Guided Daily Prayer (Series 2)

December 4, 2023
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Instructions: The underlined text are headings and do not need to be read. [Brackets] are instructions to be followed but not necessarily read. FOR INDIVIDUAL PRAYER: I suggest you read the prayer sheet aloud, but reading silently is fine too. FOR GROUP PRAYER: have one person act as leader. The leader reads the regular print and everyone reads the Bold Italic Type together.

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Opening Sentences:
 The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. (Isaiah 40:5)

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP,1979)

Praying Together:
Come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. Amen. (from Psalm 95)

Prayers of Confession
[If the Guide is used in group prayer, the leader begins by saying “Come, let us offer our confession and seek God’s forgiveness together.”]

For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
We confess that our hope is often in the might of our own hands instead of your merciful and all knowing ways.
We confess that in this season of light our actions are often dark and hurtful.
We confess that in this season of light we spend our time seeking lights that will burn out, and spend our money on things that will wear out. Forgive us Lord, and set us back on your paths of wisdom. Amen.  (Based on Psalm 25)

Words of Assurance:
Sisters and Brothers, be assured that, when we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and forgives our sins, cleansing us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Scripture Reading Based on Micah 4:1-3:

¹In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. Peoples shall stream to it, ²and many nations shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 
³He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

[Silent Prayer / or Music may be listened to / or a Hymn is sung.]

Prayers of the People:
“With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying “O Lord, hear our prayer.”

For peace and goodwill among the nations; and for the well-being of all people we pray for justice and peace, let us pray to the Lord. O Lord, hear our prayer. [Silent prayer.]

For those who mourn, send your gentle presence to wipe every tear. Let us pray to the Lord. O Lord, hear our prayer. [Silent prayer.] *

For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord. O Lord, hear our prayer. [Silent prayer.]

Lord of love and life, we pray for your presence to be known as we wait and watch, O Come O Come Emmanuel. Let us pray to the Lord. O Lord, hear our prayer. [Silent prayer.]

For our individual and special prayers this day, we lift them up to the Lord. [Silent Prayer]

The Lord’s Prayer:
“Hear us, O Lord, as we pray together:”

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Closing Prayer:
O God of beginnings, by Your grace, we pray for the strength to walk in Your paths. May our hearts, like fertile soil, receive the seeds of Your word, flourishing in love and compassion. Guide us to be instruments of Your peace, forging plowshares from swords, and cultivating a harvest of justice and kindness. With each step we take, renew our spirits, that we might reflect Your light in the darkest corners of our world. In the name of Jesus Christ, whose advent we await with joy, Amen. (based on Micah 4:1-5 & RCL Prayers)