Father,
You promise to guide me.
You order my steps and guide me in the way I should go. You teach me Your ways and pick me up when I stumble. Your Word is like a lantern guiding my feet one step at a time down the path of life. Thank You, Lord, for providing the answer I need and showing me which way to turn. I praise You for being my trustworthy Guide and helper. Amen.
(From "Everyday Prayers for Everyday Cares")

1Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
Psalm 73 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Numbers 22:1-21 – Romans 6:12-23 – Matthew 21:12-22

June 27, 2008

God, Your ways, Your wisdom, Your guidance are so precious, so perfect, so life-giving. They are always spoken in the purest love, and specifically for me.
You lead me moment by moment. When I have a need, Your love never fails. Your wisdom never falls short.
But, Lord, I fear at times that I miss some of Your most delicate, most tender, most precious words to me. I fear Your voice is drowned out by the noise of my own plans and foolish desires.
God, I set aside my desires and open myself to You. When You speak, I want to hear every whisper. Amen.
(From "Simple Prayers" by Ken Bible)

3 When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?"
4 The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.
5 The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates.
6 On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.
7 For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.
Psalm 11 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Numbers 20:1-13 – Romans 5:12-21 – Matthew 20:29-34

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ in his earthly life shared our toil and hallowed our labor: Be present with your people where they work; make those who carry on the industries and commerce of this land responsive to your will; and give to us all a pride in what we do, and a just return for our labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
(Book of Common Prayer 1979)

1 Sing praises to God, our strength.
Sing to the God of Jacob.
2 Sing! Beat the tambourine.
Play the sweet lyre and the harp.
3 Blow the ram’s horn at new moon,
and again at full moon to call a festival!
5b I heard an unknown voice say,
6 “Now I will take the load from your shoulders;
I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.
7 You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you;
I answered out of the thundercloud
and tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah.
Psalm 125 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Numbers 17:1-11 – Romans 5:1-11 – Matthew 20:17-28

O Lord, Make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
(From the Gelasian Sacramentary)

1 Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion;
they will not be defeated but will endure forever.
2 Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever.
3 The wicked will not rule the land of the godly,
for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong.
4 O Lord, do good to those who are good,
whose hearts are in tune with you.
5 But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O Lord.
Take them away with those who do evil.
Psalm 125 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Numbers 16:36-50 – Romans 4:13-25 – Matthew 20:1-16

Father,
Your mercies are new every morning.
Summer and winter, spring and autumn, season after season You renew Your mercy and compassion in my life. As the seasons change, so I change. But You never change. You are merciful to me, even when I am wrong. Like the father of the prodigal son, You run to meet me. You are great in mercy, Lord, but I am not. Help me to be merciful to myself, forgiving myself so that I do not become weighted down with self-pity. Amen.
(From "Everyday Prayers for Everyday Cares")
1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.
6 He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.
Psalm 148 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:14 – Galatians 5:25-6:10 – Matthew 16:21-28

Father,
I find my contentment in You.
You are my Peace, Lord. You are my Source of true joy. When I am frustrated, struggling with the circumstances of life, You come to me, still my restless spirit, and take time to listen. Only a few moments in Your presence reminds me that I have all I need. Your love and care are more than enough. Thank You for providing all I need to live a peaceful and contented life. Amen.
(From "Everyday Prayers for Everyday Cares")

8 Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, O LORD.
9 For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
10 Let those who love the LORD hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.
Psalm 97 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Ecclesiastes 11:1-8 – Galatians 5:16-24 – Matthew 16:13-20

Father,
You calm my spirit.
No matter what is bothering me -- a missed deadline, a traffic jam, an argument with my spouse, a financial situation, a sick child who won't stop crying, a friend who has let me down -- no matter what --- You are always there to ease my troubled mind and help me deal with the crisis. Thank You, Lord, for giving me the confidence that no matter how many frustrations pile up, You will always give me the strength and stamina to handle them. Amen.
(From "Everyday Prayers for Everyday Cares")

