Lack Nothing | Morning Prayer for Ordinary Time, Proper 15

This is Ordinary Time, Proper 15, in the Church Calendar. 

Our general order comes from the Book of Common Prayer (1979) Daily Office and Scripture readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. We’ll sing “God the Fool” written by Andy Squyres throughout today’s time of prayer. We’ll read Psalm 34:9-14 followed by the Gloria Patri. Our Lesson is John 6:51-58. We’ll say the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Collect of the Day. We’ll then have a time of prompted prayer.

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Photo by me. 🙂

God the Fool
Andy Squyres

For the wounds that I’ve inflicted, for the wounds that I’ve received 
I offer you my bitterness, I offer you my grief 
For the trust that I have broken, for the lies that I have told 
Forgive me God for giving, my heart away for gold 
I’m a merchant in your temple, selling sinners doves 
You turn over my tables with your foolishness oh God 

I am a sly sidewinder, a brood of vipers in your hand 
You’re an Appalachian preacher who I cannot withstand 
I’m running to your altar, I’m weeping on your floor 
I feel your love inside my heart, I wanna feel it more 
You said be wise and gentle like the serpent and the dove 
Only heeding half of your own advice is your foolishness oh God 

For the snow upon the mountain, melting down into the sea 
I will sit with you in silence and listen to you sing 
I will ask you all my questions, I will waste all of your time 
You don’t give the poet answers so the poet gives you rhyme 
What kind of mad man are you, taking on the worst of odds 
I’m chalking up my fortunes to your foolishness of God

Prayer of Confession

Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Psalm 34:9-14

9 Fear the Lord, you that are his saints, *
or those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger, *
but those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good.

11 Come, children, and listen to me; *
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 Who among you loves life *
and desires long life to enjoy prosperity?

13 Keep your tongue from evil-speaking *
and your lips from lying words.

14 Turn from evil and do good; *
seek peace and pursue it.

John 6:51-58 (NRSV)

Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

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, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Collect of the Day

Proper 15, Rite Two
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. (2 Corinthians 13:14)