Daily Prayer – December 13
(Download PDF For Today’s Daily Prayer Guide)
Setting aside even a brief time each day to pray helps us create a stable spiritual center in our lives. This guided prayer is largely based on the Morning, Noon and Evening Prayer cycle found in the Book of Common Prayer.
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Online Text Version
INSTRUCTIONS: The underlined text are headings and do not need to be read. [Brackets] are instructions to be followed but not necessarily read. (Parentheses) are references and not to be read. FOR INDIVIDUAL PRAYER: I suggest you read the prayer sheet aloud, but reading silently is fine too. Don’t pay any attention to the Bold Italic Type. FOR GROUP PRAYER: have one person act as leader. The leader reads the regular print and everyone reads the Bold Italic Type together.
Daily Prayer for December 13
Opening Sentences:
Make us strong to join you in your holy work, as friends of strangers and victims– companions of those whom others shun. ff
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:10-12)
Praying Together:
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.
Confession:* (from Australian Prayer Book, Better Gatherings.com)
Heavenly Father, we praise you for adopting us as your children, and making us heirs of eternal life.
In your mercy you have washed us from our sins
and made us clean in your sight.
Yet we still fail to love you as we should and serve you as we ought.
Forgive us our sins and renew us by your grace,
that we may continue to grow as members of Christ,
in whom alone is our salvation. Amen
From Psalm 125
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time on and forevermore. Peace be upon Israel! Amen
[Silent Prayer; or Music may be listened to; or a Hymn is sung.]
Prayers of the People:
Help us, dear Lord, to be dependable, reliable, faithful, bold and true, in our witness to your love and grace. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. [Silent Prayer]
Protect us, Father God, from the wiles of the Devil in our work and in our worship. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. [Silent Prayer]
Deliver us, Almighty God, from false prophets and teachers, guide us in your wisdom and truth. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. [Silent Prayer]
Heal us young and old, O God, from all our diseases, relieve our suffering and use all for your glory. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
[Silent Prayer]
Empower us, dear Lord, to work for peace and justice in our communities, this nation, and the world. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
[Silent Prayer]
Save us, holy Lord, as we seek your will for our lives. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. [Silent Prayer]
In your mercy Lord, hear us as we pray, secure in your presence among us;
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Closing prayer:
And now, as your people, help us to live the love your Son Jesus lived as he walked this earth in grace and peace. Help us God, through your eternal presence among us, to serve you always with joy and thanksgiving. May the peace that Christ brought to his disciples, not as the world gives but as he gives it – the peace of the kingdom within – dwell in us richly as we go out into the world to love and to serve you today and always. Amen.
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Sources
ff From Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, Consultation on Common Texts.
*Confession from Australian Prayer Book, BetterGatherings.com
Image: “Dorothy Day with Homeless Christ” by Kelly Latimore. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57122
Music Selection from The Hymnal Project