Tuesday - The Letter of James (James 5:9)
Welcome to Daily Prayer. We're in the final two weeks of this series on James,
and today we reflect on the call and warning not to grumble in the midst of our difficulties.
As we begin our time together, let's take a few deep breaths to quiet our hearts and fix our gaze
on the Lord.
Our Father, hallowed be your name.
We draw near to you. We humble ourselves before you.
We acknowledge that you are God. We are not.
You are the Beginning and the End, our Maker and our Sustainer.
We draw near to open our hearts, to receive your wisdom and power and love.
Apart from you, we can do nothing, but you have given us new life and breath and everything else.
Lord, we don't want anything to keep us from the joy and life you intend for us.
So we draw near to hear your Word.
A scripture reading from James 5:9:
"Don't grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.
The judge is standing at the door."
A prayer of confession:
Lord, we grumble so much. Have mercy.
We have not taken seriously the danger of grumbling and what it reveals and cultivates in our
hearts.
We've grumbled against your people. We've grumbled against your timing.
We have criticized and complained instead of building up and supporting each other.
Forgive us for pulling away from each other when we need each other.
Father, you know we've lashed out in our pain and disappointment.
Forgive us for allowing frustration to become criticism and resentment.
We haven't come to you to heal our pains.
We acknowledge and confess that we've stepped into the role of judge and we are unqualified.
Lord, we are in deep need of your grace.
We surrender our frustrations and relationships to you.
Renew a right spirit within us, Lord.
Jesus, we love your great mercy toward us.
A prayer of intercession:
Lord, protect us and deliver us from a complaining, grumbling, or bitter spirit.
Give us grace to bear with each other in love.
You've given us everything we need. We turn to you and receive that life.
Pour it out among us, Lord.
We embrace a life of gratitude and we thank you for your grace and mercy.
Lord, give us the courage to pursue reconciliation and to support each other,
to be willing to lay down our rights, to humble ourselves,
to entrust ourselves to you to make things right and to bring about resurrection when we surrender
Lord.
let your grace flow in our homes and community.
Awaken us Lord. waken us to recognize our common enemy. Our shared faith. To submit ourselves to you
and to resist the enemy. O Lord, we pray for a fresh outpouring of your Spirit.
a moment of reflection:
Lord, is there a fellow believer that i've allowed frustration or resentment to grow against where I need to go and make it right?
Is there someone I've grumbled against that I need to humble myself and make it right with?
Would you show me, Lord?
Lord, I don't want any barrier and I want no hindrance in the way of receiving all the grace you
have for me.
You are the merciful and just Judge. We choose the way of life today.
As we listen to the passage again, let's embrace the weapons of gratitude and trust.
and lay down any grumbling that we may have.
"Don't grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.
The judge is standing at the door."
Our memory verse this week is from James 5. It's the call to be patient and stand firm.
Let's memorize and live this out together.
James 5.8
"You too, be patient and stand firm. because the Lord's coming is near."
A closing prayer:
Father, help us to resist cynicism and grumbling and embrace your life of faith
and hope.
Put a guard over my mouth to keep me from using words to create division.
Guard my heart from bitterness toward others.
Lord, you've called us to love those around us and give away the same mercy that you've shown to
us.
May our eyes and our hearts remain fixed on you and on your coming kingdom.
In the name of Jesus,
amen.