Daily Prayers Wednesday, 22 June 2022

by Ian Trimnell · 22 June 2022

Prayers for the Day, Wednesday

Good morning, Cornerstone Friends.

Let us start our prayer time this morning by meditating on the words of this lovely song.

I owe my Lord a morning song
for God has meant this day.
Through fears of night and hidden light
God moves and wills my way.

I owe my Lord a morning song
for Jesus rose at dawn;
he made death die and would not lie
that others might live on.

I owe my Lord a morning song;
the Spirit gave me voice,
nor did she force my soul to praise
but honoured me with choice.

I owe my Lord a morning song.
How can I help but sing
when God is all in all,
and I am one with everything. (Iona)

Our reading today is Psalm 34 in the Iona translation.

I will keep on thanking God
with constant words of prayer.
I will glory in the living God.
The humble will hear and be glad.
Raise your voice with me in praise of God!
Let all of us together tell out God’s holy name!
God answers when I pray for help,
and frees me from my fears.
God hears when this poor wretch cries,
and saves me from my troubles.
Gaze upon God
and your face will grow bright with joy;
your head will no longer hang in shame.
Taste and see that God is good;
happy are those who seek such refuge.
Tremble before God, you saints;
those who do so lack nothing.
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
Turn from evil and do what is good;
seek and strive for peace.
Your eyes are on those who are just, O God;
your ears are open to their cry.
You set your face against those who oppose you;
you wipe their memory from the earth.
When the troubled cry out, you hear
and save them from their distress.
You stay with the broken-hearted;
you heal the wounded spirit.
Good people have to endure great trials,
but you come to their rescue, O God.
You redeem the lives of those who serve you,
and of all who take refuge in you.

Issues of justice and peace are at the forefront of our minds at the moment. At church on Sunday, we remembered the 72 people who died tragically in the Grenfell fire. Next Sunday we shall be thinking about how we, as individuals and as the Cornerstone community, should care for our environment properly for the benefit of all. Let us affirm our commitment to working for justice and peace for all using these words from Christian Aid.

We believe that God hopes and works for a world where all shall be included in the feast of life, and that in Christ we see how costly it is to bring that world about.
We believe that God’s strategy for a new world is to put the poorest first, and that nothing is more important for God’s people than to bring the poor good news.
We believe that rich and poor alike can be generous, wise and creative because all are made in God’s image, and that all are made poorer when they are left out.
We confess that we use our strength to protect ourselves and order the world to benefit the rich and not the poor, and that none of us can be trusted with too much power over others.
We believe that loving our neighbours means working for justice, so that all have a say in what happens to them.
We believe that God made the good earth to sustain and delight us, and that we are called to take care of it and enjoy it.
We believe that the God of all the earth is at work beyond the churches as well as within them, making common cause with all who want the poor to be included.
We long for the time when the meek shall inherit the earth and all who hunger and thirst after justice shall be satisfied, and we believe that, despite the persistence of evil, now is always the time when more good can be done and we can make a difference.

Now our final prayer.

God, lead us, that we may stand firm in faith for justice. Teach us love, teach us compassion. Above all, out of love and compassion, teach us to act.
Amen.