Good morning.
Today is Monday,
October 19th,
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 worship.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
Find yourself that you are in God's presence today.
Notice how God may be speaking to you.
Let yourself dwell on a word or a phrase that jumps out at you and let your heart respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
Consider us not with walls that exclude,
But with your widespread win.
John chapter one verses 45 through 51.
Philip sought out Nathaniel and said to him,
We found the one that Moses spoke of in the law.
The one about whom the prophets wrote Jesus of Nazareth,
Son of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth,
Said Nathaniel,
Can anything good come from Nazareth?
Come and see replied Philip.
When Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him,
He remarked,
This one is a real Israelite.
There is no guile in him.
How do you know me,
Nathaniel asked him.
Jesus answered before Philip even went to call you while you were sitting under the fig tree.
I saw you.
Rabbi,
Said Nathaniel,
You are God's own.
You are the ruler of Israel.
Jesus said,
Do you believe just because I told you I saw you under the tree under the fig tree?
You'll see much greater things than that.
Jesus went on to tell them the truth of the matter is you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the chosen one.
Please repeat these words.
Shelter us not with walls that exclude,
But with your widespread wing.
On Mondays,
We pray for the world.
So I invite you now to hold the world before God,
Remembering that God so loved the world,
Remembering that God created the world and all that is in it.
So hold the world before God.
And as you do hear these words of blessing spoken over this world that we live in.
May the light of Christ go before you and behind you,
Beneath you and above you,
On your right and on your left.
When you rise and when you lie down,
May the light of Christ be with you.
May the light of Christ be in you.
May the love of God go before you and behind you,
Beneath you and above you,
On your right and on your left.
When you rise and when you lie down,
May the love of God be with you.
May the love of God be in you.
And then 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 Halloween 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.
Let 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 equal,
Free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
Now and forever.
Amen.
Gracious and eternal God,
As we rush into a future we don't know or understand,
Give us wisdom.
May we listen and learn with humility,
Trusting that you are always before us,
Calling us,
Wanting to show us the way if only we will calm our anxious egos and follow.
Fill our anxious souls to rest in your hope,
Your provision,
Your strength,
And your justice.
Through Jesus.
Amen.
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.
Come in peace.
