The watchword for the week:
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6
Christ invites us to come and worship
To rest from the things that are troubling us;
To pray for the needs of those close to us as well as for the needs of the world;
To realize what we can offer to others
And so to return into the world to serve.
Let us worship God.
Psalm 63:1-8
O God, you are my God,
I seek you, my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
when I think of you on my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
Confession of Sin
(from the Liturgy for Lent II in the Moravian Book of Worship, pages 78-79. Used by permission of the Interprovincial Board of Communication)
Lord Jesus, we come before you in humble confession. Help us conform our lives to you as the model for holy and righteous living.
Forgive us for our desire for personal greatness, our attempts to make gods of ourselves, our willingness to exalt ourselves at the expense of others, and our resistance to serving one another as you have served us.
Forgive us for making light of your obedience and sacrifice on the cross by living an undisciplined and indifferent Christian witness; forgive us for yielding to fear rather than relying on your strength to take the risks of discipleship.
Forgive us, dear Jesus, for times we have not looked to you as our Lord and for allowing the clamoring distractions of the world to become higher priorities than you. Forgive us for yielding more to the temptations of this world than being transformed by your mercy and peace.
May the Holy Spirit empower us to accept the grace that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, offers to us today. Hear the words of our Lord, “Your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more.”
Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts since, as members of one body, we were called to peace. And let us be thankful.
Take time to read today’s Daily Texts. If you do not have a copy of the Daily Texts, you will find today’s texts posted in the margin on your page’s right side (at the bottom of the page if you are on a mobile phone). God speaks to us through the inspiration of scripture, so approach the opportunity to read the texts as a privilege, eagerly anticipating what might be conveyed to you today. How might today’s Word make a part of your life new again? When you have finished praying, continue as follows.
As you taught your disciples to pray, so we pray together:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.
Now and forever. Amen
And now, most merciful God, we ask you to continue extending your grace and favor towards us;
May we take time each day to seek you with our whole heart.
Let your truth abide and be established among us forever.
Help our unbelief, increase our faith, give us hearts to consider your many gifts to us.
Christ, and him crucified,
Remain our confession of faith. Amen.