PROPER 21
Prayer
Psalms And Prayers For Congregational Participation
CALL TO WORSHIP
As long as you live praise the royal One, and sing praise to our God all your lives long.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
ALL-SEEING GOD, TOO OFTEN WE CLOSE OUR EYES TO WHAT IS GOING WRONG IN THE WORLD. WE CAN NOT SEE WITH THE EYES OF THE VERY POOR THAT WE LIVE IN RELATIVE LUXURY, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE OTHERS WITH MANY TIMES WHAT WE HAVE. WE MAY LIVE TO EAT AND SOOTHE OUR NERVES WITH MUSIC. WE SPEND MORE ON COSMETICS THAN SOME HAVE TO BUY THEIR DAILY BREAD. WE ESCAPE FROM HONEST ATTEMPTS AT DOING SOMETHING TO RIGHT THE WRONG WITH SENTIMENTAL DRAMA AND CONTRIVED EXCITEMENTS. FORGIVE INACTION SO UNLIKE THE COMPASSION AND INVOLVEMENT OF YOUR SON, OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. AMEN
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! Happy is the person whose helper is the God of Jacob and Rachel, whose hopes are in God, who loves and restores us, straightening us out. Friends, believe the Good News. IN JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE FORGIVEN.
EXHORTATION
Run the great race of faith. Pursue justice, prayerfulness, fidelity, love, courage and gentleness. Take hold of eternal life.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
SPEAKER OF ALL LANGUAGES, HELP US TO HEED THE LAW OF MOSES THAT WE MAY LIVE MORALLY, THE CALL OF THE PROPHETS THAT WE MAY SEEK JUSTICE FOR ALL, THE GOOD NEWS OF THE RISEN CHRIST THAT ETERNAL LIFE MAY BE THE TREASURE THAT ALL RECEIVE THROUGH TRUST IN YOUR WORD. AMEN
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
SOVEREIGN OF SOVEREIGNS, YOU ALONE POSSESS IMMORTALITY. WE ARE DAZZLED BY YOUR GLORY. THE LIFE
YOU GIVE TO ALL LIVING THINGS IS MARVELOUS. TO LIVE IN YOUR PRESENCE IS A GREAT HONOR. TO HAVE INHERITED THE FAITH OF JESUS AND THE APOSTLES IS A PRICELESS HERITAGE. WE WOULD EXPRESS OUR THANKFULNESS BY MAKING A FAITHFUL CONFESSION IN THE PRESENCE OF MANY WITNESSES AND LIVING FAULTLESSLY UNTIL OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST APPEARS. AMEN
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
NOWHERE, INVISIBLE GOD, DO WE MEET YOU MORE INTIMATELY THAN AT THE TABLE OF OUR LORD JESUS. GRACIOUSLY RECEIVE OUR HUMBLE GIFTS. TRANSFORM OUR OFFERINGS INTO ACTS OF LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO THE WHOLE WORLD; IN THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST. AMEN
PSALM 107:1, 33-43
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
AND HIS MERCY ENDURES FOR EVER.
The Lord changed rivers into deserts,
AND WATER-SPRINGS INTO THIRSTY GROUND,
A fruitful land into salt flats,
BECAUSE OF THE WICKEDNESS OF THOSE WHO DWELL THERE.
He changed deserts into pools of water
AND DRY LAND INTO WATER-SPRINGS.
He settled the hungry there,
AND THEY FOUNDED A CITY TO DWELL IN.
They sowed fields, and planted vineyards,
AND BROUGHT IN A FRUITFUL HARVEST.
He blessed them, so that they increased greatly;
HE DID NOT LET THEIR HERDS DECREASE.
Yet when they were diminished and brought low,
THROUGH STRESS OF ADVERSITY AND SORROW,
(He pours contempt on princes
AND MAKES THEM WANDER IN TRACKLESS WASTES)
He lifted up the poor out of misery
AND MULTIPLIED THEIR FAMILIES LIKE FLOCKS OF SHEEP.
The upright will see this and rejoice,
BUT ALL WICKEDNESS WILL SHUT ITS MOUTH.
