Scripture: Acts 23:11
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

As amazed as we may be that scripture describes the Lord—the resurrected Christ—standing near Paul in a moment of uncertainty, we need not be jealous of his closeness to Jesus. For we often forget that Jesus is no farther away from us than he ever was from Paul. In our moments of trial, difficulty, pain, uncertainty, and distress, this prayer from Denmark can remind us that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit stand near to us. The courage they can offer us is as near as our next breath drawn in prayer. — John

Reflection: Prayer of Praise and Entreaty from Denmark :: Worldwide Prayer

Almighty God,

We praise you for all your gifts.
May we be good stewards of your grace and share with others what has come from your hand.
We pray for all who suffer, for the sick, the disabled, the unemployed,
the starving and undernourished, and for those who endure the agony of war.
Come to them with your healing and consolation.

Jesus Christ our Savior and Maker,

We praise you for your love and forgiveness
For your invitation to engage in acts of reconciliation
And for your call to serve men and women.
Help us that our character may bear evidence of your love.
Give us the capacity to forgive because we have been forgiven.
Grant us a joyful mood and a kind temper because you have set us free.

Holy Spirit, teacher of God’s will

We praise you for making God’s essence and reality live in our hearts.
Fill us with power and courage to proclaim Jesus Christ as Savior.
Fill us with power to fight against injustice and discrimination.
Fill us with wisdom to distinguish God’s will from our own ambitions.
Give us open hearts that we may experience the living presence of God calling us, and of Christ loving us.

*Prayer from Hallowed be Your Name: A collection of prayers from around the world, Dr. Tony Cupit, Editor.

A Reading
Jesus taught us, saying: “Whoever holds my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and reveal myself to him” — John 14.21

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Full prayer available online and in print.

Today’s Readings
Nehemiah 13 (Listen – 5:57)
Acts 23 (Listen – 5:15)