Day 142 | Saturday, 8 August 2020

Day 142 - Audio Version

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Day 142  |  Saturday, 8 August 2020

 COVID-19 Update: County 255 battalion 3 - 106

 A Prayer of Invocation:
“All-knowing, all-powerful and all-present God, we come to you this morning to lift up our praise to you. Although we sometimes seem painfully ignorant of the magnitude of your grace and of the power potential of your love, we joyously declare our faith and trust in you.
“Help us as we explore our faith to understand in some small measure your greatness, for everything about you is great - your love and mercy and your grace and peace. Thank you for being among us. We give you the praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

 A Prayer of Confession
“Wondrous God, forever seeking us, willingly forgiving us, we should be amazed at your grace. Yet how often we ignore your presence. We focus on keeping life in control, in balance, and get angry at the interruptions, the problems that ruin our plans, mess up our days. We never entertain the thought that you may be speaking to us in the turmoil, in the messiness of life. We are so bent on our desires and our plans that we squeeze you out. Holy God, you are there in all the circumstances of life. Open our eyes; help us come to our senses and trust your guiding hand. Amen.”

 An Affirmation “The Questions of Jesus”
(Matthew 8:26; 14:31; 16:15-16; Luke 8:45; 9:23-27)
“We believe in the Lord who questions, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" and then stills the storms of our lives and gives us peace.

We believe in the Jesus who tenderly asks, "Who touched me?" and then heals us of our disease.

We believe in the Master who says, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" and then reaches out his hand to catch us when we are sinking.

We believe in the Christ who wonders what it profits us to gain the whole world, but lose ourselves.

We believe him when he says, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
And when he queries, "Who do you say that I am?" we are glad to confess, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."”

 A Prayer:
“God of all peoples, we come before you this day calling your holy blessing upon us. As we give our lives to you, we ask that you show us your ways. Where there is sickness, bring healing. Where there is hurt, bring comfort, where there is separation, bring resolution for health.
Right now, we lift our own concerns to you in a moment of silence. [silence]
Grant us the insight to know when you speak to us. Help us not to drown out your message. May we know the movement of your Spirit when we experience it. And then, may we know what you would have us do. Praise to you, O Creator. Amen.”

 A Blessing:
  “May the risen Christ be with us as we seek to follow his example: forgiving and not hating, uplifting and not tearing down, serving instead of being served and doing all things to the glory of God the Father. In his precious name, we pray. Amen.”
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 Quotation: “The secret is that God loves us exactly the way we are ... and too much to let us stay like this.” -Anne Lamott