5th. October. 2020. Daily Devotion
NOTHING TO OFFER
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 17:6-8a
Nicodemus came to Jesus in the middle of the night. The centurion came in the middle of the day. The leper and the sinful woman appeared in the middle of crowds. Zacchaeus appeared in the middle of a tree. Matthew had a party for him.
The educated. The powerful. The rejected. The sick. The lonely. The wealthy. Who would have ever assembled such a crew? All they had in common were their empty hope chests, long left vacant by charlatans and profiteers. Though they had nothing to offer, they asked for everything: a new birth, a second chance, a fresh start, a clean conscience. And without exception their requests were honoured. from Six Hours One Friday M. Lucado
Hymn Before Prayer
I, bending my knee
In the eye of the Father who created me,
In the eye of the Son who purchased me,
In the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me,
In friendship and affection.
Through Thine own Anointed One, O God,
Bestow upon us fullness in our need:
Love towards God,
The affection of God,
The smile of God,
The wisdom of God,
The grace of God,
The fear of God,
And the will of God
To do on the world of the Three,
As angels and saints do in heaven;
Each shade and light,
Each day and night,
Each time in kindness,
Give Thou us Thy Spirit. Amen.
Rune Before Prayer, from “Carmina Gadelica,” a collection of ancient Scottish prayers
For Forgiveness
Almighty Father: I enter your presence confessing the things I try to conceal from you and the things I try to conceal from others. I confess the heartbreak, worry, and sorrow I have caused, that make it difficult for others to forgive me; the times I have made it easy for others to do wrong; and the harm I have done that makes it hard for me to forgive myself. Lord have mercy on me and forgive me for all my sins against you and against others. And teach the grace to forgive others to all who ask for it, through the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Good Shepherd, seek me out, and bring me home to your fold again. Deal favourably with me according to your good pleasure, until I may dwell in your house all the days of my life and praise you forever and ever with them that are there. Amen. From a prayer of St. Jerome, 408 A.D.
A Prayer for Government during the pandemic
Father God, we pray for great wisdom for our government and health advisers. Lord God, please guide their decisions and help them to communicate plans clearly. We pray they may make decisions which will quickly and effectively stop the spread of the Coronavirus. Sustain our leaders and grant them energy during a time when they will be working long hours under great stress. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
