Monday Morning Devotion

Psalm 41

Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy *

 the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble.

  The Lord preserve him, and keep him alive, that he may be blessed upon earth *

 and deliver not thou him into the will of his enemies.

  The Lord comfort him, when he lieth sick upon his bed *

 make thou all his bed in his sickness.

  I said, Lord, be merciful unto me *

 heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

  Mine enemies speak evil of me *

 When shall he die, and his name perish?

  And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity *

 and his heart conceiveth falsehood within himself, and when he cometh forth he telleth it.

  All mine enemies whisper together against me *

 even against me do they imagine this evil.

  Let the sentence of guiltiness proceed against him *

 and now that he lieth, let him rise up no more.

  Yea, even mine own familiar friend, whom I trusted *

 who did also eat of my bread, hath laid great wait for me.

  But be thou merciful unto me, O Lord *

 raise thou me up again, and I shall reward them.

  By this I know thou favourest me *

 that mine enemy doth not triumph against me.

  And when I am in my health, thou upholdest me *

 and shalt set me before thy face for ever.

  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel *

 world without end. Amen.

(Translation: Coverdale)

A Reading

(1 Kings 13:1-10)

And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.

And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.

And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the Lord hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.

And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.

And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.

And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:

For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.

So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.

(Translation: Authorized Version)

A period of silence may follow.

Canticle

Ecce, Deus

Isaiah 12:2-6

Behold, God is my salvation; *
    I will trust, and not be afraid:
For the Lord God is my strength and my song; *
    he also is become my salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water *
    out of the wells of salvation.
And in that day shall ye say, *
    Praise the Lord, call upon his Name,
Declare his doings among the people, *
    make mention that his name is exalted.
Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: *
    this is known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: *
    for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, *
    and to the Holy Ghost:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, *
    world without end. Amen.

(Source: Anglican Service Book)

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

    maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;

    who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

    born of the Virgin Mary,

    suffered under Pontius Pilate,

    was crucified, dead, and buried.

    He descended into hell.

    The third day he rose again from the dead.

    He ascended into heaven,

    and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.

    From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost,

    the holy catholic Church,

    the communion of saints,

    the forgiveness of sins,

    the resurrection of the body,

    and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers for Ourselves and Neighbors

Almighty and everliving God, I pray unto Thee for thy Universal Church and all her members, past, present and yet to come:

Silence or add individual intentions here

Christ, the ruler of all the nations, I pray for the health and well-being of my nation and all the nations and leaders of the earth:

Silence or add individual intentions here

God, the Holy Ghost, I pray Thee to be poured out upon all who are sick and suffering in body, mind, or spirit, that Thy healing grace may be infused in them and in myself:

Silence or add individual intentions here

Heavenly Father, I commend unto Thee those who are departed, that they may be judged with magnanimity and see Thy Heavenly Kingdom:

Silence or add individual intentions here

And now, I gather my all prayers in the words Thy Son hath taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

    hallowed be thy Name,

    thy kingdom come,

    thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

    as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,

    for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for the Renewal of Life

O God, the King eternal, who dividest the day from the night and turnest the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep thy law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done thy will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when the night cometh, rejoice to give thee thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.