Daily Prayer in the Season of Joyful Hope

WEDNESDAY

highland cattle grazing, Lewis, Western Isles

CALL TO WORSHIP, AND OPENING PRAYER

 

The kingdom of God is at hand:

Come, let us worship.

 

Give praise to the Father almighty,

to his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord,

to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

both now and for ever. Amen.

 

Alleluia!

 

Blessed are you, sovereign God,

ruler and judge of all,

to you be praise and glory for ever.

   [a few words of praise and adoration may be said here]

Awaken in us joyful hope

as we look for Christ's reign of peace,

when every voice shall give you praise,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Blessed be God for ever!

PSALM, AND SCRIPTURE SONG

Psalm 98


O sing to the Lord a new song,
   for he has done marvellous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
   have gained him victory. 
The Lord has made known his victory;
   he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. 
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
   to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
   the victory of our God. 


Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
   break forth into joyous song and sing praises. 
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
   with the lyre and the sound of melody. 
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
   make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord. 


Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
   the world and those who live in it. 
Let the floods clap their hands;
   let the hills sing together for joy 
at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming
   to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
   and the peoples with equity.

 

Give praise to the Father almighty,

to his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord,

to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

both now and for ever. Amen.

 

A Song of the Lamb [Revelation 19.1b, 5b, 6b-7, 9b]

 

Salvation and glory and power

belong to our God

whose judgements are true and just.

 

Praise our God

all you servants of God,

you who fear him

both small and great.

 

The Lord our God

the Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and exult

and give glory and homage.

 

The marriage of the Lamb has come

and his bride has made herself ready.

Happy are those who are invited

to the wedding banquet of the Lamb.

 

To the One who sits on the throne

and to the Lamb

be blessing and honour

and glory and might,

for ever and ever. Amen.

SHORT READING

Matthew 24.30,31

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven” with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

 

a time for reflection on the scriptures …

 

… completed with:

 

I will go before you, I will level the mountains.

I will cut through the bars of iron; I will level the mountains.

CANTICLE OF THE SEASON

The Song of Jechariah

[Luke 1.68-79]

 

Blessed be the Lord,

the God of Israel,

who has come to his people

and set them free.

The Lord has raised up for us

a mighty Saviour,

born of the house

of his servant David.

 

Through the holy prophets,

God promised of old

to save us from our enemies,

from the hands

of all who hate us,

to show mercy to our forebears,

and to remember

his holy covenant.

 

This was the oath

God swore to our father Abraham:

to set us free

from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,                  causeway, Western Isles

holy and righteous before him,

all the days of our life.

 

And you, child, shall be called

the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord

to prepare his way,

to give his people

knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

 

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

 

Give praise to the Father almighty,

to his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord,

to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

both now and for ever. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER,

thanksgiving, petition, intercession

 

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.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours

now and for ever. Amen.

 

a time for personal prayer and intercession …

 

… you may include this ‘Prayer for the Earth’:

Lord Christ, give us the expectant hope

that this damaged earth will be healed of its pain

and restored to wholeness.

Come among us to judge the world with righteousness

and to change both hearts and minds.

Refine our priorities,

so that we turn away from exploitation

towards the nurture of creation.

 

… and sum up your own prayers with these responses:

 

In joyful hope we pray to you, O Lord:

come, Lord Jesus.

 

Come to your Church as Lord and Judge;

give us a longing for your loving rule.

 

Come to your world as King of the nations;

let righteousness and peace prevail.

 

Come to us as Saviour and Comforter;

break into our failure and free us to serve you.

 

Come to us with power and great glory.

Lift up our hearts to meet you in joy.

CONCLUDING PRAYER, AND ENDING

God, our refuge and strength,

bring near the day when wars shall cease

and poverty and pain shall end,

that earth may know the peace of heaven

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing,

so that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.