Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:133-135; Isaiah 58:6-10; Romans 6:16-18 ~ end slavery

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 119:133-135 NLT:

Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil. Ransom me from the oppression of evil people; then I can obey your commandments. Look upon me with love; teach me your decrees.

Isaiah 58:6-10 NLT:

“No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

“Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors! Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.”

Romans 6:16-18 NLT:

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

Reflection/Prayer:

‘Be sure your sins will find you out,’ the proverb says. But listen to Hugh Redwood‘s comment on that:

Much better it would be, no doubt,
if Sin could always find us out.
This is the question: Why does Sin
so very often find us in?

Lord, order my steps in Your word. Don’t let any iniquity have dominion over me; let no sin rule over me. Shine your face on me, Your servant.

Lord, be Lord of all of me. I want You to be the Master, not my independence, my wrong actions and attachments, my wrong attitudes. None of these should master me.

Do now for me what I cannot do for myself. Break the habit patterns, reverse the direction of my negative thoughts, lift from me once again all anxieties and apprehensions. (Peter Marshall)

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.

Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:129-132; Habakkuk 2:14; John 7:37-39 ~ show me your glory

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 119:129-132 NLT:

Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them! The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. I pant with expectation, longing for your commands. Come and show me your mercy, as you do for all who love your name.

Jesus Christ detail from Deesis mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul — Jesus Christ
detail from Deesis mosaic (c 537)
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

Habakkuk 2:14 NLT:

For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.

John 7:37-39 NLT:

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

Reflection/Prayer:

Jesus stood up and said, ‘Whovever is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink, and drink, and drink.’

O Lord, Your word enters and lets in the light. It gives understanding to the simple.

Open-mouthed and longing we come to You. To whom else shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have believed, some of us recklessly, some of us hesitantly, but we have believed, and have come to know that You are the only one who can satisfy our thirst.

I am an emptiness for Thee to fill;
my soul a cavern for Thy sea.
(George MacDonald)

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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
_____________________________________

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.

Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:121-128; 1 Kings 3:12-13; Matthew 22:15-22 ~ a wise and understanding heart

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 119:121-128 NLT:

Don’t leave me to the mercy of my enemies, for I have done what is just and right. Please guarantee a blessing for me. Don’t let the arrogant oppress me!

My eyes strain to see your rescue, to see the truth of your promise fulfilled. I am your servant; deal with me in unfailing love, and teach me your decrees. Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws.

Lord, it is time for you to act, for these evil people have violated your instructions. Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold. Each of your commandments is right. That is why I hate every false way.

“King Solomon”
Russian icon from first quarter of 18th cen.
Iconostasis of Kizhi monastery, Russia

1 Kings 3:12-13 NLT:

I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!

Matthew 22:15-22 NLT:

Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

“Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

His reply amazed them, and they went away.

Reflection/Prayer:

O Lord, teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Time is short, and no one of us knows how little time he has left. May we be found using wisely our time, our talents, and our strength. (Peter Marshall)

Help us to know judgement and justice, Lord. When Your judgements come, then stand by me, and teach me Your statutes so I can understand what justice really is.

Lord, You know I am Your servant, so give me understanding. Protect me from deception. Give me wisdom. When people try to trick me or confuse me with their questions and clever arguments, help me to see their heart. Help me to know when to say nothing. Help me to know when to answer what they are saying. Help me to know when it is an unspoken question that I should be answering.

Teach me to recognize the moments when You wait to intervene, so I can say, ‘It is time – You work now, Lord!’

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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
_____________________________________

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.

Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:113-117; Isaiah 55:8-9; Ephesians 1:3; 2:6-7 ~ keep looking down

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 119:113-117 NLT:

I hate those with divided loyalties, but I love your instructions. You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope. Get out of my life, you evil-minded people, for I intend to obey the commands of my God.

Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live! Do not let my hope be crushed. Sustain me, and I will be rescued; then I will meditate continually on your decrees.

Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT:

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Ephesians 1:3; 2:6-7 NLT:

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

Reflection/Prayer:

Uphold me that I may live and not be ashamed of my hope. Hold me up and I shall be safe.

Give me a calm and confident trust in Thee. Make me willing to live just one day at a time. May my heart re-echo to Thy promise that only as I rest in Thee can the desires of my heart be given to me. And now help me to do my part in placing a guard around my thoughts, by resolutely refusing to return to my old haunts of distrust. I thank Thee for Thy love for me and for Thy help. Amen. (Peter Marshall)

My greatest struggle is
the struggle not to struggle. (Arthur Burt)

What the soul has to do in the time of quiet is only to be gentle and make no noise… Let the will quietly and prudently understand that one does not deal successfully with God by any efforts of one’s own. (Teresa of Avila)

I knew a man who always said ‘Keep looking down,’ ‘You mean keep looking up, don’t you?’ ‘No! No! We are seated together with Christ in heavenly places!’ (Arthur Burt)

Keep looking down, we’re seated in the heavenlies,
God’s mighty power has raised us over all.
Keep looking down, above all pricipalities,
for we have ‘died and risen with the Lord.’
And in His name we have authority,
and in His name we shall prevail,
And in His name we dare to face the enemy
and in His name we cannot fail.
Keep looking down! (Jimmy Owens)

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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
_____________________________________

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.

Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:105-112; Isaiah 30:20-21; Hebrews 4:12-13 ~ one step at a time

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 119:105-112 NLT:

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations.

I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again as you promised. Lord, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations. My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions. The wicked have set their traps for me, but I will not turn from your commandments.

Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight. I am determined to keep your decrees to the very end.

Isaiah 30:20-21 NLT:

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you.

You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.

Hebrews 4:12-13 NLT:

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

Reflection/Prayer:

Your word is a lamp to my feet; where I am standing now, and the step just before me that I need not hesitate over. Your word is a light to my path, shining a little way ahead, giving me glimpses of direction to reassure me and give me purpose. You shine faithfully upon my life, but You cannot and will not take the steps for me – it is I who must walk in Your way and become the expression of Your will.

O Lord, give me wisdom. I dare not take a step without You. When I cannot see all of the way forward, help me to trust that You will whisper in my heart or in my ear calling me back when I might step to right or left of what You intend for me. When there are snares for my feet, help me to find the way through, and continue with a rejoicing heart to the end.

When we do not know what to do, let us ask of Thee, that we might find out. We dare to ask for light upon only one step at a time. We would rather walk with Thee than jump by ourselves. (Peter Marshall)

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart. (Attributed to Patrick)

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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
_____________________________________

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.

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