Whoever is wise will ponder these things,
AND CONSIDER WELL THE MERCIES OF THE LORD.
As long as you live praise the royal One, and sing praise to our God all your lives long.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
ALL-SEEING GOD, TOO OFTEN WE CLOSE OUR EYES TO WHAT IS GOING WRONG IN THE WORLD. WE CAN NOT SEE WITH THE EYES OF THE VERY POOR THAT WE LIVE IN RELATIVE LUXURY, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE OTHERS WITH MANY TIMES WHAT WE HAVE. WE MAY LIVE TO EAT AND SOOTHE OUR NERVES WITH MUSIC. WE SPEND MORE ON COSMETICS THAN SOME HAVE TO BUY THEIR DAILY BREAD. WE ESCAPE FROM HONEST ATTEMPTS AT DOING SOMETHING TO RIGHT THE WRONG WITH SENTIMENTAL DRAMA AND CONTRIVED EXCITEMENTS. FORGIVE INACTION SO UNLIKE THE COMPASSION AND INVOLVEMENT OF YOUR SON, OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. AMEN
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! Happy is the person whose helper is the God of Jacob and Rachel, whose hopes are in God, who loves and restores us, straightening us out. Friends, believe the Good News. IN JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE FORGIVEN.
EXHORTATION
Run the great race of faith. Pursue justice, prayerfulness, fidelity, love, courage and gentleness. Take hold of eternal life.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
SPEAKER OF ALL LANGUAGES, HELP US TO HEED THE LAW OF MOSES THAT WE MAY LIVE MORALLY, THE CALL OF THE PROPHETS THAT WE MAY SEEK JUSTICE FOR ALL, THE GOOD NEWS OF THE RISEN CHRIST THAT ETERNAL LIFE MAY BE THE TREASURE THAT ALL RECEIVE THROUGH TRUST IN YOUR WORD. AMEN
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
SOVEREIGN OF SOVEREIGNS, YOU ALONE POSSESS IMMORTALITY. WE ARE DAZZLED BY YOUR GLORY. THE LIFE
YOU GIVE TO ALL LIVING THINGS IS MARVELOUS. TO LIVE IN YOUR PRESENCE IS A GREAT HONOR. TO HAVE INHERITED THE FAITH OF JESUS AND THE APOSTLES IS A PRICELESS HERITAGE. WE WOULD EXPRESS OUR THANKFULNESS BY MAKING A FAITHFUL CONFESSION IN THE PRESENCE OF MANY WITNESSES AND LIVING FAULTLESSLY UNTIL OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST APPEARS. AMEN
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
NOWHERE, INVISIBLE GOD, DO WE MEET YOU MORE INTIMATELY THAN AT THE TABLE OF OUR LORD JESUS. GRACIOUSLY RECEIVE OUR HUMBLE GIFTS. TRANSFORM OUR OFFERINGS INTO ACTS OF LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO THE WHOLE WORLD; IN THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST. AMEN
PSALM 107:1, 33-43
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
AND HIS MERCY ENDURES FOR EVER.
The Lord changed rivers into deserts,
AND WATER-SPRINGS INTO THIRSTY GROUND,
A fruitful land into salt flats,
BECAUSE OF THE WICKEDNESS OF THOSE WHO DWELL THERE.
He changed deserts into pools of water
AND DRY LAND INTO WATER-SPRINGS.
He settled the hungry there,
AND THEY FOUNDED A CITY TO DWELL IN.
They sowed fields, and planted vineyards,
AND BROUGHT IN A FRUITFUL HARVEST.
He blessed them, so that they increased greatly;
HE DID NOT LET THEIR HERDS DECREASE.
Yet when they were diminished and brought low,
THROUGH STRESS OF ADVERSITY AND SORROW,
(He pours contempt on princes
AND MAKES THEM WANDER IN TRACKLESS WASTES)
He lifted up the poor out of misery
AND MULTIPLIED THEIR FAMILIES LIKE FLOCKS OF SHEEP.
The upright will see this and rejoice,
BUT ALL WICKEDNESS WILL SHUT ITS MOUTH.
Whoever is wise will ponder these things,
AND CONSIDER WELL THE MERCIES OF THE LORD.
