Daily Prayer

March 1, 2022 A daily prayer from the New England Conference The clergy and laity of the New England Conference are sharing a daily prayer based on the Revised Common Lectionary for the week. You are welcome to use these in worship or in your own devotions.

Today's Prayer Lectionary reading: Psalm 35:11-28; Ezekiel 1:1; 2:1; Acts 10:23b-33; Luke 4:1-13 Gracious and loving God, we come to you today with hearts overflowing with many anxieties concerning the status of the world around us; What is our potential for affliction from the prevalent virus in our midst; can we manage our finances in the current state of the economy; how will the current disunity and denigration in our children’s educational system caused by the pandemic affect my children’s, or grandchildren’s overall health, education and future; will the spiritual life of my faith community, our relationships, our ability to meet freely, ever be restored to a sense of normalcy or will it even survive after the pandemic? These and other pressing issues are weighing mightily not only on our daily living, but our own spiritual life as well. Father God, in our Bible readings we know that you heard the cries of your people and saw their affliction, their toil, their oppression and so you took them out of their situation to a new life, a new freedom and then we read, that no one who believes in You will be put to shame, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Heavenly Creator God, we believe your word and ask that through your grace and our faith in the redeeming works of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that this be done in our lives today as we pray to have our anxieties removed, and our spirit’s uplifted so that we can continue to sing praises of thanksgiving and grace to your Almighty name saying; “I know not why God’s wondrous grace to me he hath made known, nor why, unworthy, Christ in love redeemed me for his own. I know not how this saving faith to me he did impart, nor how believing in his word wrought peace within my heart. But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto him against that day.” Amen Resource: United Methodist Hymnal: I know whom I have believed Daniel W. White, author. Pastor Cal Carpenter, Centenary UMC, Attleboro, MA, Commonwealth West District Committee on Ordained Ministry