Praise the Lord.
How
good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and
fitting to praise him!
His
pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his
delight in the legs of the warrior;
the Lord delights in
those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing
love.
Verses from Psalm 147.
Song: May Jesus Christ be praised
When Morning Gilds The Skies (youtube.com)
Prayer:
Thank
you Lord God for the opportunity of worship,
for the freedom to
be amongst your family
meeting together in your house,
and
in the warmth of your embrace
Thank
you that in worship we can put aside,
the uncertainties of this
world and rest
upon the certainties of the Kingdom,
for
your promises are not changeable
as those of a politician might
be,
but immovable and eternal
Thank
you that we can bring to your feet
all the hurts and fears that
trouble us,
and leave them there,
knowing that your
strength and assurance
are all that we require
Thank
you that as we draw near in worship,
we are transported
from
a world of concerns and fears,
to a place where we can be at
peace in your presence,
find healing, wholeness and
refreshment.
Thank you Lord God for the opportunity of worship
Amen.
Taken from www.faithandworship.com
Song: Fill your hearts with joy and gladness
Fill your hearts with joy and gladness | Worship Songs and Hymns for Churches (youtube.com)
Reading: Book of Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 21 to 31
Reading: Mark’s gospel, chapter 1, verses 29 to 34
Song: Ho reapers in the whitened harvest
Ho Reapers In The Whitened Harvest | Nairobi East Chorale - YouTube
Prayer:
We
give thanks for generosity!
For
billionaires giving of their wealth
to
establish research programs
for
the eradication of disease;
volunteers
giving of their time
to
help those less fortunate
in
their neighbourhood, city
or
in some remote disaster zone;
and
of course the widow’s mite,
given
without counting cost
and
no less generous a gift.
For
all such generosity,
which
comes from one heart
and
flows freely to another,
as
does your love for us,
we
thank you, generous God!
May
lives be blessed, Lord,
wherever
generosity is shown.
The
giving of time to help
when
someone is in need.
The
always-being-there
as
children finally leave home.
That
spontaneous purchase
as
a token of someone’s love.
The
sharing of resources
with
those who do not have.
The
freewill offering
for
the ministry of your Church,
and
the digging deep
for
a charitable cause.
Wherever
generosity is shown,
may
lives be blessed, dear Lord.
Amen.
Song: Lord Jesus Christ
Lord Jesus Christ (Tune: Living Lord - 4vv) [with lyrics for congregations] (youtube.com)
Psalm 147 tells us that it is good to praise God, because He is good. He delights in all who worship Him. That only those who have struggled alongside God can have a relationship with Him.
The reading from Isaiah is written like a Psalm. Did you not know, have you not heard? The Lord is an everlasting God. Those renewed will never be exhausted,
Song: Forth in Thy name, O Lord I go, ideas echoed in our song “Ho reapers in the whitened harvest.”
In the reading from Mark’s gospel, we read the story of Jesus healing Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. A great deal happens in the first chapter of Mark, seemingly written in haste, Mark is keen to show that Jesus is concerned with the everyday issues of the time. We don’t know what the “fever” affecting her was, it could have been any number of ailments, but she is portrayed as being healed rapidly.
Other healing follow, and “the whole town” wanted to see Jesus, and brought their sick for him to heal. He was a celebrity!
By chapter 4, there were so many that he wanted to escape the crowd. Even though Jesus was telling people not to tell others, the word was getting out. Somebody was making Jesus known, and the crowds were turning up. He was making an impact.
As we go though life and help people so that they can see the glory of God, we make an impact. Do they tell? If they do, good. If they do not, this is still good, they know, we know and God knows.
Song: Forth in Thy name, O Lord I go.
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