Morning Prayer: Ask or Imagine | Ordinary Time, Proper 21

This is Ordinary Time, Proper 21, 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 “Encounter” by Harold Greene and me throughout today’s time of prayer. We’ll read Psalm 124 followed by the Gloria Patri. Our Lesson is Mark 9:38-50. 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. If you have a prayer request please submit it at https://benwardmusic.com/prayerrequest. If you’d like to be on the email list visit https://benwardmusic.com/email. Visit https://patreon.com/morningprayer to give and support Morning Prayer monthly. Go to https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=LUAEY98ADT8UG to give a one-time gift. Photo by Vraj Shah from Pexels Ambience from freesound.org Encounter Ben Ward/Harold Greene Wandering, full of fear Lost, hope has disappeared Thirsty, unsatisfied But I hear the roar of the waterfall CHORUS I’m gonna run into Your love And fall into Your grace Drown my desert with Your flood I long to see You face-to-face I need to know Your power In this holy encounter Dwelling with You on high Changing my heart, my mind You cover me with Your wings You hide me here , make my spirit sing CHORUS 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 124 1 If the Lord had not been on our side, * let Israel now say; 2 If the Lord had not been on our side, * when enemies rose up against us; 3 Then would they have swallowed us up alive * in their fierce anger toward us; 4 Then would the waters have overwhelmed us * and the torrent gone over us; 5 Then would the raging waters * have gone right over us. 6 Blessed be the Lord! * he has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth. 7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; * the snare is broken, and we have escaped. 8 Our help is in the Name of the Lord, * the maker of heaven and earth. Mark 9:38-50 (NRSV) John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” 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