Sustain in Me a Willing Spirit--Nov. 8, 2019

Great and amazing are your deeds,

Lord God the Almighty.

When Jesus heard that John the Baptist

had been executed, he withdrew

alone to a deserted place.

When I am despondent, teach me to do

the same.  May your hand be upon

me and give me courage.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and sustain in me a willing spirit,

O God, I pray.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 51; 148; 142; 65

Ezra 7:27-28, 8:21-36

Rev. 15:1-8

Matt. 14:13-21

Selected Verses

Ps. 51:12

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
          and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Ezra 7:28b

I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

Rev. 15:2-3

And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.  And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:
     “Great and amazing are your deeds,
          Lord God the Almighty!
     Just and true are your ways,
          King of the nations!  …”

Matt. 14:13a

Now when Jesus heard [about the execution of John the Baptist], he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself.