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Lord's Prayer

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, forever and ever.

For a Heart Open to God's Word

God, as you gave us the sun to lighten our days, so you have given us your Word to lighten our minds and our souls. I pray that you will pour out on me your Spirit as I pray today, that my heart and mind may be opened to your Word, and that I may learn and accept your will for my life.

Shine within my heart, loving God, the pure light of your divine knowledge; open the eyes of my mind and the ears of my heart to receive your Word, this day and always,

by Mason Barge

For Forgiveness

Almighty Father; I enter your presence confessing the things I try to conceal from you and the things I try to conceal from others. I confess the heartbreak, worry, and sorrow I have caused, that make it difficult for others to forgive me, the times I have made it easy for others to do wrong, the harm I have done that makes it hard for me to forgive myself. Lord have mercy on me, and forgive for all my sins against you and against others, through the grace of my Lord, Jesus Christ,

Paul E. Engle

Sunday Prayer to Christ

Oh Christ, you are continually worshiped in heaven and on earth, in all times and at all hours; you are patience, compassion and mercy; you love the righteous, you have mercy on sinners, and you call all men to salvation, promising them all things to come: Receive my prayers, this Sunday, as I celebrate Your resurrection; make my life conform to your will; sanctify my soul and body, order my thoughts, and give me victory in all trials and sadness, both today and in the week to come; protect me and bless me, and all of those who worship you this day, so that we may come to unity of faith and knowledge of your glory. For you live and reign, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God now and forever,

Taize Community, Midday Office 9/4/2014

Meditation

[How can I advance my unity of faith with fellow Christians this week?]

Dedication

Let me not forget my prayers as I go out into the world. Holy Spirit, be with me, and let me praise you and remember you in my every action and thought, for this day and the entire week long. In Christ's name I ask this,

Think of the day ahead in terms of God with you, and visualize health, strength, guidance, purity, calm confidence, and victory as the gifts of His presence.

Heaven

Exodus 19:1-6 (ESV)

The Call to the Old Testament

On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God.

The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

Notes on the Scripture

Rephidim could not have been far from Mount Sinai, for the entire area is pure desert and devoid of water; their only water source was at the foot of the mountain. They have been through a three-month period of preparation and training. They have formed into a nation with a judiciary and a military; they have learned the power of God and they have learned that their lives, every minute, depend on Him. He does not allow them the illusion of self-sufficiency we enjoy today; God provides their food and water directly, for they live in a land that has neither.

And now, the great moment occurs. God announces his covenant with the Hebrews, the "old testament". They will keep His laws and He will make them a holy nation. They will stay in this camp for almost 11 months learning these laws. (Numbers 10:11)

Just in case they have not fully grasped the point, God makes one of the clearest statements of monotheism in the early parts of the Bible: "All the earth is mine." Polytheism and idol worship, the tendency to forget God's overriding importance, was and remains a constant temptation; we swim upstream against it. Living in the Spirit is an active state. Without constant effort, any person will slip into polytheism or, more popular today, materialism and narcissism.

"The wings of eagles" is a stirring metaphor for life in the Spirit, or in terms of the Old Testament, a life of righteousness under God's law. Isaiah repeats it in a memorable passage (Isaiah 40:30-31)

Trying to follow God's law, sitting down to read the Bible or starting to pray may seem like a chore sometimes; but when we move ourselves into the life of Spirit, God transforms us into something wonderful. To the Hebrews, he makes a promise of this life to them as a people. And they shall be the kingdom of priests, who will lead the rest of the world to this true and mighty God, if only they will obey Him.

The Approach to Mt. Sinai by David Roberts ca. 1839 (Full size)

Daily Inspiration

“ The Shadow of Protection ”

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