Born of Empire, Groaning in Hope, Adopted by God
We have been born into the empire, into the enslavement by the powers of sin. And yet we feel the groaning in our bodies, longing and hoping for what is yet unseen and promised. In this longing, we find a God who adopts us and calls us beloved, a part of a new family, set free to be a part of that coming hope.
Hymns
- There’s a Wildness in God’s Mercy – GTG 435
- There is a Redeemer – GTG 443
- Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning – GTG 350
Call to Worship
O LORD, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
O LORD, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
Prayer of Confession
Lord of all, we are quick to judge others, certain we know what is weed and what is wheat around us, even as we fail to see within us that which does not bear good fruit. We confirm our biases, listen only to those who agree with us, and assume Your will equates with our own. We confess that we do not like to acknowledge the many ways we fail to follow your commandment to love you and our neighbors.
Forgive us, we pray, for forgetting that everyone is created in your image and therefore worthy of our compassion. In your mercy, amend what we are and shape us into the people you call us to be. In Christ’s name, we pray.
Amen.
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