Opening Prayers/Prayers of Adoration on Hope
God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—You are ever the same
in Your grace and truth, Your power and love;
Yet, You always challenge us to grow, change
and become more like Jesus.
We’re not yet what we want to be, what we hope to be
and what we will be –
but thanks be to You, we’re no longer what we used to be.
And we thank you for the hope of change—
for without it, we would shrivel up and die.
It’s that hope which calls us to pray
for those who are sick or injured, those challenged physically,
emotionally, mentally or spiritually – and to ask You
to heal them, to restore them, to make them whole
God, our heavenly Father
and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ:
We praise and thank you today and always!
You are worthy of our praise
simply for who You are:
You are good and You are strong,
You are gracious, just and loving.
As we confront this world that lacks hope,
a world caught up in war, hunger, poverty and
spiritual emptiness,
in Your great mercy You freely give us a new birth
into the living hope
through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
There is no darkness so great
that your light is not greater still.
There is not conflict so disruptive
that your peace cannot quell it.
There is no death so final,
that your resurrection life
cannot break its icy grip. And, …
There is no thief so sneaky or strong
that he can steal the inheritance you give
that can never perish, spoil or fade—
kept in heaven for us.
Therefore, we rightly worship You!
However, we are quick to trust
our strength more than yours,
our wisdom more than yours,
our abilities more than yours,
our resources more than yours.
our love more than yours.
And our misplaced trust in ourselves
has led us into sin.
Shall
The time is now, for you have called, O God
The place is now, for you have spoken
Yes, it is a wilderness, a desert even
So dry, so rough, so uneven
Yes, the gap is so very wide between the high and the low
But, you have called
You have spoken
Not an if or when or maybe
Not even a try
You have spoken shall
Every valley shall be lifted
Every mountain shall be made low
The uneven shall be made level
The rough shall be made smooth
So we will persevere in this wilderness of preparing
We will not forge a path or blaze a trail but make a highway
A highway for your coming
For your glory, O God shall be revealed in this place
And all shall see it
All shall see it together
Shall © 2018 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
Take Up the Cross
Merciful Jesus, give me the courage to deny privilege
To lay down advantage and opportunity
in order to take up the cross of equity and justice
Merciful Jesus, give me the courage to deny comfort
To lay down ease and apathy
in order to take up the cross of unity and solidarity
Merciful Jesus, give me the courage to deny prejudice
To lay down discrimination and segregation
in order to take up the cross of diversity and true love
Merciful Jesus, have mercy on me
Show me what to pick up and what to lay down
So I only carry what leads to life
and give me the courage to help others do the same
Amen
Take Up the Cross © 2017, updated 2023 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com