Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law, day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)
Call to worship:
Our God is holy, our God is mighty.
We gather in his house in awe at his presence.
Let us still our hearts and prepare to meet
the Lord of heaven and earth.
Holy God, we gather to worship you in all of your glory.
Fill this place with your Holy Spirit and help us
to see more of who you really are.
Come, meet us and prepare us to do your will.
Amen.
STF 455 All my hope on God is founded
Almighty, everlasting God, you give us good ground to grow in, rich and full of life.
You are our foundation, our rock, our scaffold.
You support us and uphold us.
You soothe our pains, are balm to our suffering, a comfort in our distress and hope eternal.
You stand with us, walk with us, talk with us, feed us and quench our thirst.
You bless us day by day and we worship and adore you.
A prayer of confession:
Lord Jesus Christ, you tended the sick and fed the hungry, you welcomed the outcast and loved each one.
We confess that we so often make excuses for our neglect of the hungry, we so often close our eyes too those less fortunate or different to us.
We confess we are so often fearful of losing what we have that we don’t share enough of it with those in need.
We confess our ignorance of the needs of so many and our laziness in failing to learn more ways of helping.
We seek your forgiveness and your guidance.
Amen
Assurance of Forgiveness
God knows our struggles and our turmoil, and the challenges and choices we face and take.
In his mercy, he forgives our failings and sets us free to walk the road of challenge unencumbered by past failings.
Amen.
A prayer of praise and thanksgiving:
Living, loving God, we praise and thank you for opportunities to follow you, to do your will, to love our neighbours and to grow in faith.
We thank you for places and times that enlarge our vision, our love and concern for the world and its people.
We thank you for all that nourishes us in body, mind and soul.
We thank you for challenges that cause our faith to deepen.
Living God, keep us growing, keep us loving, keep us faithful to your call.
Amen.
Bible Reading: Psalm 1
STF 544 As the deer pants for the water
Reflection
The psalmist presents two ways to live: the way of the world or the way of the Word. Those who ‘walk in step with the wicked, stand in the way of sinners or sit in the company of mockers’ are simply people who live by the values of the world. This is the wide and easy gate leading to destruction and wickedness. The wicked are those who seek to be independent of God, those who have a perspective on earthly and human things. This way of life can be seen as the way of success, acceptance and prosperity.
Our Psalm today reminds us that we should see things in ultimate perspective: the prosperity of the wicked is fleeting, for they are like chaff that is blown away. The alternative is to live by the way of the Word. To delight in God, to live the life of faith that leads to blessing, fruitfulness, and the fellowship with God, now and forever. This is like a beautiful, sturdy, well-watered, fruitful tree.
Yesterday I went to visit someone who had recently had a spell in hospital. I gazed out of the window with them at the beauty of the hills before me, and my eyes fell to their garden. Two bare empty small trees: currently dormant to the human eye. We reflected together how they had both been planted in memory of loved ones and how as Spring arrives, they will begin to grow again and I was assured of how they will become the most beautiful colourful trees come summer. I may just have to pop back to see. As I drove home, I pondered these 2 trees further….looking lifeless, dull, easily missed, ignored but soon they will flourish and shine and impact all who will see these trees living its full potential until it heads to Autumn again.
The Psalm talks about delighting in the Word of God and then meditating on the word of God. To meditate on God’s word takes work, time, investment and involves our individual will. Meditation done well should serve, strengthen and sustain delight. It penetrates our minds and hearts and our souls deeply. It allows our roots to dig down deep and take in more and more of the life-giving water of the Word.
This week let us overcome distraction with delight. Let’s reflect on how our lives are full of distractions. We are experts at multi-tasking and juggling so much, that it is so hard to meditate on God’s word and be still. Let’s make a plan, a consistent time and place and meditate on the Word of God. May we lay hold of the blessing of Psalm 1 as we delight in the beauty and value of God’s revealed Word and seek to sustain and strengthen that delight through intentional meditation.
STF 693 Beauty for brokenness
Prayers of Intercession
Creator God
with so many of our rivers and streams polluted,
we pray for our world and for your living water
to refresh, heal and revive all that is dying.
For the deep roots of commitment, investment and positivity
to shape our future and nurture growth.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
We pray for the political leaders of the world that their decision making
would be rooted in wisdom, justice and collaboration.
We pray for the people of Israel and Palestine,
at this crucial and nerve-wracking time.
We pray for the people of America and for President Trump
as he signs edicts and meets with world leaders.
We pray for the people of Russia and Ukraine
and remember Alexei Navalny on the first anniversary of his death.
We pray for all imprisoned for their beliefs
and for those who are killed because of them.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
We pray for all who are suffering from hunger and deprivation
that our response would be rooted in empathy, generosity and action.
We pray for those places in the news and those areas where the cameras rarely go.
We remember the people of Southern Africa where drought has never been worse.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
We pray for our Church, for our leaders and our congregations
that our response to the challenges of our times
might be rooted in faith, courage and honesty.
We pray for all whose faith is fragile and all whose ministry is especially difficult;
for all who have given up on the Church and all who have been hurt by it.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
We pray for all who are struggling with illness and all who have been bereaved,
that they would be surrounded by support rooted in compassion, respect and love.
We remember especially those grieving the loss of a child to knife crime,
those who have been bereaved suddenly
and those who have watched over a loved one for many years.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
And we pray with all our hearts that the leaves of evil in the world would wither and fall
and that the trees of peace, justice and joy would grow deep roots,
stand firm and bear the fruit of your kingdom in our lives
and in the lives of all we love and have prayed for.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
Amen
STF 504 May the mind of Christ my Saviour
Closing Prayer:
Life-giving God,
keep us well rooted in you,
so we can grow and be strong
through all that happens this week.
As you encourage us,
may we encourage others to live and grow well.
Amen.
