Call to Worship:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Holy is his name.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
Holy is his name.
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
Holy is his name.
The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
This is the Lord, our God.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. His commands are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
This is the Lord, our God.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.
They are much more precious than gold, they are sweeter than honey.
Who can discern their own errors or know their hidden faults?
May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.
Prayer of Confession:
Your word tells us “faith without works is dead” and we’re skeptical. If we believe, do we really have to prove it? Isn’t the point of faith to be free from our work and efforts?
Father, meet us in our confusion. Show us your Son.
Your word tells us “faith without works is dead” and our fear rises. Are we doing enough? Are we proving enough? How do we know if our faith is dead?
Father, meet us in our insecurity. Show us your Son.
We’re constantly evaluating faith and works to see which side is winning or should be winning, but you have rescued us from needing to play that game.
Father, meet us in our exhaustion. Show us your Son.
Move us beyond our questioning and fear and beyond our best articulations of what a life of faith looks like.
Move us up into the life of Jesus.
Move us beyond good works born out of obligation and fear.
Move us up into the life of Jesus.
Move us beyond the false freedoms we build to satisfy our consciences.
Move us up into the life of Jesus.
Would you show us to love from poverty instead of pity, and to relate from compassion instead of obligation? Show us the life of Jesus.
Teach us to identify with Him.
You are the vine and we are the branches. Would you have us see that any of our good works stem from you? We can love because we are loved in you. This is the freedom we crave.
Father, meet us as you always do. Show us your Son. Amen.
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