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.
8 He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.
10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of a man;
11 the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Psalm 147 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Ecclesiastes 9:11-18 – Galatians 5:1-15 – Matthew 16:1-12

O God, lover and restorer of innocence: Direct the hearts of your family toward you that those you have freed from the night of unbelief may never abandon the light of your truth: through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, Now and forever. Amen
(From The Gelasian Sacramentary)

1 Praise the LORD, O my soul.
2 I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them
-- the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
Psalm 146 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Ecclesiastes 8:14-9:10 – Galatians 4:21-31 – Matthew 15:29-39

Dear God, in Jesus Christ your saving help has reached me. Forgive me the fears which express my small and self-centered concerns. Grant that today I may declare your boundless power to rescue all who call upon you. Help me to know and to share your gift of peace through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen
(From "Daily Texts")

10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
your saints will extol you.
11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.
14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
Psalm 145 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 – Galatians 4:12-20 – Matthew 15:21-28

I try to pray; words don’t come.
I toss and turn and feel nothing.
My mind is dry, my heart is dull, my soul longs for life.
Hear my silent cry, my God, hear me.
Let me not be a shriveled reed or an empty shell.
Breathe on me and make me whole.
Give me passion that I may love.
Then shall my tongue praise your holy name
with words I do not yet know.
So be it.
- Vienna Cobb Anderson

4 You are resplendent with light,
more majestic than mountains rich with game.
5 Valiant men lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep;
not one of the warriors can lift his hands.
6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
both horse and chariot lie still.
7 You alone are to be feared.
Who can stand before you when you are angry?
8 From heaven you pronounced judgment,
and the land feared and was quiet-
9 when you, O God, rose up to judge,
to save all the afflicted of the land.
Psalm 76 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 – Galatians 3:15-22 – Matthew 14:22-36

Father,
You give me quiet confidence.
Though I am frustrated by life, You calm my fears. You remind me to meditate on Your promises and to remember all the times You have brought me through my troubles. You have taught me that anger is futile and takes the joy from my life. Therefore, I will trust You today and wait for the quiet confidence and peace You always send to fill my heart and heal me. Amen (From "Everyday Prayers for Everyday Cares")

1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge uprightly among men?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted.
Psalm 58 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3 – Galatians 3:1-14 – Matthew 14:13-21

O Lord, the life of the faithful, the glory of the saints and the delight of those who trust in you: Hear our supplications, that we who thirst for the life you promise may be filled to overflowing with your countless gifts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever
(The Gelasian Sacramentary)

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
Psalm 23 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 – Galatians 2:11-21 – Matthew 14:1-12

Father,
I commit my worries to You.
You call me to faith, not fear. You have given me many promises. Now in this time of doubt and struggle, I ask for the grace to meditate on Your promises instead of chewing over my worries. Watch over me, Lord. Don't allow me to waste my energies rehearsing worst case scenarios in my mind. Help me instead to remember all the times You have helped me. Teach me once again to trust You with my problems and let You do the worrying. Amen.
(From "Everyday Prayers for Everyday Cares")

1 Help, LORD, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.
2 Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.
3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue
4 that says, "We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips —who is our master?"
5 "Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise," says the LORD.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."
6 And the words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.
Psalm 12 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Ecclesiastes 2:16-26 – Galatians 1:18-2:10 – Matthew 13:53-58

Lord Jesus, I want to have a growing, vital relationship with You. Please don't let me fall into the complacency that leads to stagnancy in my relationship with You. Help me to know that I will only deepen my relationships with You and with others when I invest my time and energy. Thank You for allowing me to come into Your presence and meditate on You today. Amen.
(From the "Light for My Path" series)

1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 They fully intend to topple him from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse.
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 62 New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading):
Ecclesiastes 2:1-15 – Galatians 1:1-17 – Matthew 13:44-52