Prayer Before Worship

My God, Father and Savior, since You have commanded us to work in order to meet our needs, bless our labor that it may bring nourishment to our souls as well as to our bodies.  Make us constantly aware that our efforts are worthless unless guided by Your light and by Your hand.  Make us faithful to the particular tasks You have given to us, taking from us any envy or jealousy at the vocations of others.  Give us a good heart to supply the needs of the poor.  And if You should call us into greater poverty than we desire, save us from any spirit of defiance or resentment, but rather let us graciously and humbly receive the bounty of others.  Above all, may every temporal grace be matched by spiritual grace, that in both body and soul we may live to Your glory. Amen.

IN TODAY’S WORSHIP

We respond to God’s gifts of forgiveness and heaven by living for Him, that is, all we say, do, and think responds to and reflects Jesus’ grace! When our relationship with God is so central in our lives we “get work right.”