Invitation — Psalm 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
Quiet
Bible Song — Psalm 146:2, 6-10
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live...
He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them —
he remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord.
Bible Reading — Amos 8:9-12
"In that day," declares the Sovereign Lord,
"I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.
I will turn your religious festivals into mourning and all your singing into weeping.
I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.
"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land — not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it."
Quiet
Dwelling
Read again slowly ... find a word or phrase that catches your eye or moves your heart ... slowly repeat it ... pray your thoughts, desires, needs, and feelings from your meditation ... enjoy the presence of your Lord and Savior.
Free Prayer
- for the call to follow Christ into our neighborhoods and workplaces
- for the shalom and well-being of our communities
- for police, firefighters, and other emergency workers
Prayer — BC 7
God Almighty, I am hungry for you and famished for life. When I'm tempted to gorge on spiritual junk food, work up my appetite for your nourishing word, more than enough to fill me up. Thank you for your words, but also for the Word, Jesus, who alone can satisfy my deepest hungers. Amen.
Blessing — James 1:12
"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."