Good morning.
Today is Friday,
February 12th,
2021.
Oh Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to God,
The three in one,
Creator,
Redeemer,
And sustainer.
As it was in the beginning is now and will be forever.
Amen.
Come let us sing to the Lord.
Let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
Remind yourself that you are in God's presence.
Notice how God may be speaking to you today.
Let yourself dwell on a word or a phrase that catches your attention or moves your heart.
And let your heart respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
Shepherd us Lord with a faithful heart.
And guide us in the way of truth.
Our scripture today is John 3 verses 22 through 30.
After this,
Jesus and the disciples went into Judea.
Jesus spent some time with them there and performed baptisms.
John was also baptizing in Anon near Salim,
Where water was plentiful and people were constantly coming to be baptized.
This was,
Of course,
Before John was put in prison.
A controversy about purification arose between some of John's disciples and a certain temple authority.
They came to John and said,
Rabbi,
That person who was with you across the Jordan,
The one about whom you've been testifying,
Is baptizing now and everyone is going to him.
John replied,
None can lay claim to anything unless it is given to them from heaven.
You yourselves are witnesses to the fact that I said I am not the Messiah.
I am the Messiah's forerunner.
The bride and the groom are for each other.
The bridal party just waits there listening for them and is overjoyed to hear their voices.
This is my joy and it is complete.
Now.
The Messiah must increase and I must decrease.
Please repeat these words.
Shepherd us,
Lord,
With a faithful heart.
And guide us in the way of truth.
On Fridays,
We pray for those that we have a hard time loving.
Jesus told us to pray for our enemies.
And you may have an enemy to pray for.
Or you may simply pray for someone that you have a hard time loving.
Maybe someone that you love deeply.
But loving this person is difficult,
Is challenging,
Is a struggle at times.
Let your mind rest on this person.
And in silence,
Lift this person before God.
Don't worry about explaining anything.
Just lift the person before God in this space.
And as we pray for those we are picturing and also for ourselves.
We say these words.
May the love of God go before you and behind you.
Beneath you and above you.
On your right and on your left.
When you rise and when you lie down,
May the love of God be with you.
May the love of God be in you.
In the name of Jesus who taught us to pray.
Our Father which art in heaven.
Eternal God,
Earth maker,
Pain bearer,
Life giver.
Source of all that is and all that shall be.
Not only Father but Mother of us all.
May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe.
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on Earth.
With the bread we need for today feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another forgive us.
In times of temptation and test strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love.
Now and forever.
Amen.
God our Savior your spirit blows wherever she will.
Breathe on us oh Lord.
That we might be born anew.
That we might be born of water and the spirit.
That we might be born again.
Amen.
And now my friends may the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you wherever he may send you today.
May he guide you through the wilderness protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
Go in peace.
