Saturday, July 17, 2021
Opening Prayer:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
Confession of Sin & Prayer for Grace
Merciful Father, I come before you today not in penitent fear but in repentant faith. Because you have raised me up with Christ, I now humble myself before you. I confess that I have been proud, attempting to live an autonomous life and believing the lie of self-sufficiency. I have avoided Jesus by treasuring other things more than you and your kingdom. Have mercy on me today, O Lord my God, and empower me for greater trust, submission, and obedience, through Christ my Savior: Amen.
Old Testament Reading: Hosea 1
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
New Testament Reading: Colossians 2:6-19
Prayer of Adoration:
Jesus Christ: I adore you as the head of all rule and authority - the one who has triumphed over all the powers of darkness through your death and resurrection. In you the whole fullness of deity dwells; and in you I am made complete.
Psalm Reading: Psalm 149
Prayer of Consecration
Lord, your word encourages your people to extravagantly praise you, with dancing and loud music. Thank you that you invite free, enthusiastic praise! Maybe this kind of expression is familiar to me, or maybe I’ve never worshipped you in this way. Set me free from passivity in worship, and cultivate in me a joyful and wholehearted response to your goodness. Part of praising you is loving your justice, so help me engage the part of the psalm that pivots from praise to judgement. When you invite your people wage war against evil, may that war be constrained and directed by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Before I look at the faults of others, help me to reckon humbly and truthfully with the sin in myself. Then, freed by the righteousness of Christ given to me, help me fight sin with all my heart today.
BENEDICTION
And now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and always, until the day of Christ's return.
