3:00 p.m. Prayer

Praise be to you, O Lord,
who spins shining stars across the wondrous heavens
and stretches out the seas,
who lifts the dawn into place
and sets boundaries for night.
who awes the earth with storms
and gentles it with green,
who gives everything a season
and breathes life and love into the dust of me.
Praise be to you.

Praise in all things,
for all things:
the soft slant of sunlight,
the sweat of battle,
a song in the wilderness,
the evening breeze,
the deep breath,
the tended wound,
mercy, quietness, a friend;
for the miracles of the daily,
the mysteries of the eternal.
Praise be to you.

Praise from all creatures,
laughers and list-makers,
wonders and worriers,
poets and plodders and prophets,
the wrinkled, the newborn,
the whale, and the worm,
from all, and from me.

Praise, praise be to you
for amazing grace.

Noon Prayers

Adoration
Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born
Or You brought forth the earth and the world;
From everlasting to everlasting You are God.
You turn people back into dust
And say, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it passes by
Or like a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:1-4)

Lord Jesus Christ, You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession
You, O God, fashion the hearts of all
And understand all their works. (Psalm 33:15)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank God for God’s forgiveness.

Renewal
Has a nation changed its gods
That were not gods?
But You: people have exchanged their Glory
For that which is worthless.
By Your grace may I not forsake You,
The fountain of living waters,
To dig my own cisterns.
Broken cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:11, 13)

As one who shares in the heavenly calling, may I fix my thoughts on You, Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of my confession. (Hebrews 3:1)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition
May I be strong and courageous and careful to obey Your word; may I not turn from it to the right or to the left, that I may act wisely wherever I go. (Joshua 1:7)

Pause here to petition God for wisdom. Ask Him to develop your eternal perspective, to renew your mind with truth and to help you develop greater skill in each area of your life. Offer prayers regarding your activities for this day and any special concerns you may have.

Intercession
We should bear with one another in love, and make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:2-3)

Take a few moments to intercede on behalf of your immediate family and other relatives. Offer prayers for their spiritual emotional and physical concerns.

Affirmation
Naked I came from my mother’s womb
And naked I will depart.
Lord, You give and You take away;
Blessed be Your name, O Lord. (Job 1:21)

Godliness with contentment is great gain. For I brought nothing into the world, and I can take nothing out of it. But if I have food and clothing, with these I will be content. (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

Pause to reflect on these Biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving
I called to You in my distress, O Lord,
And You answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help.
And You heard my voice. (Jonah 2:2)

I will exult in You, O Lord;
I will rejoice in You, the God of my salvation.
You are my strength;
You make my feet like the feet of a deer
And enable me to go on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:18-19)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are the door; whoever enters through You will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; You have come that we may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:9-10)

Jesus, Your sheep hear Your voice, and You know them, and they follow You. You give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of Your hand. The Father, who has given them to You, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of the Fathers hand. You and the Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

From Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship by Kenneth Boa.

9:00 a.m. Prayers

Waken in Me a Gratitude for My Life

O God, complete the work you have begun in me.
Release me through
a flow of mercy and gentleness that will bring
water where there is desert,
healing where there is hurt,
peace where there is violence,
beauty where there is ugliness,
justice where there is brokenness,
beginnings where there are dead-ends.

Waken in me
gratitude for my life,
love for every living thing,
joy in what is human and holy,
praise for you.

Renew my faith that you are God
beyond my grasp
but within my reach;
past my knowing
but within my searching;
disturber of the assured,
assurer of the disturbed;
destroyer of illusions,
creator of dreams;
source of silence and music,
sex and solitude,
light and darkness,
death and life.

O Keeper of Promises,
composer of grace,
grant me
glee in my blood,
prayer in my heart,
trust at my core,
songs for my journey,
and a sense of your kingdom.
– From Guerillas of Grace by Ted Loder

The Reading Lesson: Psalm 100

Reflection on the scripture

Prayer
Good Morning Lord and welcome into my day.  I am grateful for the gift of sleep and a place to lay my head last night.  I give thanks for fresh starts this morning and a sense of purpose within my daily activities.  I appreciate the opportunities that lie ahead of me and am blessed by your assured promise of abiding with me throughout my day.  Hear me Heavenly Father as I lift my prayers of praise to you.

Silence

For the simple things in life…
I give you thanks Oh Lord.

For the people in my life…
I give you thanks Oh Lord.

For the things that bring me great joy…
I give you thanks Oh Lord.

For my hopes and dreams…
I give you thanks Oh Lord.

For your healing touch…
I give you thanks Oh Lord.

For the blessings of Immanuel Church…
I give you thanks Oh Lord.

For the ways you’ve allowed me to serve…
I give you thanks Oh Lord.

For my life and all that is in it…
I give you thanks Oh Lord.

God of Grace and God of Glory; you have heard my prayers of thanksgiving; please help my heart to be transformed so that my praise for you is reflected in all I say and do. Amen.

Silence

The Blessing
May you walk through today with a grateful heart;
acknowledging that all good gifts come from God and
trusting that his faithfulness endures forever. Amen.