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
Make the sign of the cross, and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” (Matt. 5:6) O Lord, you are my sole satisfaction. I am hungry and thirsty for righteousness. I long for you. Amen.
Word: Luke 21:27,28
And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Meditation
Lately I have been praying for Jesus to return once and for all. We believe that, you know. That there will be an end to all this. It’s called Judgement Day. The Last Day. The Final Day. Our Champion, Jesus Christ, will set things right and begin the new age, the resurrection of all things.
Pestilence is a reminder that this is all passing away. There will be an end. And in the end, you’ll come into the Kingdom breathless, panting, exhausted. And after all the pain and persecution for the name of Jesus. After all the ministry and mission . . . It will all be worth it.
You will stand before the risen Christ and see him with your own eyes. You’ve only read about the nail scars on his hands. You’ve only heard about the gash in his side. But in the end, you will see them in the flesh. Jesus has a new body, but he still holds onto those scars like tattoos. They are a reminder that death was an opportunity. You are worth the sacrifice and the suffering. For Jesus, the cross was the opportunity to bear witness to the love of God for you.
Prayer for Daily Callings
· For my occupation, workplace, coworkers.
· For my work to be good for others, an extension of God’s love and care.
· For the unemployed.
· For growth in my career; not to work for a paycheck but for you and others.
· For discernment, if I should pursue another job or direction in life.
· For my callings at home as spouse, son/daughter, brother/sister.
· For schools, teachers, classmates.
· For eyes to see God’s work around me this day. For the courage to participate in it.
· Not to be comfortable in my callings, but to be useful.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, come quickly. When you return, all this will be worth it. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.