Seeking God's Face is a daily, contemplative devotional — rooted in the ancient traditions of the Divine Office and "lectio divina" — guiding you to renewed communion with God through sacred Scripture and universal prayer.

August 20, 2024

Ordinary Time • Week 14 • Day 3

Invitation Psalm 135:13

"Your name, Lord, endures forever, your renown, Lord, through all generations."

Quiet

Bible Song Psalm 54

Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might.

Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.

Arrogant foes are attacking me;
ruthless people are trying to kill me —
people without regard for God.

Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.

Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness destroy them.

I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.

You have delivered me from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

Bible Reading Exodus 20:8-17

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

"You shall not murder.

"You shall not commit adultery.

"You shall not steal.

"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Quiet

Dwelling

Become aware of God's loving presence and read again ... what in God's Word has caught your heart's attention? Is there a command to be obeyed, a comfort to be savored? Talk to God about the Scripture you've just read ... yield yourself to God and enjoy his presence.

Free Prayer

  • for a love of and commitment to the communities in which God has placed us
  • for God to equip us to serve in uniquely Christian ways in the public arena
  • for those who work in education

Prayer HC 115

God of grace, thank you for the wisdom and grace of the law — not as a way for me to prove my holiness but for the way it makes me eagerly look to Jesus and his salvation. Let your law teach me to live a flourishing human life, no longer driven by the crack of the law's whip but moved to obedience by the love of Jesus who saved me. Amen.

Blessing 2 Thess. 2:16-17

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."