Morning Prayer:
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentence
One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.
You will find the Lord your God, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Morning readings
Psalm 119:169-176 NLT:
O Lord , listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised. Listen to my prayer; rescue me as you promised.
Let praise flow from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees. Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right.
Give me a helping hand, for I have chosen to follow your commandments. O Lord , I have longed for your rescue, and your instructions are my delight.
Let me live so I can praise you, and may your regulations help me. I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands.
Nehemiah 8:12 NLT:
So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.
Philemon 4-7 NLT:
I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.
And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.
Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.
Reflection/Prayer:
This month we have read Psalm 119 and prayed: ‘Give me understanding according to Your word.’
‘Father, I know now, if I never knew it before, that only in You can my restless human heart find any peace. For I began life without knowledge, but full of needs. And the turmoil of my mind, the dissatisfaction of my life all stem from trying to meet those needs with the wrong things and in the wrong places.’
(Peter Marshall)
I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant. Lord, You have found me, loved me and fed me. Now I must send something to others for whom nothing has been prepared.
It is everyone’s duty to pray to God for their friends. And for all their friends, whether they are numerous or few. To make a habit of it may be to impose considerable demands upon time and memory, but it is not merely worthwhile, it is a matter of supreme importance. If you’ve only a handful of friends, it won’t take long, and if you’re one of the lucky ones, with more friends than you can remember all at once, card-index them. Pray for them in installments, but pray for them. Nobody knows what they may be doing if they pray for a friend tonight.
Hugh Redwood, God in the Shadows
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCDe1StPXgw&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Canticle
Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Peanut Gallery: The Morning Prayer readings are from the Daily Office of the Northumbrian Community as available online here… and in the book form, Celtic Daily Prayer available on Amazon.com.
The website and prayer book are rich in prayer resources and I commend them to you. For our purpose here, I will limit my selections to the Morning Prayer resources.
The Peanut Gallery 