Psalm and Prayer of the Day June 19

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Sometimes the most difficult prayers we pray are prayers of confession.  When we truly come to understand our actions have caused harm to others, to ourselves, and our relationship with God we may find ourselves praying much like David did in Psalm 51.  There is no doubt the psalmist felt the weight of sin and was willing to take God’s judgment and punishment. The writer was also willing to change – to allow God to change his very heart which has been broken and humbled.  Confession for the sake of a change of heart and character is a difficult prospect, but it opens the door to honest and closer relationships with God, ourselves, and our neighbors.  It also recognizes the far reaching effects, even in our average lives.  

Today’s psalm reading is also today’s prayer.  May we all have the courage to live into the grace of the prayer, in the assurance of forgiveness in Christ, and the change of heart through the Holy Spirit.  

1

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

2

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.

3

For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

4

Against you, you alone, have I sinned,

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are justified in your sentence

and blameless when you pass judgment.

5

Indeed, I was born guilty,

a sinner when my mother conceived me.

6

You desire truth in the inward being;[a]

therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

7

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8

Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

9

Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all my iniquities.

10

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and put a new and right[b] spirit within me.

11

Do not cast me away from your presence,

and do not take your holy spirit from me.

12

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and sustain in me a willing[c] spirit.

13

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will return to you.

14

Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,

O God of my salvation,

and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

15

O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

16

For you have no delight in sacrifice;

if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.

17

The sacrifice acceptable to God[d] is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;

rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,

19

then you will delight in right sacrifices,

in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;

then bulls will be offered on your altar.

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Psalm and Prayer of the Day June18

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Psalm 97

1 The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice;
    let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him,
    and consumes his adversaries on every side.
4 His lightnings light up the world;
    the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
    before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
    and all the peoples behold his glory.
7 All worshipers of images are put to shame,
    those who make their boast in worthless idols;
    all gods bow down before him.
8 Zion hears and is glad,
    and the towns[a] of Judah rejoice,
    because of your judgments, O God.
9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
    you are exalted far above all gods.

10 The Lord loves those who hate[b] evil;
    he guards the lives of his faithful;
    he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light dawns[c] for the righteous,
    and joy for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
    and give thanks to his holy name!

Prayer

Loving God, as we move through this day, we offer thanks for all of the blessings we know through your son, Jesus our Lord.  Especially we thank you for:
the community of faith in our church…..
those with whom we work or share common concerns…
the diversity of your children…
indications of your love at work in the world…
those who work for reconciliation…
(other prayers of thanksgiving)

Mighty God, with the dawn of your love you reveal your victory over all that would destroy or harm, and you brighten the lives of all who need you.  Especially we pray for:
families suffering separation…
people different from ourselves…
those isolated by sickness or sorrow…
the victims of violence or warfare…
the church in the Pacific region…
(other prayers of intercession).

In Christ we pray, Amen.

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Psalm and Prayer of the Day June 17

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Wednesday June 17

Psalm 88:1-18

1 O Lord, God of my salvation,
    when, at night, I cry out in your presence,
2 let my prayer come before you;
    incline your ear to my cry.

3 For my soul is full of troubles,
    and my life draws near to Sheol.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;
    I am like those who have no help,
5 like those forsaken among the dead,
    like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
    for they are cut off from your hand.
6 You have put me in the depths of the Pit,
    in the regions dark and deep.
7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
    and you overwhelm me with all your waves.Selah

8 You have caused my companions to shun me;
    you have made me a thing of horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
9     my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call on you, O Lord;
    I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you work wonders for the dead?
    Do the shades rise up to praise you?Selah
11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
    or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Are your wonders known in the darkness,
    or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But I, O Lord, cry out to you;
    in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 O Lord, why do you cast me off?
    Why do you hide your face from me?
15 Wretched and close to death from my youth up,
    I suffer your terrors; I am desperate.[a]
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
    your dread assaults destroy me.
17 They surround me like a flood all day long;
    from all sides they close in on me.
18 You have caused friend and neighbor to shun me;
    my companions are in darkness.

Eternal God, you never fail to give us each day all that we ever need,and even more. Give us such joy in living and such peace in serving Christ,that we may gratefully make use of all your blessings,and joyfully seek our risen Lord in everyone we meet.   In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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Psalm and Prayer of the Day June 16

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Psalm 42

1 As a deer longs for flowing streams,
    so my soul longs for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
    the face of God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me continually,
    “Where is your God?”

4 These things I remember,
    as I pour out my soul:
how I went with the throng,[a]
    and led them in procession to the house of God,
with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving,
    a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my help 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
    therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
    from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
    at the thunder of your cataracts;
all your waves and your billows
    have gone over me.
8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
    and at night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God, my rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I walk about mournfully
    because the enemy oppresses me?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my body,
    my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me continually,
    “Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my help and my God.

Prayer

God of our salvation, as the light of morning dawns heaven and earth sing your praise.Cause us to live and grow in faith so that we may bear good fruit for the glory of your holy realm; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

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Psalm and Prayer of the Day June 15

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Psalm 5

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
    give heed to my sighing.
2 Listen to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to you I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
    in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.

4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil will not sojourn with you.
5 The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
    you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
    the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.

7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
    will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your holy temple
    in awe of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    make your way straight before me.

9 For there is no truth in their mouths;
    their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
    they flatter with their tongues.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
    let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
    for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
    so that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
    you cover them with favor as with a shield.

Prayer

As you cause the sun to rise, O God, bring the light of Christ to dawn in our souls and dispel all the darkness.Give us grace to reflect on Christ’s glory; and let his love show in our deeds,his peace shine in our words, his healing in our touch, that all may give him praise, now and forever.  Amen.

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Worship Podcast – June 14, 2020

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Led by Rev. Lou Ellen Hartley. Pianist Lorie Francis. Soloists Mary Kwantes and Jonathan Kimball. Sermon based on Romans 5:1-8 and Matthew 9:35-10:8. Bulletin attached.

Bulletin 20200614

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Sermon Podcast – June 14, 2020

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Preached by Rev. Lou Ellen Hartley. Based on Romans 5:1-8, Matthew 9:35-10:8.

 

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Psalm and Prayer of the Day June 13

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Psalm 63

Comfort and Assurance in God’s Presence

A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.

1 O God, you are my God, I seek you,
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
    I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

5 My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,[a]
    and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
6 when I think of you on my bed,
    and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7 for you have been my help,
    and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

9 But those who seek to destroy my life
    shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword,
    they shall be prey for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God;
    all who swear by him shall exult,
    for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven…

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Psalm and Prayer of the Day June 11

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Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
2     Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
    to the voice of my supplications!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
    Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you,
    so that you may be revered.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
    more than those who watch for the morning,
    more than those who watch for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.

Prayer
To you, O God, I give up the burdens of this day, trusting in your love and mercy.  To you, O God, I surrender myself, trusting in my risen Lord to lead me always in the way of peace, today, tomorrow, and forever.  Amen.

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