Monday - The Letter of James (James 5:13)
Welcome to Daily Prayer. This is our final week on the letter of James. This week we are looking at the characteristics of a faith-filled community. Today we reflect on the call to pray and sing.
As We begin our time together, let’s quiet our hearts and minds before the Lord.
O lord, we draw near to you. You are our light and salvation.
You are our refuge and strength and an ever present help in trouble.
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night.
We turn aside from grumbling and complaining and a double minded perspective choose to pray and sing to you.
A Scripture reading from James 5:13
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.
Adoration:
Lord, thank you that you hear us when we pray. We sing praises to your Name because you are our Great Burden Bearer. You have been good to us. You have given us life and every good gift that we have. You love us and you have held us steady when life was falling apart. You are the anchor and the stronghold of my life.
Confession and Trust:
Lord, we confess that we have often been a grumbling and anxious people in our suffering and trouble. We have been cynical and refused to rejoice even when things were going well. Forgive us for not singing and celebrating in the good and for not coming to you in trouble. We have robbed ourselves of strength and satisfaction by not singing to you.
We confess that you are our strength in times of trouble. We join with Paul’s confession of faith in 2 Corinthians 1:
“10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” 2 Corinthians 1:10-11
Lord, thank you for answering prayers. Thank you for hearing us and inviting us to draw near. You are a good Father and you care about the difficulties we are going through. Holy Spirit, you are my comforter and friend. You are the healer. Cause prayers of gratitude and celebration to abound because you have answered the prayers of your people.
Prayers of Intercession:
Help us to be a praying and a singing people. Help us to pray in the middle of our suffering. In happy seasons, let us sing songs of praise for his goodness. His love endures forever.
Lord, we bring our suffering to you and the suffering in our community. For those battling cancer. Lord have mercy. Sooth and bring healing. For those with physical and emotional suffering, Lord have mercy. Deliver your people O Lord. For those going through seasons of difficulty. Be the anchor and the shield around them. Uphold them Lord.
Lord, we want the word of Christ to dwell richly in us. We want our souls to be happy in you. To be a singing and rejoicing people. We set our hope on you.
A Closing Declaration of Faith In the Midst of Every Season from Romans 8:31-39:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:31-39