I cannot remember if I posted this prayer before but as it seemed to be an appropriate one for the season I did not think that you would mind if I posted it again as it affirms both the ascension of Christ and God’s new resurrection created world. It is part of the evening prayers that we use in the Mustard Seed House at this season. From now until Pentecost we are also using an adaptation of some of the prayers that I posted yesterday for morning prayers. I find that using prayers like this on a regular basis is a wonderful way to affirm my faith and connect my everyday life to the events of the life, death and resurrection of Christ. That in turn makes it easier for me to live in the presence of Christ throughout the day. If you are unfamiliar with the Feast of Ascension you may like to check out this post by Eliacin Rosario Cruz.
God whose glory fills our world
God whose life is closer than breath
God whose love is stronger than death
God, this God of life and love
Has sent an advocate to save us
Jesus Christ the righteous, now at the right hand of God
Not to condemn but to bring full life
Not to accuse but to redeem
Not to reject but to draw close
God, this God of life and love
Has sent an advocate to save us
Jesus Christ the righteous, now at the right hand of God
God who hears the cry of our seeking souls
God who sees the pain of our suffering bodies
God who feels the loss of our grieving spirits
God, this God of life and love
Has sent an advocate to be with us forever
The Spirit of truth abides with us eternally
Before us to teach and lead,
Within us to comfort and heal,
Around us to shield and protect,
God, this God of life and love
Has sent an advocate to be with us forever
The Spirit of truth abides with us eternally
God whose dream brings hope and wholeness
God whose ways bring abundance and peace
God whose new world is breaking into ours
God, this God of life and love
Has made his dwelling place with men and women
God the Almighty welcomes us into a resurrection created world
Together with sisters and brothers of every nation
Together with saints from every age
Together with those who follow in our footsteps
God, this God of life and love
Has made his dwelling place with men and women
God the Almighty welcomes us into a resurrection created world
Here is a litany adapted from the morning and evening prayers that we use at the Mustard Seed House. I think that it is an appropriate one to use for Pentecost
_____________________________________
God, the light of your Spirit has fallen upon us,
The seal of your ownership is on us,
You have placed the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
Like tongues of fire it has renewed and restored.
In our rising and our sleeping,
In our working and our playing,
In our joys and in our sorrows,
Your Spirit’s brightness has dispelled the darkness,
In our loving and caring,
In our touching and our listening,
In our thoughts and in our actions,
God’s Spirit has brought life out of death.
(Pause to invite the Holy Spirit into your day’s activities)
God, your spirit fell like tongues of fire.
It filled those that were empty,
It empowered those that were weary.
God, your spirit fell like tongues of fire.
It brought together those that were divided,
It reassured those who were afraid.
God, your spirit fell like tongues of fire.
By its power we can walk together as one,
By its power we can find strength to share.
God, your spirit fell like tongues of fire.
By its power we can find freedom in loving each other,
By its power we can find life in you.
Read scriptures from daily lectionary or use following scriptures
1 Corinthians 12: 1-11 (The Message)
Galatians 5: 1, 13-26 (CEV)
John 14: 15-21 (CEV)
God, we believe you have sent your Spirit to live within us,
Your indwelling Spirit leads us into all truth.
God, we believe your Spirit teaches your followers to serve others,
Your empowering Spirit equips us with gifts for service.
God, we believe your Spirit breaks down the barriers that imprison us,
Your comforting Spirit encourages us to worship God with all our hearts.
God, we believe your Spirit writes your law on our hearts,
Your liberating Spirit sets us free to love our neighbours as we do ourselves.
God we believe your Spirit calls us to follow you.
God, we believe this is the path from death to eternal life.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen
God, thank you for your spirit breaking down barriers within and without
Barriers that distort our ability to lead a life fully integrated with you and your ways
Forgive us for the times we have deliberately resisted the Spirit’s work
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God for the barriers we create within ourselves,
Barriers that resist your healing work and prevent us moving toward wholeness.
Forgive our self-centerdness, our anger, our fear of change, our lack of trust in your love.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God, for the barriers we create between us and you,
Barriers that separate us from your love and the assurance of your salvation.
Forgive our busyness, our independence, our desire to go our own way.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God, for the barriers we create between us and each other,
Barriers that separate us from neighbours near and far and inhibit mutual love and care.
Forgive our resentment of others, our love of control, our indifference to the poor.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God, for the barriers we create between us and your beautiful creation,
Barriers that abuse your world and deny our responsibility as stewards.
Forgive our greed, our misuse of resources, our pollution of the environment.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
God, by the power of your spirit, free us and break down these barriers.
Turn us away from the bondage of a life lived for ourselves and our own desires,
May your spirit guide us into the freedom of life lived for you and your purposes.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Glorious God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
We go into this day knowing your Spirit dwells within us.
May your Counselor make us wise and help us understand what it means to know you.
May the Spirit’s fire ignite our hearts so that we understand the hope of being chosen by God.
May we discover the glorious blessings we share together with all God’s people.
