God's Love on Embrace | The Pastor's Workshop

liturgy

Embracing God's Persistent Love

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Hosea 2:2-5, Luke 15:11-24, Romans 5:6-8, Luke 15:11-32, Psalm 103:8-14

Our gracious God, you repeatedly move towards us, even when we pull away. You are not deterred by our rejection of you nor our running away from you. Your love is persistent. We confess our distrust o...

illustration

Desperate for Attention

Author

Ashley Hales

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 16:13, Exodus 33:14, Isaiah 49:15–16, Matthew 18:3–4, Luke 15:20–24, Psalm 139:1–3

We’re little children wandering the aisles of the internet because we’ve lost the presence of our loving parent. We are desperate for the attention of a good Father who sees us. We have no idea how to...

liturgy

Holy Spirit, open our minds

Author

Cody Sandahl

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 1:6-9, Ephesians 4:15, 25, John 4:24, John 8:23, Hebrews 4:12

Holy Spirit, open our minds to the truth that hurts and the truth that heals. Open our hearts to the love that challenges and the love that embraces. Amen.

liturgy

Grace Empowering Selfless Love

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 13:8-9, Exodus 32:30-32, Philippians 2:3-8, 1 John 3:16-18, Psalm 51:10-12

Gracious God, we love with our preferences in mind rather than your sacrifices in mind. We default to comfort and control rather than release and trust. We think of ourselves before we think of others...

liturgy

Overcoming Fear with God's Love

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 43:1-3, Lamentations 3:22-23, Hebrews 10:22-23, 2 Timothy 1:7, Psalm 27:1-3

Heavenly Father, we have forgotten your generosity and kindness. Believing you hold back from us, we have held back from others and from you. Gracious God, hear our confessions , and make us mindfu...

blog

This Christmas Which “Fear Not” Do You Need?

Author

Bill Gaultiere

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 1:5-25, Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:8-20, 1 John 4:18, Romans 12:15, 1 John 4:19

Fear Not! In the first Advent God keeps saying, “Fear not!” It’s a word we need to hear today too. Zechariah and Elizabeth were told that after decades of waiting they’d finally have a child in thei...

liturgy

Adapted from Ephesians 3:18-19

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:18-19, Acts 2:42-47, John 13:1-17, Luke 15:11-32, Psalm 103:11-12, 1 John 3:1, Romans 8:38-39

I pray that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and heig...

Quote

Author

Brennan Manning

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 31:3, Isaiah 62:5, Isaiah 49:15-16, Deuteronomy 7:7-8, Hosea 11:1

Do you really accept the message that God is head over heels in love with you?

illustration

The Love of God Wrapped About Him

Author

Thomas Kelly

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 4:1-3, Psalm 30:5, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 43:2, Psalm 23:4, Job 1:, Job 2:, Job 42:, 2 Samuel 11:, 2 Samuel 12:, Genesis 37:12-36, 1 Kings 17:8-24, Daniel 6:, Psalm 34:18

The sense of Presence! I have spoken of it as stealing on one unawares. It is recorded of John Wilhelm Rowntree that as he left a great physician’s office, where he had just been told that his advanci...

liturgy

Opening Prayer – You Cannot Love Me More

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 4:, Hebrews 13:5, Isaiah 43:1, John 15:9, Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 136:26, Ephesians 3:17-19

You cannot love me more You will not love me less You love me fully Now and always Help me accept the gift of your love Help me trust it Help me accept it fully There’s no need to earn your love...

liturgy

Ephesians 3:17-19 "May Christ may dwell in your

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:17-19

May Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height...

liturgy

Adapted from John 3:17 and Psalm 46:1-3

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

John 3:17, Psalm 46:1-3

Pastor: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (Jn 3:17) All: His love endures forever Pastor: "...

Quote

Author

Mother Teresa

Keywords

"To be alone with Jesus in adoration and intimate union with Him is the Greatest Gift of Love - the tender love of Our Father in Heaven.

liturgy

God of love, you call us to repentance

Author

Steve Garnaas Holmes

Keywords

Scripture

Ezekiel 36:25-27, Jeremiah 18:3-6, Isaiah 5:1-4, John 15:1-5, Luke 13:6-9, Psalm 51:10-12

God of love, you call us to repentance: you offer us love we decline to receive and fail to share with others. Help us reclaim your love in our hearts. By your loving spirit re-shape us as vessels of ...

liturgy

Leader: Jesus knows our every weakness,

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 15:11-32, 1 John 1:9, Mark 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Luke 4:18, Ephesians 2:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9

