July 7 - 14, 2024
July 7 - 14, 2024
Prayer as a Rule of Life
Sunday, July 7, 2024
Loving and Gracious Lord,
Come to us today and help us focus on you this Sabbath Day.
Quiet our hearts, give rest to our souls, and walk closely with us.
May Your sweet presence drive out any anger and fear, worry and regret. Send forth Your blessings upon us, so that we may be people of your word;
for true renewal comes only from You. Amen.
Silence
Daily Prayer for a Rule of Life
God of Life, Love and Peace,
We rejoice in the fact that You are our source of all life and goodness;
You fashioned us in Your image and Your likeness, and through Your love giving each human life dignity, sacredness, and priceless worth. We pray that You give each and every heart the rest needed so that we may have the strength and the compassion to go out into the world in order to nurture and sustain all Your children. On this day of Sabbath, we praise Your holy name!
Spring Forest Rule of Life: Prayer, Work, Rest, Table, Neighbor
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: 2 Sam 5:1-5, 9-10; Ps 48; 2 Cor 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13
Monday, July 8, 2024
Prayer as a Rule of Life
Opening
Lord, I am not mine, but Yours alone.
Let Your will be done and not my own.
Put me where You will, and let me serve;
in everything I do, let me endure.
Covenant Prayer Verse 1
UMH #607 (adapted)
Silence
Be still and rest in the knowledge that God is here with us now and always.
Prayers of Gratitude
In moments of pain, in hours of strife and conflict,
in days of strain and turmoil,
we give thanks that our God walks with us,
leading us with words of love and compassion.
We are grateful for all the many and wondrous gifts bestowed upon us.
The Lord’s Prayer
This is my prayer, Lord, to You.
My promise and my vow, strong and true.
And the covenant I make on earth,
let it be fulfilled in Heaven. Amen.
Covenant Prayer Refrain
UMH 607 (adapted)
A Reading
Psalm 119:81-88
Reflect on the scripture and how at times we may all feel frustration.
Intercessions
Father, Son and Spirit, hear my cry,
forever I am Yours and You are mine.
Father, Son and Spirit, hear my cry,
forever I am Yours and You are mine.
Covenant Prayer Verse 2
UMH 607 (adapted)
Sending Forth Prayer
Lord, I am not mine, but Yours alone.
Let Your will be done and not my own.
Put me where You will, and let me serve;
in everything I do, let me endure.
Covenant Prayer Verse 3
UMH 607 (adapted)
Daily Lectionary Readings: Psalm 21; 2 Samuel 5:1-10; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33; Psalm 119:81-88; Ezekiel 2:8-3:11
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
Prayer as a Rule of Life
Opening
Almighty God, Mother and Father of all mercies, at the beginning of this day, we offer humble thanks for all Your creation, Your unending goodness and Your unconditional loving-kindness. Each day, all day, we praise You - not only with our lips, but with our lives giving ourselves to Your service. We give thanks for Your presence here with us today. Amen
Silence
Be still to allow God to reveal Herself and make Her will known.
Prayers of Gratitude
Thank You, O Loving Lord,
for the bountiful blessings You have bestowed on each of us.
You have provided more than we could ever have imagined. We are especially grateful that You have surrounded us with such loving people who always look out for each other. For each and every blessing, we offer gratitude upon gratitude. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
A Reading
Psalm 119:81-88
As we reflect on the frustrations of God’s children, how can we relate today?
Intercessions
As we seek your kin-dom, O God, we hunger and we thirst for Your mercies upon us. We lift up the hurt, the sick, the poor at peace as we rest in the assurance that You hear both spoken and unspoken requests.
Sending Forth
Let us go forth into our world in peace dedicated to the service of our Loving Lord. Let us hold fast to all that is good, rendering only love and compassion to others. And may God’s blessing be upon us and remain with us always.
Daily Lectionary Readings: Psalm 21; 2 Samuel 5:11-16; James 5:7-12; Psalm 119:81-88; Jeremiah 16:1-13
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Prayer as a Rule of Life
Opening
O Holy God,
open unto us light for our darkness,
courage for our fear, hope for our despair.
O loving God,
open unto us wisdom for our confusion,
forgiveness for our sins, love for our hate.
UMH #489 (Howard Thurman, adapted)
Silence
O God of Peace,
open unto us peace for our turmoil,
joy for our sorrow, strength for our weakness.
O generous God,
open our hearts to receive all Your gifts. Amen
UMH #489 (Howard Thurman, adapted)
Prayers of Gratitude
Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth.
Grace evokes gratitude like the voice of an echo.