God we go into this day knowing it is you who makes us stand firm in Christ
We are filled with your Spirit,
We are anointed to serve,
We go out to bring resurrection life.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, this day and forever.
Amen
Jesus is on his way toward the Cross. His disciples have fled and he is alone, alone with our suffering and our pain. Alone to face the wrath of the Roman Empire and the fury of the crowd. Alone and feeling abandoned by God. Yet not alone for all of humanity walks with him. We stumble and fall as he did. We are abused and spat upon. We feel despised and rejected – by ourselves, by others, by our world. God have mercy. Free us from our prisons and bring us new life
God who created us suffers because of us
God who died upon the cross suffers for us
God who dwells with us suffers with us
And in God’s suffering we find hope
God, you suffering brings us salvation
Without you the horrors of human suffering would be unbearable
Your story of life, death and resurrection gives life meaning
Your suffering frees us from our prisons
Because of your suffering a new world is breaking into ours
May we live this day in the knowledge of your pain
May we live this day in the assurance of your love
May we live this day in the hope of the resurrection.
Today
Photo by Tara malouf
Christ Jesus you hung upon a cross and died for us,
So that we might live for you.
Your body was broken and your blood shed,
So that we might be healed and made whole.
You were faithful unto death ,
So that we might be faithful unto life.
Your last command was that we might love one another,
One family together from every tribe and nation,
A new creation united through your sacrifice.
Redeemed by your blood,
Healed by your love,
United by your covenant of peace.
In your death may we find life.
Today is Martin Luther King Day and tomorrow the inauguration of Barack Obama – both celebrations of extraordinary events that have already and will continue to change the world in which we live. The blogosphere is alive with commentary and analysis of what is happening. But there is another historic event occurring this week that most of us are not even aware of. This week is also a week of prayer for unity within the church and I suspect that in God’s economy it is the prayers that we offer up for love and unity and respect, this week that really hold the keys to how much will be accomplished in other realms. As I read the discourse flying around the internet I realize how much we need unity within the church and amongst all who call themselves followers of Christ.
Some Christians see the events of these days as a wonderful celebration of God’s ongoing work in our world. Others are more inclined to view the events as a sign of the evil of the times in which we live. Everyone thinks that their viewpoint is the only right way to interpret these events.
The question that comes to my mind was one posed by Nadia Bolz-Weber author of Salvtion on the Small Screen, at a small gathering we held last Friday evening at which Nadia shared about her experiences watching Christian television for 24 hours straight. People’s reactions to Christian television are as diverse as their reactions to what is going on in the world over these important days. Some see the televangelists as God’s tools for the proclamation of the gospel. Others see them as presenting a travesty of the gospel that ridicules and belittles the good news of Christ.
The question Nadia posed that brought me up short however was “Do we need each other?” Do liberals need conservatives and vice versa? Does God intentionally allow us to view life from opposite perspectives so that all that holds us together is the love of God and our respect for others that are made in God’s image?
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34) and “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:22, 23)
There has never been a time in which we have needed more for Christians to model the love of God and the unity of the body of Christ – unity that does not come from uniformity of belief but that comes from acceptance of the rich diversity that exists within Christ’s body. God did not make us all to look alike, to think alike or to act alike, but God does ask us to respond to each other in love – not necessarily to agree but to accept, not working for uniformity but for unity in the midst of our diversity.
I think that we do live in historic times. God wants to change the world into a place of mutual love and care where the hungry are fed, the oppressed are set free and justice comes for the poor. The biggest challenge we face this week is not how we respond to the inauguration of Barack Obama but rather how we respond to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Our biggest challenge is our willingness to open our hearts and our minds to look to listen and to learn rather than expecting to tell, to teach and to take over. If we really want others to know we are Christians by our love then we need to stop criticizing, dividing and seeking to conquer those who have different viewpoints about what it means to be a follower of Christ.
God may we see in your Oneness our need for unity,
God may we see in your Threeness our need for community
God may we see in your creativity our need for diversity,
God may we see in you our need to love each other
Amen
For some of you this is probably a little late. However at the Mustard Seed House we will use this prayer for our morning prayers throughout the season of Epiphany so I thought that others might like to join us. Evening prayers can be found here
Morning Prayer for the Season of Epiphany
Arise shine inheritors of God’s light
Bearers of God’s light to our darkened world,
The light of God has come into our world,
And nations will come to its brightness.
Arise sine, privileged ones who live in the light of Christ,
Bow before God, not in shame but in awe,
All is visible in Christ’s eternal light,
In us God’s light never goes out.
(Pause to remind yourself of the ways that Christ has been revealed as Son of God in your own life.How has God used your life to bring Christ’s light into the life of others?)
Arise shine, in Christ, God’s light has been revealed to us,
It reaches across time and space,
We have come to see,
We have come to follow,
Arise shine, in Christ God’s light has been revealed to all people,
God’s glory has been unveiled in all the earth,
May we go and tell,
May we go and share God’s light with our needy world.
Read Scriptures of the day from Daily Lectionary
Come and see
The light of God has come into our world
To proclaim God’s justice and love
It has overcome the darkness and brought new life.
