Morning Prayer for Friday, July 18, 2025

 

Praying the Scriptures

Friday Morning Prayer

July 18, 2025

The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23–24)

Lord,

The first light crests the jagged rim of the Florida Mountains, spilling gold across the desert floor like a whispered promise. Shadows stretch and fade as creosote bushes catch the warmth, their scent rising faintly on the still morning air. The sky, once indigo, softens into hues of rose and flame. The rocks, the dust, even the silence itself seem to awaken—not in haste, but in reverence.

Here in this hush, I pause.

This moment, unmarred by noise or hurry, feels like holy ground. There are no cathedral walls, no incense or songs—just You, and me, and the wide open silence of Your creation. And yet I know: this is the hour You spoke of. It is now here.

I long to be among the true worshipers You seek—not in pretense, but in spirit and truth. Strip away what is hollow in me, Lord. Teach my soul how to kneel without my body bending, how to speak praise without sound. Let my very breath this morning rise to You as incense, my stillness as offering, my awe as worship.

Shape me today, Spirit of the Living God. In this fragile hour between night and day, make me pliable in Your hands. Let my thoughts be clear, my heart soft, my steps guided by grace.

Thank You for meeting me here, in the quiet beauty of this desert morning. Thank You for the gift of Your presence—unbound by place, unmeasured by words. I surrender this day to You, and I give thanks with all that I am.

Amen.

May the Spirit who meets you in the stillness of morning guide your steps today in truth, love, and holy purpose.

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The Bible passages come from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyrighted © 1989, 1993 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America and are used by permission. All rights reserved. Praying the Scriptures is penned daily by Kenny Sallee, ThM.