 |
The Timeless Psalmsby Joan Stott |
A Call to Worship
Epiphany 8, Year A, Psalm 131
Trustworthy God, in the stillness of your constantpresence, we offer our prayers and our thanks to you.
In humility and sincerity, we gather to worship our God.
You are our Still Centre when all around us is noisy conflict.
Holy God, our hope is in you, as you meet all our needs.
In the quietness and peace of this sacred space,
we gather to pray and meditate on God’s Holy Word.
O God, draw near to us, as we draw near to you. Amen.
If used in shared worship, please provide an acknowledgement as follows:
© 2011 Joan Stott – "The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year A, used with permission.
Prayers of Trust
Epiphany 8, Year A, Psalm 131
Holy God, in humble gratitude, we come to worship you.You are our heart’s desire and delight, and in quiet joy we
come before your awesome presence, as we offer our
acts of praise; the confession of our sinfulness; and our
acceptance of your merciful forgiveness. We will leave
to go to our homes with sincere gratitude to God, assured
that we are once again in a right relationship with our God.
Inspirational God, each time we approach you, we are
aware of the wonder and glory of our God, and we feel
inadequate before such splendour and majesty; and yet
God welcomes us as if we were little children there to
receive a parent’s warm embrace. How reassuring that
is, and we give our thanks to God, trusting God’s generous
and dependable love and care. How blessèd we are.
Nurturing God, with a serene spirit and a quiet mind, we can
leave the support and encouragement of our fellow pilgrims,
and take their blessings with us as we go out into the world;
trusting in the strength and liberty that God gives us; and
in the life-giving and eternal hope that is God’s gift to us all. Amen.
If used in shared worship, please provide an acknowledgement as follows:
© 2011 Joan Stott – "The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year A, used with permission.
A Personal Meditation
Epiphany 8, Year A, Psalm 131
Here I am again God, like a little child in need of a parent’slove; my mother’s milk, or my father’s tender care and
acceptance. I keep returning to my God for support and
encouragement, as I attempt to live a wholesome and
humble life within the framework of my current situation.
| Creative pause: | I seek to lead a humble and wholesome life. |
There have been memorable times when I have felt the
heavy weight of the world on my shoulders; when I have
been the recipient of harrowing tales of degradation, disaster,
and the abuse of power. I know these sad situations continue,
and may even be worse now than when I heard about or
experienced them first hand. However, I will never forget their
faces, their broken voices, their stories, their needs; and my
ineffective responses before the magnitude of their need, and
the many different ways they were impoverished and suffered.
| Creative pause: | I will never forget them. |
My God, I come to you seeking your help and encouragement.
I need to lead a quieter and more measured life that is stilled
by God’s presence and God’s healing calm. However, may I
never fail to pray for and care about the pains of this world;
its suffering people and their desperate needs! But my life has
changed, and it is time now to be still before God as I reflect
on the purpose of life; the meaning of faith and love; and the
significance of hope; as I humbly learn more about my God.
| Creative pause: | It is now time to be still before God. |