Come and follow
Christ our king has redeemed our world
He draws us into a loving family
From every tribe and family and culture
Go and tell
The Spirit has equipped us for service
To love our neighbours as we do ourselves
To bring God’s salvation to the ends of the earth
Come and see, come and follow, go and tell
In God’s Son the nations of the earth will put their hope
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, your 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 yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, amen
God who revealed yourself to wise men following a star,
Guide all who search and journey towards your light today,
God whose light shines like a bright guiding star have mercy on us.
God who unveiled yourself in the gift of a son,
Show yourself to all who seek after justice and righteousness today,
God whose light shines like a bright guiding star have mercy on us.
God who was baptized with those who declared their repentance in the Jordan river,
Manifest yourself to all who come with repentant hearts today,
God whose light shines like a bright guiding star have mercy on us.
God who fed the five thousand with a handful of fish and loaves,
Satisfy our hunger with your word of truth and love,
God whose light shines like a bright guiding star have mercy on us.
God who changed water into wine at a wedding,
Fill all who thirst with the free gift of the water of life,
God whose light shines like a bright guiding star have mercy on us.
(Pause to offer up your own intercessions.)
Lord God Almighty, thank you that Jesus’ epiphany as Son of God reaches across time and space. As we go into this day may we embrace your call to come and see, come and follow, go and tell others. May we remember that we are bearers of Christ’s light sent out to touch others so that they may know him as Son of God and experience the wonder hope his message brings
Go into the world knowing you are led by the light of Christ,
May the love of the Creator go before you,
May the life of the Redeemer be within you,
May the joy of the Spirit shine through you,
Amen.
This liturgy was originally written to celebrate Jesus naming day celebrated January 1st as a wonderfully refreshing Christian celebration for starting the new year. It can also be used for an morning or evening prayer during the 12 days of Christmas too – though of course there are only 6 days left.
May we join in the dance of God this day,
And sing our praises to Christ our Saviour.
Let us celebrate the joy of Christ’s birth,
And shout aloud: Emmanuel, God is with us!
Pause to light the Christ candle and remind yourself of the many names by which Christ is known in the Bible. Allow time for each person to call out the names that are most meaningful to them)
Lord Jesus Christ,
A thousand names cannot confine you
You are King of Kings and Lord of Lord
Wonderful counselor, Prince of Peace,
Saviour, Restorer and Redeemer
You are the Lamb who was slain,
Lord Jesus Christ,
A thousand names cannot confine you
God of justice and truth how can we know you?
You are majestic and holy, abounding in love and faithfulness
You are the source of life, our provider
You walk beside us as companion and friend
Lord Jesus Christ,
A thousand names cannot confine you
God of glory, God of power you care for the vulnerable
Protector of widows and orphans,
Compassionate to the poor, comforter of the downcast
You heal all our diseases and bring us wholeness
Lord Jesus Christ,
A thousand names cannot confine you
God in whom we trust, you are always with us
You are all things good, known yet unknowable
You are the way, the truth and the life,
We worship you
Lord Jesus Christ,
A thousand names cannot confine you
Read the scriptures for the day from the daily lectionary
Lord Jesus Christ, your name is proclaimed in all the earth.
You were God almighty yet you made yourself nothing
You came as a vulnerable child to live amongst us.
You were God all powerful
Yet you came as a humble servant
You were faithful as a son,
You went through death so that we might find life
Your blood was shed so that we could be redeemed
Your body was broken so that we might be made whole
Therefore God has exalted you and given you the name above all names
So that one day all peoples will proclaim you
As Jesus Christ the Lord
God who calls us all by name
Have mercy upon us
Christ who invites us to share life as one family
Have mercy on us
Spirit who welcomes us home together into God’s eternal world
Grant us peace
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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Jesus, as members of your family, help us to proclaim your names in all the earth
Make us instruments of your life today
Through our words and actions help us to proclaim you as saviour and redeemer to all peoples
Lord make us instruments of your love today
Where there is war may we proclaim you as the Prince of Peace
Lord make us instruments of your peace today
Where there is despair may we proclaim you as the God of all comfort
Lord make us instruments of your comfort today
Where there is sickness may we proclaim you as the great physician
Lord make us instruments of your healing today
Where there is oppression may we proclaim you as the God who brings freedom
Lord make us instruments of your freedom today
Where there is hunger may we proclaim you as the God of abundant provision
Lord make us instruments of your generosity today
Jesus may we be proclaimers of your names through all the earth
Lord make us instruments of your kingdom today
The Wonderful Counsellor guide you,
The Mighty God protect you,
The Everlasting Father be with you.
The Prince of Peace inspire you,
And the blessings of God be upon you, now and evermore.
Amen
As an Amazon Associate, I receive a small amount for purchases made through appropriate links.
Thank you for supporting Godspace in this way.
When referencing or quoting Godspace Light, please be sure to include the Author (Christine Sine unless otherwise noted), the Title of the article or resource, the Source link where appropriate, and ©Godspacelight.com. Thank you!