Daily Prayers Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Good morning, Cornerstone Friends.

I am preparing these prayers on Friday the 25th. What a beautiful week of weather we have had! Praise to our loving Heavenly Father for all the stunning sights and colours of Spring.

An opening prayer from Iona.

O God of life, of all life and each life, we lay our lives before you.
We give our lives to you,
from whom nothing in us is hidden.
You are before us, God, you are behind;
You are around us, God, you are within.

O God of life,
you know the secret thoughts of every heart.
We bring the faith that is in us, and the doubt; We bring the joy that is in us and the sorrow.

O God of life, you are in the light, and in the darkness.
We bring the knowledge that is in us, and the ignorance; We bring the hope that is in us, and the despair.

O God of life, O generous Spirit,
Renew us with your life,
Today, tomorrow and always.
Amen

Our reading for the day is Psalm 34.

I shall bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall be ever on my lips.
In the Lord I shall glory;
the humble will hear and be glad.
Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord’s help; he answered me and set me free from all my fears.
They who look to him are radiant with joy; they will never be put out of countenance.
Here is  one who cried out in his affliction; the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord is on guard round those who fear him, and he rescues them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Happy are they who find refuge in him!
Fear the Lord, you his holy people;
those who fear him lack for nothing.
Princes may suffer want and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Come, children, listen to me;
I shall teach you the fear of the Lord.
Which of you delights in life and desires a long life to enjoy prosperity?
Then keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies; shun evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous; his ears are open to their cry.
The Lord sets his face against wrongdoersl to cut off all memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and sets them free from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to those whose courage is broken ; he saves those whose spirit is crushed.
Though the misfortunes of one who is righteous may be many, the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He guards every bone of his body, and not one of them will be broken.
Misfortune will bring death to the wicked, and punishment befalls those who hate the righteous.
The Lord delivers the lives of his servants, and no punishment befalls those who seek refuge in him.

Prayers based on this psalm.

“I shall bless the Lord at all times; his praise will be ever on my lips”

Heavenly Father, we come to you in love and gratitude. We thank you for always being by our side, for sustaining us and giving us hope. We praise you for all the good things you give us – the beauty of the world, enough food and drink, health care, people who care for us and people for us to care for. Help us always to remember your great goodness to us.
Amen

“I sought the Lord’s help; he answered me and set me free from all my fears.”

Heavenly Father, help us to know that you love it when we come close to you and open ourselves to you in prayer and that you understand our fears and anxieties. Help us to listen to you and look out for your answers. O Lord, hear our prayers.
Amen

“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.”

Heavenly Father, we pray today that we will be kind to all those that we come into contact with, that we shall put others before ourselves, that we shall share what we can with those less fortunate than ourselves, that we shall think before we speak, that we shall aim to be true followers of Jesus.
Amen

“When the nations cry for help, the Lord hears.”

Living God,
creator and giver of life to all people, we ask that you would hear our prayer for peace amongst the nations and for the ending of the conflict in Ukraine.

Living God,
who shall judge between the nations, we ask that you would lead the nations in the paths of peace and that the dividing wall of hostility would be broken down.

Living God, who has inspired faith across the ages, grant peace in the midst of war and bring harmony to all nations.

Living God, who gave his only Son that we might have life: we ask that you would pour out your Holy Spirit and inspire in us the hope that peace will be renewed.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
(Church of Scotland)

And to finish a hymn about the power of the Holy Spirit.

The God of heaven is present on earth
in word and silence and sharing,
in face of doubt, in depth of faith,
in signs of love and caring.

Gentler than air, wilder than wind,
settling yet also deranging,
the Spirit thrives in human lives,
both changeless and yet changing.

Far from the church, outside the fold,
where prayer turns feeble and nervous,
the Spirit wills society’s ills
be healed through humble service.

From rural quiet to urban riot,
in every social confusion,
the Spirit pleads for all that leads
to freedom from illusion.

Truth after tears, trust after fears,
God leaving everyone wiser,
the Spirit springs through hopeless things transforming what defies her.

The God of heaven is present on earth
in word and silence and sharing,
in face of doubt, in depth of faith,
in signs of love and caring.
(Iona)

Have a blessed day, Cornerstone Friends.

Rosemary Goldie