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.

July 14, 2024

— Ordinary Time • Week 9 • Day 1

Invitation Psalm 24:1

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."

Quiet

Bible Song Psalm 18:25-31

To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.

You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord's word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.

For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?

Bible Reading Genesis1:1-5

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning — the first day.

Quiet

Dwelling

Read again slowly ... find a word or phrase that catches your eye or moves your heart ... slowly repeat it ... pray your thoughts, desires, needs, and feelings from your meditation ... enjoy the presence of your Lord and Savior.

Free Prayer

  • for resurrection hope and joy
  • for sharing the good news of the living Jesus

The Lord's Prayer

Prayer BC 12

Creating God, you create out of love. You confront chaos and call out goodness and joy; you work with emptiness to fashion and form design and structure; from nothing you summon life. And that is a wonder to be savored and enjoyed forever. Amen.

Blessing Isaiah 51:16

"I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand — I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, 'You are my people.'"