April 20: Morning Devotion



Good Morning, Lord!
I Am Baptized
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Gal. 3:27 ESV)

Make the sign of the cross as you say, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

A Morning Prayer
Almighty God, who by your infinite wisdom has ordained that we should live our lives within these days and in these circumstances, let us enter into this day with brave and trusting hearts. It has pleased you to withhold from us perfect knowledge; so fill us with faith to take hold of things unseen. You have given us little power to control our lives as we would desire; so please use your omnipotence to bring your desire to life in us. It is your will that through work and suffering we should walk the upward way; so be our fellow traveler as we go.
·       Let us face what you send us today with the strength you give us.
·       When you give us success, help us to recognize your hand and give you thanks.
·       When you call us to go through the dark valley, don’t let us fool ourselves into thinking we know a better way around.
·       Help us to accept any opportunity of service which may find us today, and do not let us fall into temptation.
·       Do not let yesterday’s sins be repeated today, and do not let today’s missteps set an evil example for tomorrow.
In Jesus’ name we pray these things. Amen.[1]

I Believe …
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 Spirit, born of the
virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He
descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the
forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Bible Reading – Psalm 1

Questions for Meditation
What does this reading teach you about Jesus, what He said and did, or what He wants His followers to believe? What does it teach you about God’s love and forgiveness?
What does this reading lead you to be thankful for?
What behavior, thought, or attitude does this reading challenge? What sin does it lead you to confess?
How might you pray for God to have a richer impact on your life through this reading?

Prayer
Pray for God to help you to understand and believe His Word.
Pray for increased faith, hope, and love.

Lord’s Prayer
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
forever and ever. Amen.

Benediction
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph. 3:20-21 ESV)


[1] This prayer is adapted from John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 1949 – a morning prayer for the 20th day of the month. Baillie wrote wonderful prayers for the morning and evening of each day of the month. They have inspired, educated, and assisted many in their prayer lives. It was updated in 2014 by Susanna Wright. That edition is available from Amazon here. I personally prefer the 1949 edition with the older style of language. Those can still be found if you search for it.

Comments