Prayers
“Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely
more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from
generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus
forever and ever. Amen.”
Ephesians 3:20, 21
Our Daily Office services are the foundation of daily worship in the Episcopal Church. The services of Morning, Noonday and Evening Prayer, along with Compline, establish a rhythm of daily prayer. One wonderful thing about the Daily Office services is that anyone can lead the services, no clergy are required. The services can be said alone, as well as with others. The Morning Prayer service concludes with a passage of Scripture spoken by the officiant leading the service or by the individual saying the service.
There are three options for the concluding Scripture. The one I most often choose is the selection from Ephesians, which is quoted above. Sometimes, when we pray, we give God our list of the things we want or need Him to do for those about whom we care, for ourselves or for the world. While this is not a terrible thing, it is good to remember that God is much bigger and far more powerful than we can imagine.
God knows the things we need even before we ask for them. Why then, should we pray? Or for what should we pray? It is good to include prayers for God to do the most important things, even if we do not know what they are.
Ask God to help you to know what you are called to do and to help those who are in need. It is fine to make special requests in our prayers. Always remember that God “can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.”
A Collect for Guidance (from the Morning Prayer service)
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (“The Book of Common Prayer,” page 100)
