The evening prayer

Evening Prayer (from Northumbria's webpage)

Said or sung all together except for the sentences marked 'Call' which are for the Leader only.+ indicates that you may make the sign of the cross.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences

My soul waits for the Lord

more than those

who watch for the morning,

more than those

who watch for the morning.

Call: Out of the depths I have cried to You.

Response: O Lord, hear my voice.

Call: With my whole heart I want to praise You.

Response: O Lord, hear my voice.

Call: If you, Lord, should mark iniquities:

Response: Who could stand? who could stand?

I will wait for the Lord.

My soul waits,

and in His word

do I hope.

Expressions of faith

Lord, You have always given

bread for the coming day;

and though I am poor,

today I believe.
Lord, You have always given

strength for the coming day;

and though I am weak,

today I believe.
Lord, You have always given

peace for the coming day;

and though of anxious heart,

today I believe.
Lord, You have always kept

me safe in trials;

and now, tried as I am,

today I believe.
Lord, You have always marked

the road for the coming day;

and though it may be hidden,

today I believe.
Lord, You have always lightened

this darkness of mine;

and though the night is here,

today I believe.
Lord, You have always spoken

when time was ripe;

and though you be silent now,

today I believe.

Scripture readings

Psalm

Old Testament scripture

New Testament scripture

Please click below on the day of the month, to be taken to the

scripture references for today's readings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Meditation for the day of the month

Please click below on the day of the month to be taken to the Meditiation for today

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Prayers for others

Canticle

In the shadow of Your wings

I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
The Lord is my light, my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the refuge of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?
In the shadow of Your wings

I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
One thing I ask of the Lord,

one thing I seek;

to dwell in the presence of my God,

to gaze on Your holy place.
In the shadow of Your wings

I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
I believe I shall see the goodness

of the Lord in the land of the living.

O wait for the Lord!

Have courage and wait,

wait for the Lord.
In the shadow of Your wings

I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

Blessing

See that ye be at peace among yourselves,

my children,

and love one another.

Follow the example of good men of old

and God will comfort you and help you,

both in this world

and in the world which is to come.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Beloved

It snowed in Johannesburg! Shortly before midnight my neighbour woke me up to come and look at the snow. It was beautiful! Those of you who live in Johannesburg or have visited, will know that snow is really unusual here.

It reminded me of a story ons of our lecturers told us. In 1981 he was counselling a lady with endogenous depression. She could simply not experience love. Not from people and definetely not from God. On a glorious spring day (in September) she burst out that if God loved her, He would make it snow! Our lecturer cringed. He was so sure that God loved this lady, but did he dare ask for snow? In Spring? In Johannesburg? The next day it snowed. 11 September 1981. He says the lady cried and cried, she knew that God loved her. Tragically, she committe suicide a few months later. However, that day she played in the snow with children, she laughed - she experienced God's touch.

Five weeks ago I was diagnosed with endogenous depression. Over the past few weeks I have had so many questions. Can a Christian have depression? Can God love me? Why doesn't He heal me? Whilst I was experiencing ghastly side effects from the medcation, somebody 'prophecied' that I was grieving the Holy Spirit by taking the medicine.

It is hard for me to experience love. It is tough to believe that my friends don't have hidden agendas and want the best for me. I am battling. I have lots of questions and hardly any answers.

But in the early morning hours, while I was watching the snow, I too experienced a glimpse of God's love. I did not ask for snow or any other signs yet I heard just a whisper that I am His beloved.

The midday prayer

This is the midday prayer (from Northumbria). It is meant for the middle of the day. It is short and helps me to focus on Jesus despite all the 'other voices' around me.

Midday Prayer

Said or sung all together.

+ indicates that you may make the sign of the cross.

+ In the name of the Father,and of the Son,and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening Sentences

Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.

Establish Thou the work of our hands;

establish Thou the work of our hands.

The Lord's Prayer
Our Father,

who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name;

Thy kingdom come;

Thy will be done;

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

Amen

Declaration of faith

We believe and trust in God the Father Almighty.

We believe and trust in Jesus Christ His Son.

We believe and trust in the Holy Spirit.

We believe and trust in the Three in One.

Canticle

Teach us,

dear Lord,

to number our days;

that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Oh, satisfy us early with Thy mercy,

that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days.

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us;

and establish Thou the work of our hands.

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us;

and establish Thou the work of our hands,

dear Lord.

