Daily Prayers for July 4
Martin of Tours (d. 397)
Martin of Tours saw Christ in the face of the poor and in the commitment to nonviolence. He was born in what is now Hungary and as a young man was involuntarily enlisted in the Roman Army. Martin’s conversion to Christianity occurred after he met a beggar seeking alms. Without money to offer the man, Martin tore his own coat in half and gave one part to the beggar. The following night, Martin dreamed of Christ wearing half of his coat. Once Martin was baptized he resolved to leave the army because Christ called him to nonviolence. His superiors mistakenly saw his request as one of cowardice until Martin offered to face the front lines without weapons as a sign of Christian pacifism. Denied this offer, Martin spent time in prison. Afterward he joined the monastery at Solesmes and eventually served for ten years as bishop of Tours.
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Be Thou My Vision”
I’m a soldier in the army of the Lord : I’m a soldier in the Lord’s army.
Psalm 22:22 – 25
Praise the Lord, you that fear him : stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel; all you of Jacob’s line, give glory.
For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither does he hide his face from them : but when they cry to him he hears them.
My praise is of him in the great assembly : I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the Lord shall praise him : “May your heart live for ever!”
I’m a soldier in the army of the Lord : I’m a soldier in the Lord’s army.
Judges 5:1 – 18 Acts 15:1 – 21
I’m a soldier in the army of the Lord : I’m a soldier in the Lord’s army.
Martin of Tours said, “I am a soldier of Christ; it is not lawful for me to fight.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Almighty God, you are King of all creation. You created order out of chaos, and you call us to strive for the peace that is not like the peace empires bring. Teach us to drop the weapons we carry in our hands, in our hearts, and on our tongues. Enable us to be soldiers of yours who destroy the weapons of our oppressors with your grace. Amen.
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.
Wanting to celebrate the reign of God rather than Independence Day, the Church of the Sojourners in San Francisco, California, has declared July 4 the Celebration of Yahweh’s Kingship. Debbie Gish explains, “By choosing this day to celebrate Yahweh’s kingship, we are symbolically and concretely declaring our ultimate allegiance. It may appear to be a statement against the United States, but in fact it is a statement for the kingdom of God.”
Daily Prayers for July 3
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “O Mary, Don’t You Weep”
-Jesus, Savior of the world : come to us in your mercy.
Psalm 18:1 – 3, 18 – 20
I love you, O Lord my strength : O Lord my stronghold, my crag, and my haven.
My God, my rock in whom I put my trust : my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my refuge; you are worthy of praise.
I will call upon the Lord : and so shall I be saved from my enemies.
He delivered me from my strong enemies and from those who hated me : for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster : but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into an open place : he rescued me because he delighted in me.
-Jesus, Savior of the world : come to us in your mercy.
Judges 4:4 – 23 Acts 14:19 – 28
-Jesus, Savior of the world : come to us in your mercy.
Twentieth-century Presbyterian theologian and writer Frederick Buechner has written, “The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn’t have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It’s for you I created the universe. I love you. There’s only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you’ll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, we pray for strength and trust in times of trouble. Equip us to be your hands and feet in the world. May we bring good news to all we meet this day, with our words and with our lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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.
Daily Prayers for July 2
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “Steal Away to -Jesus”
In the time of trouble : hide us in the shadow of your wing.
Psalm 12:1 – 2, 5 – 6
Help me, Lord, for there is no godly one left : the faithful have vanished from among us.
Everyone speaks falsely with his neighbor : with a smooth tongue they speak from a double heart.
“Because the needy are oppressed, and the poor cry out in misery : I will rise up,” says the Lord, “and give them the help they long for.”
The words of the Lord are pure words : like silver refined from ore and purified seven times in the fire.
In the time of trouble : hide us in the shadow of your wing.
Judges 3:12 – 30 Acts 14:1 – 18
In the time of trouble : hide us in the shadow of your wing.
English mystic Julian of Norwich said, “The mother’s ser-vice is nearest, readiest, and surest. It is nearest because it is more natural; readiest because it is most loving; and surest because it is truest. No one ever might or could perform this office fully, except only -Jesus. We know that all our mothers bear us for pain and for death. Oh, what is that? But our true Mother -Jesus, he alone bears us for joy and for endless life. So he carries us with him in love and travail.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord God, time and again you provide for us with your near, ready, and sure love. Give us eyes to recognize that all goodness and joy are from your hand, that we may praise you with our lives, forever and ever. Amen.
