GREETING (Psalm 42:1)
As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
HYMN 674 “See the Morning Sun Ascending”
PSALM 74
PRAYER
(Consider some of the following concerns of people for prayers of thanksgiving, intercession, and petition. Follow with your personal prayer list.)
God’s initiative to create The chaos we create
God’s wisdom displayed in creation The darkness we create
God’s loving purpose for creation Our unloving purposes
God’s creating work Our destructive work
God bringing order to chaos Natural energy
God bringing light into the darkness Renewable energy
Design in the universe Energy powering our world
The physics God creates Illumination of the universe
The dependability of God’s natural laws Illumination of our minds
God providing us the tools to study natural laws The beginning
God providing scientists to discover natural laws Our beginnings
God providing us eyes and minds to see the light New beginnings
The speed of light, fastest thing God creates The hope found in beginnings
The colors revealed in light ____________________________
The beautiful colors in our world ____________________________
The fascinating shapes in our world ____________________________
THE LORD'S PRAYER
SCRIPTURE LESSON
(Choose a passage of scripture to read. It can be a chapter, a paragraph, or a particular story. Daily lectionaries are available online or in print that assign a lesson each day from the gospels, epistles, Old Testament and psalms on a three-year cycle. Or you can create a plan to read a book of the Bible, or the whole Bible. Then follow the steps below.)
Read a passage of scripture. Read it out loud, very slowly and carefully as if for the first time. Continue reading until a word, phrase or sentence captures your attention. Stop there to repeat the word, phrase or sentence over and over, listening to it deeply in your heart.
Reflect on why the passage got your attention. Consider the area of your life to which this may apply. Is God saying something to you in this passage? Take time to listen carefully to whatever God may be saying to you.
Respond to God in prayer (or with journaling, music, art or whatever you choose) about what you have heard. Ask questions. Open yourself to God’s will for you.
Rest in God’s company. Be still and quiet. Move beyond thinking, practicing interior silence. Let yourself be open to God’s presence. Savor this moment with God.
PRAYER
As dawn peeks over the horizon, O God,
we remember your words,
“Let there be light.”
And with that you began everything that is.
Creator is your name, before you we bow.
Did it begin with a bang,
or creep slowly like dawn?
What matters is it was your words, your will.
And your light changed everything for us:
stroking the chlorophyll
in plants to make food,
and lighting our pathways through this world.
It is hard to imagine small particles of energy
hurtling through space,
186,000 miles per second,
falling on us in waves, and landing so gently.
It is strong enough to heat the planet’s surface,
and yet dances softly across
the retinas of our eyes,
illuminating the beauty of your creation.
The same light sends night and day in waves,
with young lions roaring
for their prey at night,
and people going out to work in the day.
You knew we would need this light of yours,
and you pour it out
in great abundance.
Your goodness enriches our days here,
and your love sends the Light of the World
to stretch our days
into your forever,
where yours is the only light necessary.
For the brilliance of your light, Holy Creator,
we thank you and praise you.
May the light of your Son,
shine in our hearts to guide our walk forever. Amen.
SILENCE AND COMMITMENT
(Pause to reflect and listen. Work to push out of your mind any distracting or irrelevant thoughts. Concentrate your thoughts on the words of the hymns and choruses you have sung, the prayers you have spoken and the scriptures you have read. Be aware of what you are feeling. Listen for anything that God might be saying to you in this time you have spent together. As God responds to your prayer-time, seek guidance for how you can best respond to God’s will. Then commit to serving God’s will for you.)
HYMN 77 “How Great Thou Art”
CLOSING PRAYER
The waking birds praise you with their songs, Father.
The dew dripping from the grasses speaks of your care.
The magenta sunrise writes your wisdom and passion.
The awaking dawn trumpets your delight in resurrection.
The stone underfoot murmurs of your great strength,
The breeze whispers of your presence to all your creation.
In this new day, I pray my life will shout your love,
and reflect a tiny glimmer of the kingdom that is coming.
Amen.
Copyright 2020. Robert D. Ingram, 32746 Jourden Rd., Albany, Ohio 45710 (dr.bobingram@gmail.com). Used by permission.