Leader: Jesus knows our every weakness, and loves us still. Awaken to the promise of Christ's amazing grace. Leader: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel. People: In Jesus Christ we are f...

liturgy

Make Me Your Love

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

John 13:1-17, 31b-35, Ephesians 5:1-2, Acts 1:8, John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Galatians 2:20

Son of God Savior Sacrifice Your love is Fierce and Forever Abounding and Intimate Generous, Goodness, and Grace Fill me with your Spirit Make me your love It is your command It is your way It is ...

liturgy

Ubi Caritas

Keywords

The Love of Christ has gathered us as one. Let us rejoice and be glad in him. Let us fear and love the living God And in purity of heart let us love one another. Where charity and love are, there is...

lectionary

22nd Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 22:34-46, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Leviticus 19:18, Luke 10:25-37

Preaching Commentary A Clash of Kingdoms Just as with the lectionary passage next week, our text takes place in the temple courts during Holy Week. Jesus’ Kingdom of God is now clashing head on wit...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, John 4:5-42

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

John 4:5-42

Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? The Samaritan Woman in a Male-Defined World In the ancient world, your place as a woman was defined by your connection to a man: Father...

lectionary

Third Sunday in Lent

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

John 4:5-42

AIM Commentary Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? The Samaritan Woman in a Male-Defined World In the ancient world, your place as a woman was defined by your connection...

liturgy

Adapted from and Inspired by Psalm 145

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 145:8-9

Lord God, you are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and quick to show mercy and faithful love. Your compassion is for all you have made. We admit that this compassion is slow to come to life ...

Quote

Author

St. Thomas Aquinas

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 4:10-11, John 13:1-17, Ruth 1:16, Luke 10:25-37, Romans 12:9-10

To love is to will the good of another. .

liturgy

Walking in God's Compassionate Love

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 10:30-37 , Matthew 25:34-40, James 2:14-17 , 1 John 3:16-18, Mark 10:46-52, Proverbs 19:17, Isaiah 58:6-7

Gracious God, you are the author of life and giver of all good things. Yet we have worked against your goodness, passing people by, and ignoring their needs. Father, forgive us for walking away from p...

Quote

Author

Scot McKnight

Keywords

God's love entails a covenant commitment on the part of with us, and that covenant commitment means a promise to be with us and for us, and God's covenant is shaped toward our redemption.

illustration

The Sap, the Strong Bond of Love

Author

Daniel Bourguet

Keywords

Scripture

John 15:1-16, Luke 19:1-10, John 4:7-26, John 21:15-19, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 3:17-19

The strong bond that unites the vine and the branches has to do with the sap that flows through them. Jesus does not here use the word “sap,” but nonetheless gives a lengthy excursus on love in a way ...

liturgy

Faithfulness and Compassion of God

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 2:1-4, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalm 103:13

Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. People: Amen. Pastor: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, People: for his compassi...

liturgy

Prayer of Confession for Trinity Sunday

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:1-3, John 14:26, 2 Corinthians 13:14, John 17:21

Holy Trinity: Creating Love Saving Love Sanctifying Love You welcome us to your unity Your community You do not condemn but make the way to new life, true life, eternal life with you Halleluj...

Quote

Author

Wendell Berry

Keywords

Scripture

John 3:16, Genesis 1:31, Romans 5:8 , Ephesians 3:17-19, Romans 8:38-39, Colossians 1:16-17

I take literally the statement in the Gospel of John that God loves the world. I believe that the world was created and approved by love, that it subsists, coheres, and endures by love, and that, inso...

lectionary

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 2:1-10, Acts 18:19-21, Acts 19:1-20

Lent 2021: A 40-day Heart Restoration Death to Life Bonus Content: Video prep session with Gabe Fung on Ephesians 2:1-10 . Password: 943!KJRs AIM Commentary Ancient Lens What can we learn fr...

lectionary

Maundy Thursday

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

This guide has been updated and expanded. Our Maundy Thursday guide for 2026 on John 13 incorporates this material along with additional commentary, illustrations, and discussion questions. Check ...

gods love on Embrace

liturgy

illustration

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

blog

liturgy

illustration

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

liturgy

lectionary

scripture guide

lectionary

liturgy

liturgy

illustration

liturgy

liturgy

lectionary

lectionary

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

P

R

S

U

Genesis

Leviticus

Ruth

Job

Psalm

Proverbs

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Hosea

Micah

Zephaniah

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Titus

Hebrews

1 Peter

1 John