Blessing

Let nothing disturb thee,

nothing affright thee;

all things are passing,

God never changeth!

Patient endurance attaineth to all things;

who God possesset hin nothing is wanting;

alone God sufficeth.

+ In the name of the Father,and of the Son,and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

The Daily Office

A couple of my friends are following the Daily office. There are 3 prayers - the morning prayer, the midday prayer and the evening prayer. It keeps us focused to stop and think about God for a while.

It effects my environment when I meet God at my desk, whilt driving, at home, everywhere I go...

This is the morning prayer (from Nortnumbria Community's site):

Morning Prayer

Said or sung all together except for the sentences marked 'Call' which are for the Leader only.+ indicates that you may make the sign of the cross.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences

One thing I have asked of the Lord,this is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life;

to behold the beauty of the Lord

and to seek Him in His temple.

Call: Who is it that you seek?

Response: We seek the Lord our God.

Call: Do you seek Him with all your heart?

Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Call: Do you seek Him with all your soul?

Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Call: Do you seek Him with all your mind?

Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Call: Do you seek Him with all your strength?

Response: Amen. Christ, have mercy.

Declaration of faith

To whom shall we go?

You have the words of eternal life,

and we have believed and have come to know

that You are the Holy One of God.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ,King of endless glory.

Scripture readings

Psalm

Old Testament scripture

New Testament scripture

Please click below on the day of the month,

to be taken to the scripture references for today's readings

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Meditation for the day of the month

Please click below on the day of the month to be taken to the Meditation for today
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Prayers for others

Canticle

Christ, as a light

illumine and guide me.

Christ, as a shield

overshadow me.

Christ under me;

Christ over me;

Christ beside me

on my left and my right.

This day be within and without me,

lowly and meek,

yet all-powerful.

Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;

in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.

This day be within and without me,

lowly and meek,

yet all-powerful.

Christ as a light;

Christ as a shield;

Christ beside me

on my left and my right.

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,

wherever He may send you.

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.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

5 reasons why I dig (follow) Jesus

Tom tagged me to name the reasons why I follow Jesus:

• He is compassionate. The Greek word that is used to describe His empathy in the Gospels, literally means that 'his stomach turned in empathy'.
• He meets people on their own level and in their own circumstances and idiom. I am thinking of the women at the well; when he fed the multitude and then called Himself the Bread of Life, etc.
• In His life on earth, He cared more about what God said than what people wanted, for example when He cleaned the temple. The popular thing would probably have been to turn a blind eye, but Jesus chased the dealers out with a whip.
• His radicality was not limited to philosophy, He actually LIVED it. He ate with sinners, was in contact with lepers, He was friends with the illiterate - the social outcasts?
• He gave me an opportunity. In fact, He gives me so many opportunities and chances every day... i.e. He first loved me and when I stumble and fall, He is always there to pick me up and He always allows me to try again.

Today

I arise today

Through a mighty strength:

God's power to guide me,

God's might to uphold me,

God's eyes to watch over me;

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to give me speech,

God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me,

God's shield to shelter me,

God's host to secure me.

first millenium - bridgid of gael

Tuesday morning

This morning I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, which reads, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." ( NIV)

The famous Chasidic Rabbi Menachem Mendel taught, “The only whole heart is a broken one.”

Maybe, when my own heart is broken, I can truly come to a place where Jesus becomes more and I become less. Yet, I have this promise, I will not be crushed. God, who created me and who knows my weaknesses, chose me to carry His precious message in the unadorned clay pot of my ordinary life.

Martin Luther, death and depression

One of our lecturers once told us an anecdote about Martin Luther.

Martin Luther played a vital role in the Church reformation in the 16th century. He was one of the first priests to marry (a nun whom he helped to escape) and had 6 children. His 95 statements are well known and the basis of the reformation.

When his son died, he took the boy's body to the seminary where he taught. As he laid it on a desk, he told his students that he is comforted by the fact that one day Jesus will return and when He does, He will walk over to his (Martin Luther's) grave, knock, and call: "Herr doctor Martin Luther, come out!"

I remember being shocked at the idea of a corpse in a seminary and then at the audacity of the German formality. Yet, today, I am comforted by Martin Luther's words.

I hope in God. Jesus will return and make all things new. He will raise the dead, He will give us new bodies. Yes, we are here and have a role to play on earth, now. However, Jesus will return. His Kingdom in which we live now, will span into eternity.

Today, I pray that God will renew my mind and help my unbelief.