Magnificat and Final Prayers

O God make speed to save us . O Lord, make haste to help us . Blessed are you, Lord God, Creator of day and night. To you be praise and glory for ever . As darkness falls, you renew your promise to reveal among us the light of your presence. By the light of Christ, your living word, dispel the darkness of our hearts, that we may walk as children of light, and sing your praise throughout the world. Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Blessed be God for ever . That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind . As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and for ever . Amen . Psalm 1 3 6 . Give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious. For his mercy endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods . For his mercy end ures for ever . Give thanks to the Lord of Lords, for his mercy endures for ever , who alone does great wonders, for his mercy endures for ever . Who by wisdom made the heavens? For his mercy endures for ever , who laid out the earth upon the waters? For his mercy endures for ever . Who made the great lights? For his mercy endures for ever , the sun to rule the day, for his mercy endures for ever , the moon and the stars to govern the night, for his mercy endures for ever . Who smote the firstborn of Egypt? For his mercy endures for ever , and brought out Israel from among them, for his mercy endures for ever , with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, for his mercy endures for ever , who divided the Red Sea in two , for his mercy endures for ever , and made Israel to pass through the midst of it, for his mercy endures for ever . But Pharaoh and his host he overthrew in the Red Sea, for his mercy endures forever, who led his people through the wilderness, for his mercy endures for ever . Who smoked great kings, for his mercy endures for ever , and slew mighty kings, for his mercy endures for ever . Sion , king of the Amorites, for his mercy endures for ever. And Og , the king of Bashan, for his mercy endures for ever , and gave away their land for a heritage, for his mercy endures for ever , a heritage for Israel, his servant, for his mercy endures for ever , who remembered us when we were in trouble, for his mercy endures for ever, and delivered us from our enemies, for his mercy endures for ever . Who gives food to all creatures? For his mercy endures for ever . Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his mercy endures for ever . Let us pray . Remember us, O God, and shape our history, form our inward eyes, to see the shadow of a life-giving cross in the turbulence of our time , for his sake who died for all, Christ our Lord. Amen . The first reading is from the second book of Chronicles, beginning at chapter eighteen, verse twenty eight . So the King of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went up to R amoth Gilead . The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes . So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. Now the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots: fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel. When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said , It is the king of Israel. So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him . God drew them away from him, for when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him . But a certain man drew his bow and unknowingly struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastpl ate. So he said to the driver of his chariot, Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded . The battle grew hot that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died . King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. Jehu, son of Hana , the Sir, went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat , Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord. Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the sacred poles out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God . Jehoshaphat resided at Jerusalem. Then he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors . He appointed judges in the land in all the for tified cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges , Consider what you are doing, for you judge not on behalf of human beings, but on the Lord's behalf. He is with you in giving judgment . Now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Take care what ye do, for there is no perversion of justice with the Lord our God, or partiality, or taking of bribes. Moreover, in Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seats at Jerusalem . He charged them. This is how you shall act, in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart. Whenever a case comes to you from your kindred who live in the cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or ordinances, then you shall instruct them, so that they may not incur guilt before the Lord, and wrath may not come on you and your kindred . Do so, and you will not incur guilt . See, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord . And Zebediah, son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters, and the Levites, will serve you as officers . Deal courageously, and may the Lord be with the good . Rejoice and be glad, for you are the light of the world, and great is your reward in heaven . Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn , for they shall be comforted . Blessed are the meek , for they shall inherit the earth . Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteous ness , for they shall be satisfied . Blessed are the merciful , for they shall obtain mercy . Blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see God . Blessed are the peacemak ers , for they shall be called children of God . Blessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spir it, as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever . Amen . Rejoice and be glad, for you are the light of the world, and great is your reward in heaven. The second reading is from the letter of Paul to the Romans, beginning at chapter two, verse Therefore you have no excuse whoever you are, when you judge others, for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge are, doing the very same things . You say , We know that God's judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth . Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things, and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God ? Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience . Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance ? But by your hard and in penitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed, for he will repay according to each one's deeds, to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. While for those who are self seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury . There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek, for God shows no partiality . All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God's sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified . When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively, what the law requires . These, though not having the law, are a law to themselves . They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness. Thoughts of all Lord soul And after wards receive me with gl ory . Guide me with your couns el I doctor once received me with glory For I am always with you , you hold me by my right hand And authors rece ive me with glory to the Father to the Son and to the Holy Sp irit . Or you will gu ide me with your calm soul and dot those rece iv ing Remember your promise of mercy to Abraham and his children for ever . My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour . He has looked with favour on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed . The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. He has mercy on those who fear him , from generation to gener ation . He has shown strength with his arm , and has scattered the proud in their conceit. The rich away empty . He has come to the aid of his servant Israel to remember his promise of mercy , the promise made to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children for ever . Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen . Remember your promise of mercy to Abraham and his children for ever once again, we are invited to pray for the gift of peace and for individuals and their needs . We pray for the gift of peace in our world, lifting to God the broken and troubled places in today's news We pray for the gift of peace in our church lifting to God our joys and fears . We pray for the gift of peace in our communities. Lifting to God those places where peace is most needed . We pray for the gift of peace in our homes, lifting to God those close to our hearts. We pray for the gift of peace in ourselves , lifting to God our hopes and dreams . Almighty God, by whose command time runs its course, forgive our impatience, perfect our faith, and while we wait for the fulfillment of your promises, grant us to have a good hope because of your word , through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen . O Lord from whom all good things come, grant to us your humble servants, that by your holy inspiration we may think those things that are good, and by your merciful guiding may perform the same, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever . Amen . As our Saviour taught us, so we pray . Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name , your kingdom come , your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us to day our daily bread . Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us . Lead us not into temptation but, deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever . Amen . The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore . Amen . Let us bless the Lord . Thanks be to God