GREETING (Psalm 15:1-2, 5b)
O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?
Those who walk blamelessly,
and do what is right,
and speak the truth from their heart;
Those who do these things
shall never be moved.
HYMN
Week One 343 “Come Back Quickly to the Lord”
Week Two 378 “Amazing Grace”
Week Three 337 “Only Trust Him”
Week Four 363 “And Can It Be that I Should Gain”
Week Five 359 “Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed”
PSALM
Week One 130
Week Two 27
Week Three 19
Week Four 107:1-3, 17-22
Week Five 126
PRAYER
(Think back to the beginning of this day. Start there, and mentally walk through the day again, while you thank God for the day's blessings and God's continuous work of love. Confess and repent of those times when you forgot, ignored or rebelled against God. Continue to pray with your personal prayer list.)
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.
(Listed below are some lectionary readings that might be used for this season.)
Week One Matthew 4:1-11
Week Two John 3:1-17
Week Three Luke 13:1-9
Week Four Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Week Five John 12:20-33
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
(Declare your faith by repeating “The Apostles’ Creed” (882) or “The Nicene Creed,” (880) or use the following affirmation.)
We believe in God, our Creator and our Father,
who warned Adam and Eve to not eat the fruit of the tree in the center of the garden;
who hated humanity’s sins, but saved Noah’s family as a faithful remnant on the ark;
who chose Abraham, taught him faithfulness, and made his children a blessing to all;
who used the jealousy of Joseph’s brothers to save Jacob’s whole family from famine;
who led the unfaithful Israelites through the wilderness and cared for them constantly;
who raised up faithful judges to lead Israel out of their idolatrous and unfaithful ways;
who forgave David for his adultery with Bathsheba and planning the murder of Uriah;
who sent a long string of prophets to warn Israel and Judah to turn from their idolatries;
who forgave the remnant of Judah and led the people back from their exile in Babylon;
who promised to send a faithful descendant of David to save the people from their sin.
We believe in Jesus, the Christ and Son of God,
who descended from Heaven and took on human flesh to save all the world from sin;
who, though free of sin, submitted to John’s baptism of repentance to show us the way;
who resisted all Satan’s temptations in the wilderness as an example to fallen sinners;
who called the apostles to teach and proclaim the good news of God’s grace in Christ;
who ate with sinners, forgave them of their sin and called them to his holy way of life;
who revealed the sin of Israel’s leaders and teachers and called them to his forgiveness;
who wept over Jerusalem because they refused to believe in the salvation God offered;
who offered up his life on the cross to provide God’s salvation to people everywhere;
who rose from the dead to reveal what lies ahead for those who trust in God’s salvation;
who will return at the end of the age to punish the sinful and to reward those forgiven.
We believe in God’s Presence, the Holy Spirit,
who empowered the apostles’ to work the same signs and miracles that Jesus had done;
who preserved the writings of many first-hand witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection and life;
who sent out witnesses across the earth to share God’s grace in the good news of Jesus;
who uncovers temptation and sin, and calls believers into God’s forgiveness and grace;
who provides believers with discernment and wisdom for making righteous choices;
who called believers to serve as leaders in Jesus’ church and establish his congregations;
who provides spiritual gifts to Christians for the benefit of the church and the world;
who inspires artists, visionaries, leaders and common people to uncommon good works;
who launches believers into working for justice for all people and for God’s creation;
who seals the chosen of God for the kingdom coming at the end of this sin-filled age. Amen.
GLORY BE TO THE FATHER 70 or 71
PRAYER
Our selfishness is a ticking bomb, God of mercy and love.
Centering on ourselves, instead of on you, is killing us.
Greed consumes all our energy, time and resources.
Envy destroys thankfulness for your countless gifts.
Pride steals from you the glory that is yours alone.
Lust surrenders control to every rapacious appetite.
Sloth speeds us into empty nothingness and regret.
Gluttony hijacks generosity, bloats us with failure.
Wrath rips from us peace, joy and unity with you.
Abstinence is not enough, God. Help us die to ourselves.
Give us new lives, centered on your Son, Jesus Christ.
Prudence disciplines and quiets our wild appetites.
Justice weighs and applies right and wrong fairly.
Temperance checks the pull of desire and pleasure.
Fortitude braces us to bear adversity of all kinds.
Faith teaches us to lean on you in every situation.
Hope builds a foundation for you to keep promises.
Love embraces you, God, as well as our neighbors.
So let us gather spiritual fruit from every tree under heaven,
and reap glory and praise for you in every earthy field. 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
Week One 354 “I Surrender All”
Week Two 365 “Grace Greater than Our Sin”
Week Three 382 “Have Thine Own Way, Lord”
Week Four 341 “I Sought the Lord”
Week Five 267 “O Love, How Deep”
CLOSING PRAYER (Hebrews 13:15-16)
Holy and Loving Father,
forgive us for every wrong decision,
every uncaring act, and every sinful thought.
Amend, repair and undo,
every action we undertook this day,
that was not in accordance with your holy will.
Let the fruit of our lips,
that is, our every sacrifice of praise,
increase and continue to confess Jesus Christ.
Let good we have done,
and the living and loving sacrifices
declare your glory and point to your presence.
Finally, use this night,
to empty us of all our selfishness,
and to fill us up with your loving Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Copyright 2020. Robert D. Ingram, 32746 Jourden Rd., Albany, Ohio 45710 (dr.bobingram@gmail.com). Used by permission.
