GREETING (Psalm 119:171-172)
My lips will pour forth praise, O God,
because you teach me your statutes.
My tongue will sing of your promise,
for all your commandments are right.
HYMN 64 “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty”
PSALM 16
PRAYER
(Consider some of the following concerns for prayers of thanksgiving, intercession, and petition. Follow with your personal prayer list.)
Unity of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit God choosing to be our God
Unity between God and God’s people That God cares about Earth
Focusing on God That God cares about each of us
God, steadfast and loving That God provides for our needs
God, all knowing God bringing us freedom
God, all powerful God maintaining our freedom
Single-mindedness in our faith For those enslaving others
Trusting God For those still enslaved
Idolatry For freedom from slavery
Secular idols Our commitment to God
Idolatry of self Our faithfulness to God
For those enticing us to idolatry _____________________________
For those calling us away from God _____________________________
Other religions _____________________________
THE LORD'S PRAYER
SCRIPTURE LESSON
(Choose a passage of scripture to read. It can be a chapter, a paragraph, or a particular story. Daily lectionaries are available online or in print that assign a lesson each day from the gospels, epistles, Old Testament and psalms on a three-year cycle. Or you can create a plan to read a book of the Bible, or the whole Bible. Then follow the steps below.)
Read a passage of scripture. Read it out loud, very slowly and carefully as if for the first time. Continue reading until a word, phrase or sentence captures your attention. Stop there to repeat the word, phrase or sentence over and over, listening to it deeply in your heart.
Reflect on why the passage got your attention. Consider the area of your life to which this may apply. Is God saying something to you in this passage? Take time to listen carefully to whatever God may be saying to you.
Respond to God in prayer (or with journaling, music, art or whatever you choose) about what you have heard. Ask questions. Open yourself to God’s will for you.
Rest in God’s company. Be still and quiet. Move beyond thinking, practicing interior silence. Let yourself be open to God’s presence. Savor this moment with God.
PRAYER
O God, our God, my God, the only God,
you are the holy ground upon which we stand.
You are the starry heavens to which we so aspire.
You are fire warming our winter nights.
You are the cup of cold water in desert places.
You are the light beckoning from the tunnel’s end.
You are a refreshing stream flowing near.
You are the breeze twirling fingers in our hair.
You are a bright sunny day in the world’s gloom.
You are a whisper turning us from wrong.
You are the granite foothold catching our slips.
You are the spring rain raising the dead back to life.
You are the source from which life flows.
You are the sacrifice setting everything right.
You are the companion perfecting our daily walk.
You are passion beating vigor in our chests.
You are the web binding our wits to our ways.
You are our dawning day of eternal resurrection.
O God, our God, my God, the only God,
before you we bow, surrendering ourselves.
Before you we bow, worshiping and adoring you. Amen.
SILENCE AND COMMITMENT
(Pause to reflect and listen. Work to push out of your mind any distracting or irrelevant thoughts. Concentrate your thoughts on the words of the hymns and choruses you have sung, the prayers you have spoken and the scriptures you have read. Be aware of what you are feeling. Listen for anything that God might be saying to you in this time you have spent together. As God responds to your prayer-time, seek guidance for how you can best respond to God’s will. Then commit to serving God’s will for you.)
HYMN 123 “El Shaddai”
CLOSING PRAYER
Ten commands you give, O God,
not suggestions, not guidelines, but commands.
Let them command my life today, God of blessing.
Let their benefits sanctify the life,
that your holy Son’s loving sacrifice has saved,
and restored to usefulness to you and your kingdom. Amen.
Copyright 2020. Robert D. Ingram, 32746 Jourden Rd., Albany, Ohio 45710 (dr.bobingram@gmail.com). Used by permission.
