Psalm 113

The God who raises up

Our Father,
You are high above all nations,
Your glory above the heavens,
Seated on high,
And yet you see us.
You raise us up from the dust,
Lift us from the ash heap,
To sit with princes.
You give the barren woman a home,
And make her the mother of children.
You are to be praised,
Forevermore.
Amen

 

The Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ
Philippians 3:1-11

Our Father,

May we take joy in the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.
May we glory in Christ,
May we worship by the Spirit.
May we put no confidence in the flesh.
May we gain the righteousness of Christ by faith,
And in so doing to attain to the resurrection of the dead.
Amen

Heaven
Philippians 1:12-26

Our Father,
Fix our eyes and our hearts on heaven.
May we live for the day when we are with Christ,
Knowing that is better by far.
May we live as if heaven is gain.
May we rejoice in Christ.
May we proclaim Christ,
So that others may also know Jesus.
Amen

 

Confession

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit:
We have too often exchanged the worship of the living God for idols of our own imagining.
We remember today:
How we have desired domination
How we have been self-concerned.
We have forgotten the undivided Trinity.
We have forgotten Christ’s death on the cross.
We have forgotten the submission of the Spirit.
Fix our eyes on you.
Forgive us in Christ.
Heal us by the Holy Spirit.
Hear our prayers for Jesus Christ sake.
Amen

Father
Change my anger into grace
my selfishness into service
my fear into loving.
Change the desires of my heart

Give me eyes to see your salvation
ears to delight in your voice
affections that are warm towards you
and a life filled with holy and enduring actions

May your Son shine ever brighter
your grace be ever more precious
the cross be my beacon and my pillar
and you ever be the direction of my heart

Amen

Ephesians 5:21-33

Father, replace

Dominance with submission;

Narcissism with sacrifice;

Taking with giving;

Impurity with radiance;

Disdain with respect;

Depravity with holiness;

Ugliness with beauty;

Self-love with radical care;

Selfishness with love;

And conflict with peace.

For your glory alone

Amen

Romans 3:9-20

Father,

Our need is immense,

Our hearts are black,

Our love is inward,

Our desires are self-conditioned.

Our actions are hideous,

Our speech deceptive,

Our mouths bitter.

Our feet are ruinous,

Our legacy vile,

Our paths strewn with conflict,

And there is no fear of you in us.

Lord have mercy on us.

Christ have mercy on us.

Lord have mercy on us.