Gratitude follows grace like thunder lightning.
Karl Barth
The Lord’s Prayer
A Reading
John 7:1-9
Reflect on the reading and the importance of recognizing
the right times in our lives.
Intercessions
Creator and Lover of Life, we come to You asking for help to love all who You created. We are grateful to be able to come to You recognizing that when we pray for one of Your beloved children, we are actually praying for the whole as we are all connected in Your love. Give us the strength and the courage to work for love, for healing, for wholeness, and for the diverse unity of body of Christ. We offer our prayer together with our brother, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Sending Forth Prayer
O Divine Master,
Grant that we may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
The Prayer of Saint Francis (adapted)
Verse Two
Daily Lectionary Readings: Psalm 21; 2 Samuel 5:17-25; John 7:1-9; Psalm 119:81-88; Jeremiah 16:14-21
Thursday, July 11, 2024
Prayer as a Rule of Life
Opening
We are truly blessed to awaken this morning
thanking God for the gift of this wonder-filled day.
May God bless us all with His presence and peace.
May the Lord rain down His love and
bless us abundantly today and always.
Silence
In the stillness of this moment, may we rejoice in the goodness of our God!!
Prayers of Gratitude
Loving and Almighty Lord,
We greet this new morning grateful that your compassion is renewed
at each and every sunrise. While we don’t know what this day will bring, we rest in the knowledge that You are with us each step of the way. Blessings upon blessings!!!
The Lord’s Prayer
A Reading
Colossians 2:1-5
How can we work to weave others into the tapestry of God’s love?
Intercessions
We come to You, Creator God, to ask your healing for those who are in pain and who are suffering. May You touch them with Your love and restoration.
Sending Forth
Go in peace with assurance that God is with us as we spread the Good News weaving all His children into the tapestry of His love along the way.
Daily Lectionary Readings: Psalm 24; Exodus 25:10-22; Colossians 2:1-5; Psalm 85:8-13; Amos 2:6-16
Friday, July 12, 2024
Prayer as a Rule of Life
Opening
We sometimes forget that each new day is a blessing. We tend to focus on the negative in ourselves and others. Today, let us respond to negative thoughts by celebrating our inherent dignity claiming our God-given value.
“I am unlovable” becomes “I am infinitely loved.”
“I don’t have enough” becomes “I have all that I need.”
“I am unworthy” becomes
“I am a beloved Child of God’s - precious in His eyes.”
Richard Rohr (adapted)
Silence
Be still and aware of God’s presence and His love within and all around.
Prayers of Gratitude
We come together from near and far with all our commonality and our diversity – our wide array of backgrounds, talents, gifts and personalities. We rejoice with gratitude for Your love and grace which are beyond measure, O Lord. Hear our unending praise for all the unending blessings You have bestowed upon us.
The Lord’s Prayer
A Reading
Psalm 85:8-13
Reflect on the Psalmist’s enthusiasm and how his message translates to us today.
Intercessions
Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God.
That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love
for God is worked into something good.
Romans 8:26-28 (The Message)
Sending Forth
We acknowledge that life can be messy, raw, complicated and confusing for ourselves and for those we encounter. Let us meet each day and each person (including ourselves) with the love, grace and compassion of our Creator.
Daily Lectionary Readings: Psalm 24; Exodus 37:1-16; Colossians 4:2-18; Psalm 85:8-13; Amos 3:1-12
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Prayer as a Rule of Life
Opening
We begin each day in prayer welcoming all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions. We let go of our desire for power and control. We let go of our desire for affection, esteem, approval, and pleasure. We let go of our desire for survival and security.
We open to the love and presence of God and God's action within.
Thomas Keating (adapted)
Silence
Be still and aware of God’s presence within and all around.
Prayers of Gratitude
Divine and Almighty Creator,
We give thanks for this, a good day knowing that each day brings new opportunities to love and share, to give and forgive, and to become the person You want us to be. We praise You today, O Lord!! Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
A Reading
Psalm 85:8-13
Reflect on the reading and how love and truth meet in our streets today.
Intercessions
Heavenly Creator, in your unlimited love, compassion and mercy, we come before You now lifting up ourselves and others acknowledging You already know of the burdens with which we struggle. We ask for comfort, healing, guidance and encouragement through Your Holy Spirit. Lord in Your mercy, You hear our prayers both spoken and unspoken. Amen
Sending Forth
Let the love and mercy of Christ overflow in you today and always.
Daily Lectionary Readings: Psalm 24; Numbers 10:11-36; Luke 1:57-80; Psalm 85:8-13; Amos 4:6-13
Commentaires