Opening Prayers/Prayers of Adoration on Sabbath
O God, our Guide and Guardian, you have led us apart from the busy world into the quiet of your house. Grant us grace to worship you in Spirit and in truth, to the comfort of our souls and the upbuilding of every good purpose and holy desire. Enable us to do more perfectly the work to which you have called us, that we may not fear the coming of night, when we shall resign into your hands the tasks which you have committed to us. So may we worship you not with our lips at this hour, but in word and deed all the days of our lives; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Book of Worship, 1965
(Prayer of Adoration)
God, Almighty – holy, gracious, truthful and loving, we’re drawn by Your invitation to enjoy Your love, an invitation to feel Your touch and hear Your voice, to taste and see that You are good!
Thank You for new life to celebrate. Thank You for meaningful work & restful Sabbaths. Thank You for encouraging relationships and Your provision for our daily needs. Thank You for all our good gifts from Your hand.
(Prayer of Confession)
Yet, we’re not always so grateful. In the midst of plenty, we still want more and complain when we don’t get it. Forgive us. When You give us more than we need so we can bless those with less than they need, we hold it tight to ourselves. Forgive us.
We’ve lived our agendas this week and ignored Yours. We’ve been blind to opportunities to show Your love to others. We’ve been too busy to love You in simple ways – neglecting quiet moments for prayer or reading your love letter to us in Scripture. Forgive us. Forgive, too, that for which we’re too embarrassed to say aloud but now confess in the silence of our own hearts … . Amen.