Invitation — Psalm 135:13
"Your name, Lord, endures forever, your renown, Lord, through all generations."
Quiet
Bible Song — Psalm 55:1-2a, 4-8, 22
Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;
hear me and answer me...
My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen on me.
Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;
I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm."...
Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.
Bible Reading — Exodus 32:1-6
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."
Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me." So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord." So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
Quiet
Dwelling
Read again, perhaps out loud ... how has God's Word moved you? Ponder and meditate what has connected with your heart or mind ... pray to God what it is that has moved you today ... turn your thoughts to God and quietly enjoy being with him.
Free Prayer
- for our national and local communities
- for the continent of Antarctica
- for areas of hunger, famine, and disease
Prayer — HC 96-98
One true God, the notion of images and idols seems so primitive, yet they still threaten to steal the worship of my heart. I set out to worship you but end up adoring my own experience, or I take greater pleasure in the music than you. Forgive me for all my misguided worship; renew my focus on you alone. Amen.
Blessing — 2 Thess. 2:16-17
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."