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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.

Prayer for the Morning

Oh Lord, most heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who has safely brought me to the beginning of this day; I give you thanks for my creation, preservation, and all the blessings of my life. Grant that this day I fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all my doings, being governed by your will, may be righteous in your sight. Through Christ our Lord, I pray.

Prayer for Grace and Strength

Lord God, I pray that you will fill my heart with the blessing of your Holy Spirit. Grant me this day the strength to be temperate in all things, diligent in my duties, and patient under my afflictions. Direct me in all my ways. Give me grace to be just and upright in all my dealings; quiet and peaceable; full of compassion; and ready to do good to all people, according to my abilities and opportunities. For the sake of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Community of Prayer

Heavenly Lord, I know I am not alone saying these prayers or reading your Word this morning, but many people unknown to me, from all stations of life, have joined together in this brief moment of devotion. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be among the community of all who pray in the name of Christ this morning, and remain among us always.

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.

Psalm 33:4-5

Acts 10:17-25 (NIV)

Peter's Vision [2]

While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."

Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?"

The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say." Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."

Notes on the Scripture

Peter's humility is a beacon for us all. He will not let Cornelius do obeisance to him, saying "I am only a man". He is first among Christ's disciples and the rock upon which Christ will build his church. He is the greatest and yet the most humble of Christ's followers. Even Paul cannot resist beating his chest a bit sometimes about his accomplishments.

Humility is a sweet thing, but it is difficult to find. The media blitz us with celebrity worship; the value of celebrity, wealth, appearance, and position bombards our eyes and ears. We are taught that these are what we must strive for. Above all, recognition and adoration by crowds seems to be the single most sought-after reward.

But the value of humility is also taught. Programs for addicts and alcoholics stress humility as a foundation of sobriety. School teachers and coaches, if we are lucky, make a point of trying to instill it in the young, for pride is a great temptation for young athletes. Many churches teach it — but many succumb to it as well.

How can we find humility in our own lives? Pray for it, of course, but even more, we must recognize it in ourselves — something much more difficult than recognizing it in others. One common manifestation of pride is our belief, or that of most of us, that we can run the government or some organization better than whoever is in charge; but we do not understand the difficulties. We see the splinter in someone else's eye more easily than the stick in our own.

It is hard to give the reins over to God and realize that he is running everything. He is the director and we are the actors. The weight of the world is not upon our shoulders; it would crush us. Yet sometimes, we must act on our beliefs; it is a complex and confusing topic, but yet, it is where we find ourselves. All we can do is try, to examine our own lives and pray as St. Francis taught us: "Give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, and the courage to change the things that I can."

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