With all the noise in the world, do you hear the voice of God? Your calendar tells you what to do, but do you remember who you are? Being comes before doing. This is a call to put first things first. Return to the Lord with this daily pattern of prayer and devotion. Set aside this time as a sanctuary. Find a space free of distraction and follow this pattern.
Invocation
Making the sign of the cross, I say,
O God, I whisper your name and my identity is claimed. I belong to you. So I begin this day in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
I invite my Lord:
Jesus, you know that I love you. I have seen your love. You proved it in blood. Like your friend Peter once said, I say, “Jesus, you know that I love you.” Come to me now. (John 21:15)
Confession
I am honest about my frailty and failure. I confess:
Lord, how easily do I forget who I am. I obsess over what I possess, what I have accomplished, and what others think of me. I care more about what they say about me than what you say. I have forgotten you. Forgive my image obsession. Help me think more of you and less of self. You must increase, I must decrease. You alone are my joy, your love my only desire.
Word: John 15:3-4
“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
Meditation
Words have power. With a word a judge can proclaim someone guilty or innocent. With a word a minister can pronounce two individuals as one person, husband and wife. With a word you can make someone’s day by complimenting their work or appearance. And with that same word you can cut someone to the core.
If our words have that much power, think about the power of the creator of the universe. His words have the power to bring into existence that which does not exist. His words have power to bring beauty where there was once ashes. His words have power to bring life where there was once death. His words have the power to claim spiritual orphans as his chosen children. His words have the power to make that which was unclean, spotless and redeemed.
Remember your baptism today. Remember those powerful words that were spoken over you and still spoken over you each moment of your life: You are clean, you are my chosen child, in the name of Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer for My Life as a Child of God
- For the Father to give me care and guidance.
- For forgiveness when I wander and want my own way.
- For childlike faith, like a child crawling up into the Father’s lap and whispering in his ear.
- For the ability to be flexible, learn, and change as I age.
- For growth in faith, that I love and trust in God above all things.
- For strength to obey God.
- For the Father to heal my hurts.
- For assurance when I doubt.
- For the discipline to make necessary changes in my life.
Prayer
O God:
I am the pool, You are the waterfall. I only expend what I receive. O Lord, fall on me.
I am the shoreline. You are the sea. I am shaped by your breakers over me. O Lord, crash upon me.
I am the child. You are Father. I only live by what you give. O Lord, Father me.
I am the pool, You are the waterfall. It’s all receptivity. O Lord, fall on me. Amen.