Three Prayers

Tuesday, April 20, 2010 -- Week of 3 Easter

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 961)
Psalms 26, 28 (morning)       36, 39 (evening)
Exodus 19:1-16
Colossians 1:1-14
Matthew 3:7-12

Colossians opens with a wonderful prayer that is a good one for us to claim for ourselves or to offer on behalf of others: 

"...that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. 

"May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light."

That's not a bad prayer to start any morning. 

This week I reconnected with a prayer written by my friend Jim Fenhagen who was the dean of my seminary when I was in school.  It is also a fine prayer for beginnings:

Holy God, be in my mind that I might let go of all that diminishes the movement of Your Spirit within me.

Discerning God, be in my eyes, that I might see You in the midst of all the busyness that fills my life.

Loving God, be in my heart that I can be open to those I love, to those with whom I share ministry and to the whole human family.

Gracious God, be in that grace-filled silence that lies deep within me, that I might live in Christ as Christ lives in me.
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Both of these prayers remind me of one that I have loved and prayed enough that it is a prayer of my heart, it is one I know by heart.  It is among the prayers in the collection in the back of the Book of Common Prayer (p. 814-841)

A Prayer of Self-Dedication
Almighty and eternal God,
so draw our hearts to you,
so guide our minds,
so fill our imaginations,
so control our wills,
that we may be wholly yours,
utterly dedicated to you;
and then use us, we pray, as you will,
and always to your glory and the welfare of your people,
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Lowell

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About Morning Reflections
Morning Reflections is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html
The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas