Invitation — Psalm 67:4
"May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth."
Quiet
Bible Song — Psalm 138:1-3, 6-8
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
before the "gods" I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.
When I called, you answered me;
you greatly emboldened me...
Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
though lofty, he sees them from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;
with your right hand you save me.
The Lord will vindicate me;
your love, Lord, endures forever —
do not abandon the works of your hands.
Bible Reading — Ezekiel 18:1-4, 20
The word of the Lord came to me: "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:
"'The parents eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'?
"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child — both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die...
"The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them."
Quiet
Dwelling
Become aware of God's loving presence and read again ... what in God's Word has caught your heart's attention? Is there a command to be obeyed, a comfort to be savored? Talk to God about the Scripture you've just read ... yield yourself to God and enjoy his presence.
Free Prayer
- thanks for music, color, beauty, and all the senses to take in creation
- for the wonder, beauty, and complexity of creation
- for the care of creation
Prayer — HC 14-18
Just God, you won't punish anyone else for my sin. I can't offload it, pin it on anyone else, scapegoat it, or shift the blame away. It's mine. And so I praise you that Jesus stood in for me, freely taking on himself what I, and no one else, could ever bear, giving to me a new standing with you — accepted, right, approved. What a sweet salvation. Amen.
Blessing — Psalm 67:1-2
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us — so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations."