Liturgical Morning Prayer - Day 3

Welcome to morning prayers. We are going to use the same liturgy each day this week. We hope that as it becomes more familiar it will help us to place God in the centre of our hearts and thoughts. It has been translated into French, Spanish and Indonesian. I will lead in English but feel free to read it in whichever language is easiest for you. 

The blue parts are the parts we read together. The reader will read the Scriptures. After the Psalm, you are welcome to pray silently or speak your praises out loud in whatever language you prefer to pray.

Opening sentences (all)

One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.

Who is it that you seek?

We seek the Lord our God.

Do you seek Him with all your heart?

Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Do you seek Him with all your soul?

Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Do you seek Him with all your mind?

Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Do you seek Him with all your strength?

Amen. Christ, have mercy.

Declaration of faith (all)

To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that you are the Holy One of God.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.

Scripture reading:

(Leader)  Joining with God’s people around the world we worship God with the words of Psalm 62

Psalm 62:5-8 (NLT) (Reader)

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
     for my hope is in him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,
     my fortress where I will not be shaken.

My victory and honour come from God alone.
     He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

O my people, trust in him at all times.
     Pour out your heart to him,
     for God is our refuge. 

Pause to pray either silently or out loud 

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV) (Reader)

For this reason, I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Meditation (leader)

It is wonderful that Paul prayed such a powerful prayer and that it’s recorded in Scripture for us to use too.

This is God’s invitation to us this morning: to kneel before Father God who we know loves to give good things to his children (Matthew 7:11). He is not a stranger, he is our Father. He has glorious riches with which to strengthen us deep in our inner person. He is ready and willing to give us all the strength we need so that Christ may dwell in your hearts. No matter how empty, weary or broken we are, his resources for us are greater. His love for you is everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3), which means it cannot end, is not reliant on you, and that God will continue to delight in you (Zephaniah 3:17). He wants us to grasp the extent of his love for us so that we can be filled to the measure of all fullness of God.

The leader prays: Thank you God that you are our Father. Thank you, your resources are so many that you can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. I pray Lord that you renew and strengthen each of my brothers and sisters, especially those who are weary, those who are weak and those who are carrying heavy burdens.

Please would you pour out your love upon each one. May they understand better “how wide and long and high and deep” is your love for them. Fill them to the measure of the fullness of God.

Pause to receive and pray

Prayers for others

Pray for all the Global Gathering staff, including the online intercessors and the participants to encounter God’s strengthening power and to know how deeply God loves them.

Pause to pray

Pray for Pastor Simon and those presenting to be strengthened and to be filled with God’s love 

Pause to pray

Pray for our families and others we love to be refreshed and encounter more powerfully God’s love for them

Pause to pray

Pray now for the hotel staff to encounter God’s love in a new measure today. Pray a blessing upon them.

Pause to pray

Canticle (all)

Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.

Blessing (all)

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders, he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.

Acknowledgements:

The liturgy and closing prayers are taken from the Northumbria Community morning prayer: https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/morning-prayer/