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.
Daily Prayers for July 1
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “O Lord, Hear My Prayer”
We have come this far by faith : leaning on the Lord.
Psalm 4:1 – 3
Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause : you set me free when I am hard-pressed; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
“You mortals, how long will you dishonor my glory? : How long will you worship dumb idols and run after false gods?”
Know that the Lord does wonders for the faithful : when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.
We have come this far by faith : leaning on the Lord.
Judges 2:1 – 5, 11 – 23 Acts 13:44 – 52
We have come this far by faith : leaning on the Lord.
Irish missionary Columbanus wrote, “Seek then the highest wisdom, not by arguments in words but by the perfection of your life; not by speech but by the faith that comes from simplicity of heart.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Thank you, Lord, for your mercy and forgiveness. Help us to hear your word and to follow you today. Numb our ears to the persistent call of idols like vanity, consumerism, power, and pride. Enable us to lead lives tempered by the awareness of others’ needs and propelled by your love. Amen.
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.
Daily Prayers for June 30
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Amazing Grace”
Here I am, Lord : here again because I need you.
Psalm 145:1 – 4
I will exalt you, O God my King : and bless your name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless you : and praise your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised : there is no end to his greatness.
One generation shall praise your works to another : and shall declare your power.
Here I am, Lord : here again because I need you.
Ezekiel 47:1 – 12 Acts 13:26 – 43
Here I am, Lord : here again because I need you.
Jeanne Jugan has written, “Go and find -Jesus when your patience and strength give out and you feel alone and helpless. He is waiting for you. Say to him, ‘-Jesus, you know exactly what is going on. You are all I have, and you know all. Come to my help.’ And then go and don’t worry about how you are going to manage. That you have told God about it is enough. He has a good memory.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Thank you, Lord, that you remember the lilies when we cannot remember our own best interests. Open our eyes to wonder in awe at your greatness, that we might learn to see how all things are possible with you, Maker of heaven and earth. Amen.
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.
Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers: A Few Ideas
1. Hang out with folks who will inherit the earth. (For details, see the Sermon on the Mount.)
2. Set up a retreat center with pastoral care and spiritual guidance — free of charge — for persons who have little money.
3. Look through your clothes. Learn about one of the countries where they are manufactured. Do some research to discover the working conditions of the -people who made them, and commit to doing one thing to improve the lives of -people who live in that country.
4. Look for everything you have two of, and give one away.
5. Dig up a bucket of soil and look through it to see the elements and organisms that make our daily meals possible.
Daily Prayers for June 29
Peter and Paul
One of the ways we see the wisdom of the early church is in their placing Peter and Paul’s saint days together so that they have a shared celebration, thereby making sure that there was no room for divisions over their leadership, even with their disagreements. (It may be that the church forgot this wisdom in the Reformation, with Rome claiming Peter’s authority and Paul becoming the hero of Protestants.) The early church was quite clear that the first pastor and the first theologian of the faith had to be held in equal respect and in equal balance of authority. One without the other leaves us incomplete and unbalanced.
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “O Lord, Hear My Prayer”
Our eyes are turned to you, O Lord : our eyes are turned to you.
Psalm 141:1, 3 – 6
O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly : hear my voice when I cry to you.
Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door of my lips : let not my heart incline to any evil thing.
Let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers : nor eat of their choice foods.
Let the righteous smite me in friendly rebuke; let not the oil of the unrighteous anoint my head : for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
Let their rulers be overthrown in stony places : that they may know my words are true.
Our eyes are turned to you, O Lord : our eyes are turned to you.
Ezekiel 39:21 – 29 Acts 13:13 – 25
Our eyes are turned to you, O Lord : our eyes are turned to you.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a leader in South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, wrote, “The first law of our being is that we are set in a delicate network of interdependence with our fellow human beings and with the rest of God’s creation.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, you promise never to leave us or forsake us. Since we are always in your presence, help us always to keep our eyes fixed upon you that we might follow your lead in the never-ending dance of your life as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
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.
