Wednesday: Daily Callings
With all the noise in the world, do you hear the voice of God? Your calendar tells you what to do, but do you remember who you are? Being comes before doing. This is a call to put first things first. Return to the Lord with this daily pattern of prayer and devotion. Set aside this time as a sanctuary. Find a space free of distraction and follow this pattern.
Invocation
Making the sign of the cross, I say,
O God, I have much to do. I cannot fulfill all my responsibilities without divine assistance. You have given me purpose. You have called me to important work. I commence my work only by your name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
I invite my Lord,
Jesus, you are the vine; I am a branch. Apart from you I can do nothing. Stay with me. I want to abide in you and bear fruit with my life. (John 15:5)
Confession
I confess my sins,
Lord, there is much in me that needs reform. O gracious God, remove my guilt and pollution. Restore all that I have spoiled. Wash away my sin, but not simply to leave a vacant space. Fill my forgiven heart with sacred gifts and a holy compulsion to do your will. Form me into the likeness of Jesus. Wipe clear a clean slate, then mark it with holy handwriting. Redeem my unworthiness that you may be glorified in my being. I would be nothing; be thou all in all. Amen.
Word: John 15:1-17
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Meditation
What is God saying in this passage? Try to repeat the substance in your own words.
Is there a word or phrase that jumped out at you? (Pay attention to verbs.) Why does it stand out?
What does God want me to do with this word?
Prayer for Daily Callings
Prayer
O Creator, unless you build the house, those who labor build in vain. Make my work good for you. I do not want my work to be vapor, the whims of my own dreams. I want what you want for me. I want to do significant work that you desire. Lord, give me good work to do. Grow abundant fruit through my life so that you get glory. Amen.
With all the noise in the world, do you hear the voice of God? Your calendar tells you what to do, but do you remember who you are? Being comes before doing. This is a call to put first things first. Return to the Lord with this daily pattern of prayer and devotion. Set aside this time as a sanctuary. Find a space free of distraction and follow this pattern.
Invocation
Making the sign of the cross, I say,
O God, I have much to do. I cannot fulfill all my responsibilities without divine assistance. You have given me purpose. You have called me to important work. I commence my work only by your name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
I invite my Lord,
Jesus, you are the vine; I am a branch. Apart from you I can do nothing. Stay with me. I want to abide in you and bear fruit with my life. (John 15:5)
Confession
I confess my sins,
Lord, there is much in me that needs reform. O gracious God, remove my guilt and pollution. Restore all that I have spoiled. Wash away my sin, but not simply to leave a vacant space. Fill my forgiven heart with sacred gifts and a holy compulsion to do your will. Form me into the likeness of Jesus. Wipe clear a clean slate, then mark it with holy handwriting. Redeem my unworthiness that you may be glorified in my being. I would be nothing; be thou all in all. Amen.
Word: John 15:1-17
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Meditation
What is God saying in this passage? Try to repeat the substance in your own words.
Is there a word or phrase that jumped out at you? (Pay attention to verbs.) Why does it stand out?
What does God want me to do with this word?
Prayer for Daily Callings
- For my occupation, workplace, coworkers.
- For my work to be good for others, an extension of God’s love and care.
- For the unemployed.
- For growth in my career; not to work for a paycheck but for you and others.
- For discernment, if I should pursue another job or direction in life.
- For my callings at home as spouse, son/daughter, brother/sister.
- For schools, teachers, classmates.
- For eyes to see God’s work around me this day. For the courage to participate in it.
- Not to be comfortable in my callings, but to be useful.
Prayer
O Creator, unless you build the house, those who labor build in vain. Make my work good for you. I do not want my work to be vapor, the whims of my own dreams. I want what you want for me. I want to do significant work that you desire. Lord, give me good work to do. Grow abundant fruit through my life so that you get glory. Amen.
