. In the presence of community centered in your loving and merciful grace, we bring prayers today for ourselves, our families,
our neighbors, our foes, and our world
Sending Forth Prayer
Step out in faith and love, trusting in the promise of God in Christ
to walk with you and lead the way.
Daily Lectionary Readings: Thursday, May 9, 2024: Acts 1:1-11 • Psalm 47 or Psalm 93 • Ephesians 1:15-23 • Luke 24:44-53
Friday, May 10, 2024
Neighbor as a Rule of Life
God is king over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted.
Psalm 47:8-9 (NRSVUV)
Silence
Be still and in awe of God’s presence within and all around.
Prayers of Gratitude
Julian of Norwich proclaims “the fullness of joy is to behold God in everything. God is in the ground, the substance, the teaching, the teacher, the purpose,
and the reward for which every soul labors.” We celebrate with joy
the many ways we behold your Presence within and around us.
We raise our prayers of thanksgiving for…
The Lord’s Prayer
Silence
A Reading
Revelation 1:9-18
Once again, we hear words of scripture telling us to not be afraid to share the good news with the churches that are struggling. Reflect on the instructions to John and his vision of Christ.
Intercessions
It is good to hear words of scripture telling us not to be afraid. It is not always easy though to live these words when our lives are turned inside out by grief, loss, discord, uncertainty, and fears that consume our minds. Calm our minds, lessen our fears, soothe our hurts and grant us a sense of peace that passes all understanding.
Today, we bring to you the things that are weighing on our hearts.
O Christ, hear our prayers.
Sending Forth Prayer
As you go about your day, look for signs of the amazing splendor of God and give thanks with a grateful heart and a huge smile to all you meet!
Daily Lectionary Readings: Friday, May 10, 2024: Psalm 47; Exodus 24:15-18; Revelation 1:9-18
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Neighbor as a Rule of Life
Welcome all as neighbor and friend.
For each bears the breath of God.
Silence
Be still and aware of God’s presence within and all around.
Prayers of Gratitude
Creator of all, we come before you today with hearts filled with gratitude. Throughout this week we have been blessed with moments of grace and beauty. We thank you for the sun that rises each morning, the night sky that reminds us of the vastness of the universe, unexpected kindnesses of strangers and friends, simple pleasures of morning coffee at the start of the day. For these and so much more we say, “Thank You, Faithful Friend.”
The Lord’s Prayer
Silence
A Reading
Deuteronomy 34:1-7
Reflect on following the will of God and letting go of the outcome.
Intercessions
God of merciful grace, we want to cling to what we think the way things should go and find it hard to release expectations of ourselves and others. Grant us mercy and forgiveness. Help us to reach out to others who are hurting, to act when we see injustice, and to release any false motives to do your will. May we simply listen, respond in faith, and trust that your will, will be done. Amen.\
Sending Forth Prayer
Practice simple anonymous acts of random kindness throughout the day.
Daily Lectionary Readings: Saturday, May 11, 2024: Psalm 47; Deuteronomy 34:1-7; John 16:4-11
Peace be with you.
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