Prayer for Wednesday (Shavuot)

Blessed are you, L-rd our G-d, king of the universe
who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season
Amen

“…, Urge me not to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16 AMP)

A Psalm for giving thanks.

Make a joyful noise to the L-rd, all the earth!
Serve the L-rd with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the L-rd, he is G-d!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the L-rd is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

(Psalm 100)

“A bird that you set free may be caught again, but a word that escapes your lips will not return.”
~Jewish Proverb

Today’s Affirmation:

“I am grateful for all my blessings.”

(For more on Affirmations, go to my Affirmations Page.)

Prayers for 3rd Sunday in Lent

Opening Prayer
God of light and God of night
Creator of seed and mountain
raindrop and fountain
We bring our offering of praise.
God of right and God of might
Lover of child and childless
rich and homeless
We bring our offering of praise.

Confession and Forgiveness
Creator God, forgive our moments of ingratitude,
the spiritual blindness that prevents us
from appreciating the wonder that is this world,
the endless cycle of nature,
of life and death and rebirth.
Forgive us for taking without giving
reaping without sowing.
Open our eyes to see
our lips to praise
our hands to share.
May our feet touch lightly on the path we tread,
and our footsteps be worthy of following,
for they lead to you.

‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin ….’
2 Chronicles 7:14

(From “A Liturgy for the 3rd Sunday in Lent”, © John Birch, at Faith and Worship – Prayers and Resources)

Prayer for Sunday (Purim; Ostara; Hola Mahalla)

Typically on religious holidays I try to post something that relates to that holiday. And today there are three: Purim (Jewish), Ostara/Spring Equinox (Pagan), and Hola Mahalla (Sikh). However, yesterday I had the honor of participating with 70 to 80 other choir alumni from my Alma mater to celebrate and memorialize the life of Jeanne Wold, our former University choir director’s wife, and the voice instructor to many of us during our time at school. So today I am sharing a couple of passages from her service and a brief prayer of my own.

12 But where can wisdom be found?
Where can we learn to understand?

13 Wisdom is not to be found among mortals;
No one knows its true value.
14 The depths of the oceans and seas
Say that wisdom is not found there.
15 It cannot be bought with silver or gold.
16 The finest gold and jewels
Cannot equal its value.
17 It is worth more than gold,
Than a gold vase or finest glass.
18 The value of wisdom is more
Than coral or crystal or rubies.
19 The finest topaz and the purest gold
Cannot compare with the value of wisdom.

20 Where, then, is the source of wisdom?
Where can we learn to understand?
21 No living creature can see it,
Not even a bird in flight.
22 Even death and destruction
Admit they have heard only rumors.

23 God alone knows the way,
Knows the place where wisdom is found,
24 Because he sees the ends of the earth,
Sees everything under the sky.
25 When God gave the wind its power
And determined the size of the sea;
26 When God decided where the rain would fall,
And the path that the thunderclouds travel;
27 It was then he saw wisdom and tested its worth.
He gave it his approval.

28 God said to us,
“To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord.
To understand, you must turn from evil.”

(Job 28:12-29 [Good News Translation])

Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The LORD has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the people with equity.

(Psalm 98 [NIV 2011])

God, we give thanks for those who have touched our lives and helped to make us who we are today. We especially give thanks for teachers, professors, and spiritual leaders that have helped shape our lives. Grant that we may impact the lives of others as greatly as they have affected ours. Amen.