God, the light of your Spirit has fallen upon us,
The seal of your ownership is on us,
You have placed the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
Like tongues of fire it has renewed and restored.
In our rising and our sleeping,
In our working and our playing,
In our joys and in our sorrows,
Your Spirit’s brightness has dispelled the darkness,
In our loving and caring,
In our touching and our listening,
In our thoughts and in our actions,
God’s Spirit has brought life out of death.
Pause to invite the Holy Spirit into your day’s activities.
God, your spirit fell like tongues of fire.
It filled those that were empty,
It empowered those that were weary.
God, your spirit fell like tongues of fire.
It brought together those that were divided,
It reassured those who were afraid.
God, your spirit fell like tongues of fire.
By its power we can walk together as one,
By its power we can find strength to share.
God, your spirit fell like tongues of fire.
By its power we can find freedom in loving each other,
By its power we can find life in you.
Read scriptures from daily lectionary or use following scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11 (The Message); Galatians 5: 1, 13-26 (CEV); John 14: 15-21 (CEV).
God, we believe you have sent your Spirit to live within us,
Your indwelling Spirit leads us into all truth.
God, we believe your Spirit teaches your followers to serve others,
Your empowering Spirit equips us with gifts for service.
God, we believe your Spirit breaks down the barriers that imprison us,
Your comforting Spirit encourages us to worship God with all our hearts.
God, we believe your Spirit writes your law on our hearts,
Your liberating Spirit sets us free to love our neighbors as we do ourselves.
God we believe your Spirit calls us to follow you.
God, we believe this is the path from death to eternal life.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
God, thank you for your spirit breaking down barriers within and without
Barriers that distort our ability to lead a life fully integrated with you and your ways
Forgive us for the times we have deliberately resisted the Spirit’s work
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God for the barriers we create within ourselves,
Barriers that resist your healing work and prevent us moving toward wholeness.
Forgive our self-centeredness, our anger, our fear of change, our lack of trust in your love.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God, for the barriers we create between us and you,
Barriers that separate us from your love and the assurance of your salvation.
Forgive our busyness, our independence, our desire to go our own way.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God, for the barriers we create between us and each other,
Barriers that separate us from neighbors near and far and inhibit mutual love and care.
Forgive our resentment of others, our love of control, our indifference to the poor.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Forgive us God, for the barriers we create between us and your beautiful creation,
Barriers that abuse your world and deny our responsibility as stewards.
Forgive our greed, our misuse of resources, our pollution of the environment.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
God, by the power of your spirit, free us and break down these barriers.
Turn us away from the bondage of a life lived for ourselves and our own desires,
May your spirit guide us into the freedom of life lived for you and your purposes.
Life giving spirit, God’s advocate and guide, have mercy on us.
Glorious God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
We go into this day knowing your Spirit dwells within us.
May your Counselor make us wise and help us understand what it means to know you.
May the Spirit’s fire ignite our hearts so that we understand the hope of being chosen by God.
May we discover the glorious blessings we share together with all God’s people.
God we go into this day knowing it is you who makes us stand firm in Christ
We are filled with your Spirit,
We are anointed to serve,
We go out to bring resurrection life.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, this day and forever. Amen.
Christine Aroney-Sine facilitates the popular contemplative blog Godspace. In her new book The Gift of Wonder: Creative Practices for Delighting in God (InterVarsity Press, March 2019) she explores characteristics like play, curiosity and imagination that shape us into the people God intends us to be.
