Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families

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If you would like to take advantage of a daily brief time of prayer, follow some patterns for a short prayer service. You can use these alone or with family or friends. The  ‘Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families’ are excerpted from the Book of Common Prayer. There are four options that are suitable for different times of day.

In the Morning

Noonday Prayers

In the early Evening

At the close of Day

 

In the Morning

 

From Psalm 51

Open my lips, O Lord, *

and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, *

and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence *

and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Give me the joy of your saving help again *

and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

 

A Reading from the Bible. [Your own selection]

 

Say: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope,

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”                   I Peter 1:3

 

A period of silence may follow.

 

Prayers may be offered for ourselves and others.

 

The 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, the power

and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

The Collect

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Noonday Prayers

 

From Psalm 1:13

 

Give praise, you servants of the LORD; *

praise the Name of the LORD.

Let the Name of the LORD be blessed,

from this time forth for evermore.

From the rising of the sun to its going down

let the Name of the LORD be praised.

The LORD is high above all nations, *

and his glory above the heavens.

 

A Reading from the Bible [Your own selection]

 

Say: “O God, you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are fixed on you; for in returning and rest we shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be our strength.”

                                                                                                            Isaiah 26:3; 30:15

 

Prayers may be offered for ourselves and others.

 

The 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, the power

and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

The Collect

Blessed Savior, at this hour you hung upon the cross, stretching out your loving arms: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may look to you and be saved; for your mercies’ sake. Amen.

 

In the Early Evening

 

This devotion may be used before or after the evening meal.

 

“O gracious Light,

Pure brightness of the ever living Father in heaven,

O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light,

we sing your praises O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,

O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.”

 

A Reading from the Bible [Your own selection]

 

Say: “It is not ourselves that we proclaim; we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants, for Jesus’ sake. For the same God who said: “Out of darkness let light shine,” has caused his light to shine within us, to give the light of revelation—

the revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”         2 Corinthians 4:5-6

 

Prayers. Prayers may be offered for ourselves and others.

 

The 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, the power

and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

The Collect

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen.

 

At the Close of Day

 

Psalm 134

Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, *

you that stand by night in the house of the LORD.

Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the LORD; *

the LORD who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.

 

A Reading from the Bible [Your own selection]

 

Say: Lord, you are in the midst of us and we are called by your

Name: Do not forsake us, O Lord our God.”                         Jeremiah 14:9,22

 

Lord, you now have set your servant free *

to go in peace as you have promised;

For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *

whom you have prepared for all the world to see:

A Light to enlighten the nations,

and the glory of your people Israel.

 

Prayers. Prayers for ourselves and others may follow.  

It is appropriate that prayers of thanksgiving for the blessings of the day, and penitence for our sins, be included.

 

The 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, the power

and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

The Collect

Visit this place, O Lord, and drive far from it all snares of the

enemy; let your holy angels dwell with us to preserve us in

peace; and let your blessing be upon us always; through Jesus

Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us. Amen.