30 Day Prayer Guide | Day 23
MORNING PRAYER
SILENCE [2 min]
Silence, stillness, and centering before the God of our salvation.
THE PSALM
Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.... You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
(Psalms 90:1-4, 8–12)
MORNING HYMN
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Come, all who hear; now to his temple draw near, join me in glad adoration. Praise to the Lord, above all things so wondrously reigning;
sheltering you under his wings, and so gently sustaining!
Have you not seen all that is needful has been sent by his gracious ordaining? Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, if with his love he befriends you. Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him.
Let the Amen sound from his people again; gladly forever adore him.
Joachim Neander, 1680
PROMPTED PRAYER
- For wisdom
- For those who find themselves impoverished
- For those who are crushed in spirit
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory. Forever.
Amen
EVENING PRAYER
SILENCE [2 min]
Silence, stillness, and centering before the God of our salvation.
JESUS | HE WAS A PERSON
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
(John 1:1-5, 9-18)
EVENING HYMN
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear!
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast; 'tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest.
O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend, my Prophet, Priest, and King, my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, accept the praise I bring.
How weak the effort of my heart, how cold my warmest thought; but when I see you as you are, I'll praise you as I ought.
Till then I would your love proclaim with every fleeting breath;
and may the music of your name refresh my soul in death.
John Newton, 1779
PROMPTED PRAYER
- For an increased desire to affirm others in pointing out the Jesus we see in them
- For pastors and all those they shepherd
THE BENEDICTION
Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.
(Psalms 21:13)
SILENCE [2 min]
Silence and stillness, as God has the last word to finish the day. He labors while you sleep.