Diocesan Conventions This Weekend: El Camino Real, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Quincy

We give thanks to thee, O God; we give thanks; we call on thy name and recount thy wondrous deeds. At the set time which I appoint I will judge with equity. When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars.

Psalm 75: 1-3

Father in Heaven, you are sovereign. You alone are the Lord. May we put aside all pretense of accomplishing anything in our own strength, and instead turn to you in weakness. Creation waits and groans for you, standing a-tiptoe, looking to the horizon for your approach. Guide and direct our steps. At the hour you have appointed, replace our justice and our equity with your justice and your equity. Restore your creation, Father.

We humbly pray for all those attending diocesan conventions this weekend. Inspire them with your Word and infuse them with your Holy Spirit. Guide their deliberations. Raise up godly and righteous leaders among them. Grant them the blessing of strong faith that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. May they know the perfect peace that results from trusting in your sovereignty. May you show them travel mercies on their return home.

We pray through Jesus, whose name is exalted above all other names. Amen.

Ezra 9:5-10 and Romans 8:26

At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God. (Ezra 9:5)
      LORD, bring us to a season of fasting, prayer and repentance.

And I said: “O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to you, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.” (Ezra 9:6)
      Holy Spirit, help us in the Episcopal Church acknowledge our guilt before you as Ezra did for the sins of his people.

“Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been very guilty, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to humiliation, as it is this day.” (Ezra 9:7)
      Lord Jesus, we and our fathers in the Episcopal Church have been guilty of politeness when we should have made no compromise with the heresy and unfaithfulness that has crept into your church.

“And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in his holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.” (Ezra 9:8 )
      Father, help us use the grace you have given us to walk by your light.

“For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but he extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.” (Ezra 9:9)
      Lord, the defenses of your church are broken down and we are captive to Unitarians and Universalists; have mercy on us.

“And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments,” (Ezra 9:10)
      Father, show us how to pray in the present circumstances of the Episcopal Church, for it has abandoned your commandments.

We do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26)
      Holy Spirit, continue to intercede for us and teach us how to pray.

Saturday: 23, 27; Ecclesiasticus 51:1-12 or Ezra 9:1-15; Revelation 18:1-14; Luke 14:1-11
Sunday: 34; Ecclesiasticus 51:13-22 or Ezra 10:1-17; 1 Corinthians 14:1-12; Matthew 20:1-16

Albany Intercessor