Daily Prayers for June 28
Irenaeus of Lyon (130 – 200)
The first systematic theologian of the church, Irenaeus lived in a time when Christianity was young and fragile. He was appointed bishop of Lyon and combated the dualistic notion that matter and spirit are entirely separate, with matter being wholly corrupt. Irenaeus insisted that there is nothing inherently corrupt in creation but that humans lost their “likeness to God” through the distortion of sin. That likeness was restored, Irenaeus proclaimed, through Christ, the “second Adam” who corrected the story of the first Adam. In a time when so much of Christianity has been reduced to disembodied doctrine and otherworldly sentiment, Irenaeus’ voice rings out like a prophet’s.
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Glory, Glory, Hallelujah”
Make us fully alive, O God : that our lives might shine like the sun.
Psalm 134
Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord : you that stand by night in the house of the Lord.
Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord : the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
Make us fully alive, O God : that our lives might shine like the sun.
Ezekiel 37:15 – 28 Acts 13:1 – 12
Make us fully alive, O God : that our lives might shine like the sun.
Irenaeus of Lyon wrote, “For the glory of God is the human person fully alive; and life consists in beholding God. For if the vision of God which is made by means of the creation, gives life to all the living in the earth, much more does the revelation of the Father, which comes through the Word, give life to those who see God.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Taking on our flesh, you have made flesh holy, Lord. Help us die to our selfish ways and our faithless habits that we might know the fullness of your new creation in our communities as it is in your resurrected body. Amen.
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.
Daily Prayers for June 27
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Be Thou My Vision”
Surely God is in this place : and I did not know it.
Psalm 122:1 – 5
I was glad when they said to me : “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Now our feet are standing : within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city : that is at unity with itself;
to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord : the assembly of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.
For there are the thrones of judgment : the thrones of the house of David.
Surely God is in this place : and I did not know it.
Ezekiel 37:1 – 14 Acts 12:18 – 25
Surely God is in this place : and I did not know it.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said, “Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We would like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet, it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability — and that it may take a very long time. Above all, trust in the slow work of God, our loving vine-dresser.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
You show up, -Jesus, in the most unlikely places. Give us patience to wait and watch when we cannot sense your presence so that we may be ready to greet you where we are. Amen.
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.
Daily Prayers for June 26
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “Take My Life and Let It Be”
Speed the day of your salvation : come, Lord -Jesus, come.
Psalm 119:131 – 36
I open my mouth and pant : I long for your commandments.
Turn to me in mercy : as you always do to those who love your name.
Steady my footsteps in your word : let no iniquity have dominion over me.
Rescue me from those who oppress me : and I will keep your commandments.
Let your countenance shine upon your servant : and teach me your statutes.
My eyes shed streams of tears : because -people do not keep your law.
Speed the day of your salvation : come, Lord -Jesus, come.
Ezekiel 34:17 – 24 Acts 12:1 – 17
Speed the day of your salvation : come, Lord -Jesus, come.
Sixteenth-century reformer Lazarus Spengler prayed, “For my feet your holy word is a lantern, a light that shows me the way forward; as this morning star rises upon us we understand the great gifts that God’s Spirit has certainly promised to us, and in these we have our hope.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, we have nothing to fear in your presence. Your purposes always come to pass. Help us to live with such certainty in your power that we expect miracles in our daily lives. Amen.
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.
Daily Prayers for June 25
In 1945, following the end of the Second World War, fifty countries signed the original charter of the United Nations in San Francisco.
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “What Is This Place?”
Speak, Lord : for your servants are listening.
Psalm 119:41 – 44, 48
Let your loving-kindness come to me, O Lord : and your salvation, according to your promise.
Then shall I have a word for those who taunt me : because I trust in your words.
Do not take the word of truth out of my mouth : for my hope is in your judgments.
I shall continue to keep your law : I shall keep it for ever and ever.
I will lift up my hands to your commandments : and I will meditate on your statutes.
Speak, Lord : for your servants are listening.
Ezekiel 34:1 – 16 Acts 11:19 – 30
Speak, Lord : for your servants are listening.
Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador asked, “A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed — what gospel is that?”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Listen to your children praying, Lord. Send us love, send us power, and send us grace, that we might hear what you are saying and do it. Amen.
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.
