Morning Prayer for Friday, 4 December 2020

Call to Prayer: Come, O Come, Let us Praise Parent God

Prayer

Merciful God,

You who saw the abused woman in her misery and rescued her. You hear the cries of the children in pain, and the mothers seeking life in fullness. We praise You Oh God, Who shelters us under Your wings and provides refuge against the storms of life

El Rohi, God of Hagar; You are the God Who sees us – Come tabernacle with us

Under the whip of pharaoh, captivity, and unjust policies, You revealed the plan of deliverance to the Hebrew midwives Shipuah and Puah, to Jochebed, Miriam and to pharaoh’s daughter. These women risked their lives, braved the odds like the women of Columbia, Liberia and Belarus, quietly advocating for justice, birthing hope among the reeds of despair;

El Shaddai, God Almighty, You are mighty to deliver, You are our Protection and Sustenance

All-Wise and discerning God, You guided Deborah in Israel’s formative years, through danger and peril, granting wisdom and courage, breaking the glass ceiling in political leadership through the ages. Guide women in leadership: political, medical, social and religious. Order their thoughts, granting the business acumen of Zelophehad’s daughters and the humility of Esther. May the women and men with whom they work recognize Your anointing upon their lives and heed their judgements in times of distress

Jehovah Rapha, our Shepherd, lead us into paths of peace.

Your mercy is with all who fear and seek you from generation to generation.

You dismantle arrogance, patriarchy, and conceit, raising up the unknown and the lowly

Working with women and men together for justice, You plant seeds of reconciliation and unity through Your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ; Through the ordinary You offer transformation, receiving our acts of Love, redeeming us through Your compassion

Immanuel, God with us, Jesus, Son of Mary, tabernacle with us. Help us see You in the broken alabaster today. Amen

Response Rejoice, Rejoice Emmanuel Has Come to Thee O Israel

Scripture John 12:1-7a; Luke 7:40b – 47; Mark 14:8a; Matthew 26:13

Six days before the Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where… [a woman] came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus’ feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.

…One of his disciples … said, “Why wasn’t this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces.” He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor ...

Jesus said … “I have something to tell you.”

“Oh? Tell me.”

“Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker cancelled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one who was forgiven the most.”

“That’s right,” said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, “Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn’t quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn’t it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”

… She did what she could when she could – You can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she has just done is going to be remembered and admired.”

(adapted from the Message)