Monday Morning Devotion

Psalm 89:1-10

My song shall be alway of the loving kindness of the Lord *

 with my mouth will I ever be shewing thy truth from one generation to another.

  For I have said, Mercy shall be set up for ever *

 thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens.

  I have made a covenant with my chosen *

 I have sworn unto David my servant;

  Thy seed will I stablish for ever *

 and set up thy throne from one generation to another.

  O Lord, the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works *

 and thy truth in the congregation of the saints.

  For who is he among the clouds *

 that shall be compared unto the Lord?

  And what is he among the gods *

 that shall be like unto the Lord?

  God is very greatly to be feared in the council of the saints *

 and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him.

  O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee *

 thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side.

  Thou rulest the raging of the sea *

 thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise.

(Translation: Coverdale)

A Reading

(2 Kings 17:24-41)

And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord: therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which slew some of them.

Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.

Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.

Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.

And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,

And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

So they feared the Lord, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.

They feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.

Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;

With whom the Lord had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

But the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.

And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.

But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.

So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

(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.