Today is Wednesday,
February 3rd,
2020.
Oh Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to God,
The three in one,
Creator,
Redeemer,
And sustainer.
As it was in the beginning,
Is now,
And will be forever.
Amen.
Come let us bow down and bend the knee.
Let us kneel before the Lord,
Our maker.
Remind yourself that you are in God's presence.
Notice how God may be speaking to you today.
Let yourself dwell on any word or phrase that catches your attention or moves your heart.
And let your heart simply respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the lamb of God.
You take away the sins of the world.
John 1 verses 19 through 28.
Now the temple authorities sent emissaries from Jerusalem,
Priests and Levites to talk to John.
Who are you?
They asked.
This is John's testimony.
He didn't refuse to answer,
But freely admitted.
I am not the Messiah.
Who are you then?
They asked.
Elijah.
No,
I am not.
He answered.
Are you a prophet?
No,
He answered.
Finally,
They said to him,
Who are you?
Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us.
What do you have to say for yourself?
Someone said,
I am as Isaiah prophesied,
The voice of someone crying out in the wilderness.
Make straight our God's road.
The emissaries were members of the Pharisee sect.
They questioned him further.
If you're not the Messiah or Elijah,
The prophet,
Then why are you baptizing people?
John said,
I baptize with water because among you stands someone whom you don't recognize.
The one who is to come after me,
The strap of whose sandal I am not worthy even to untie.
This occurred in Bethany,
Across the Jordan River,
Where John was baptizing.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the lamb of God.
You take away the sins of the world.
I invite you now to hold someone's name before God.
You may want to repeat the person's name over and over with your voice or just in your mind,
Or maybe just hold this person silently in your heart.
Don't worry about diagnosing the person's need or telling God what to do.
Just hold this person before the God of love.
Bless all who call on you,
Almighty God,
From the rising of the sun to its setting.
From your goodness enrich us,
By your love inspire us,
By your spirit guide us,
By your power protect us,
In your mercy receive us,
Now and always.
In the name of Jesus who taught us to pray,
Our Father which art in heaven,
Eternal God,
Earth maker,
Pain bearer,
Life giver,
Source of all that is and all that shall be,
Not only Father but Mother of us all.
May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe.
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another forgive us.
In times of temptation and test strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love now and forever.
Amen.
God our savior,
Jesus our redeemer,
You take away the sins of the world.
Have mercy on us.
Grant us peace.
We long for your comfort in a world of trouble.
Because you have overcome the world we can have peace.
We can know joy.
And now my friends may the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you wherever he may send you today.
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.
Now in peace.
