Week Three
Friday Morning
GREETINGS AND DOXOLOGY
PSALM 51
Creator God, reshape my heart. A changed heart you welcome.
Have mercy, tender God,
forget that I defied you.
Wash away my sin,
cleanse me from my guilt.
I know my evil well,
it stares me in the face,
evil done to you alone
before your very eyes.
How right your condemnation!
Your verdict clearly just.
You see me for what I am,
a sinner before my birth.
You love those centered in truth;
teach me your hidden wisdom.
Wash me with fresh water,
wash me bright as snow.
Fill me with happy songs,
let the bones you bruised now dance.
Shut your eyes to my sin,
make my guilt disappear.
Creator, reshape my heart,
God, steady my spirit.
Do not cast me aside
stripped of your holy spirit.
Save me, bring back my joy,
support me, strengthen my will.
Then I will teach your way
and sinners will turn to you.
Help me, stop my tears,
and I will sing your goodness.
Lord, give me words
and I will shout your praise.
When I offer a holocaust,
the gift does not please you.
So I offer my shattered spirit;
a changed heart you welcome.
In your love make Zion lovely,
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then sacrifice will please you,
young bulls upon your altar.
READING: 2 Corinthians 12:7b-10
To keep me from being too elated, a thorn was
given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to
torment me, to keep me from being too elated.
Three times I appealed to the Lord about this,
that it would leave me, but the Lord said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is
made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all
the more gladly of my weakness, so that the
power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore
I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships,
persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ;
for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
May I find my strength in my Savior. May the power of Christ dwell in me.
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who shepherds the people and sets them free.
God raises from David’s house
a child with power to save.
Through the holy prophets
God promised in ages past
to save us from enemy hands,
from the grip of all who hate us.
The Lord favored our ancestors
recalling the sacred covenant,
the pledge to our ancestor Abraham,
to free us from our enemies,
so we might worship without fear
and be holy and just all of our days.
And you, child, will be called
Prophet of the Most High,
for you will come to prepare
a pathway for the Lord
by teaching the people salvation
through the forgiveness of their sin.
Out of God’s deepest mercy
a dawn will come from on high,
light for those shadowed by death,
a guide for our feet on the way to peace.
INTERCESSIONS
As we begin this new day, let us bring to God our prayers for the distressed peoples in our world:
Have mercy, O God, have mercy.
~ For the nations and peoples suffering from war and civil unrest, we pray:
~ For the cities of the world burdened by poverty and violence, we pray:
~ For civic leaders and governmental officials who struggle with temptations to greed and lust for power, we pray:
~ For employers and landlords who resist putting personal gain above justice for others, we pray:
~ For the areas of our own hearts, O God, that hold violence, prejudice, and hatred, we pray:
THE LORD’S PRAYER
PRAYER
Tender God, your mercy heals the wounds of
sin and division. Reshape our hearts and rebuild
our shattered spirits; steady our lives and give
us words to sing your praise. We ask this in the
name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
BLESSING
May God’s blessing be upon us. Amen
May God’s light lead us in the way of Righteousness. Amen.
May our lives be patterned on Christ Jesus. Amen.