Opening Prayer
Take heart, God rejoices over you in gladness, and will renew you in love -Zephaniah 3:17 (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord! I will keep your statutes. I call to you; save me, that I may observe your testimonies. I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life. -Psalm 119: 145-149 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin Oh, to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be Let that goodness like a fetter Bind my wandering heart to Thee Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it Prone to leave the God I love Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it Seal it for Thy courts above -Source: Come Thou Fount of every blessing (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. -Mark 10:2-5 (Think deeply on the life and words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to You. -Psalm 6:1 (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer To you will I entrust whatsoever I have received from You, so shall I lose nothing. You made me for Yourself and my heart is restless until it rests in You. Amen. -Augustine of Hippo (354-430) |