Morning Prayer
And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Inspiration
God the Father took this occasion, the baptism of Christ, to declare his delight in his Son. Though the Father is always pleased with the Son, yet he proclaims the fact here to put special emphasis on his approval of what Christ had just done. Jesus did not enter the waters of baptism to symbolize repentance of any sin, for he had none to repent of. Instead, he went down into the water to represent his death for sinners on the cross and arose out of the water to represent his coming Resurrection. He was here, at the outset of his earthly ministry, committing himself to the cross.
Prayer
Your baptism, Lord, was a token of your willingness to die for and save your people from their sin. It was an act of committal to your Father's will. May we also die daily to our own selfish desires and arise in newness of life, ready to serve you. When we were baptized, we indicated our trust in your saving power and our commitment to live a "resurrection life" for your glory. We rededicate ourselves to that vision today. Amen.
Night Prayer
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Inspiration
We humble ourselves before the Lord when faced with the almighty power He possesses. Death is final to us, yet it has no command over the Maker of the heavens and earth. God has authority over all His creation; we feel small, yet mighty and honored, to be loved by Him. We are grateful that the One who holds the world in the palm of His hand also carries our spirits close to His heart and feels we are worthy to experience eternal life.
Prayer
Dear God, we humble ourselves before You. Thank You for considering us worthy of Your love. We devote our spirits to You and are proud to be Your children. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
