Call to Worship: Hunger and Thirst

Here’s an opening call to worship from Ann Siddall. It was posted on the website of the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre website.

Call to Worship

(inspired by scripture passages 

like Isaiah 55:1-9, Psalm 63:1-8, etc.)

Only the hungry search for bread.

Only the thirsty look for water.

This is a place for those who are hungry and thirsty in spirit.

Only those who ache for meaning will pursue it.

Only those who yearn for a deeper life will seek it.

This is a place for those who ache and yearn for something more.

So let us come here today with our hunger and thirst,

our unsatisfied longings, our heart-felt yearnings,

and let the God of life satisfy our souls.

 

~ written by Ann Siddall, and posted on the website of the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre.  http://www.stillpointsa.org.au/

Call to Worship: Luke 13

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by Luke 13:6-9. It was written Stephen Fearing, and posted on his Liturgy & Hymns website.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Luke 13:6-9)

The season of Lent can be barren and lonely,
but God goes with us

through the wild wilderness.
Our lives are lived

in seasons of transitions and transformations.
Lent is a time to ponder

God's providence and persistence.
Together, we seek fruitfulness,

for it has been promised to us;
the barrenness of Lent

will give way to the fruitfulness of Easter.
In this season of penitence and pondering,

let us gather before God.
We come, as a family,

to wait for the Lord with strength and courage.
Come, let us worship God!

~ written by Stephen Fearing, and posted on Liturgy & Hymns by Stephen M. Fearing.  http://www.stephenmfearing.com/

Prayer: Psalm 63

Here’s a prayer from Christine Jerrett’s blog. It was based on Psalm 63. (She envisioned it following the singing of a song of thanksgiving.)

Rejoicing yet thirsting

We do rejoice in you, God our God

We rejoice in your steadfast love and faithfulness

— a rich feast for our souls.

We rejoice that you shelter us in the shadow of your wings

— strong protection against the storms.

We rejoice that you are more powerful than

the troubles that trouble us.

We rejoice that, when we wander far from You,

losing our way,

you do not leave us on our own.

You come to us in Jesus, your Word made flesh.

dwelling among us,

full of your grace and your truth.

O God who has drawn near, you know us as we are:

the songs of praise

tell only part of the story.

We have wandered down many paths,

seeking happiness or glory,

we have trusted in lesser gods,

looking for safe haven from the dangers that threaten.

But the deep hungers are not satisfied;

the fears and anxieties still haunt us.

And now we know:

our souls thirst for you, the living God.

Show us your power and your glory.

Take our weariness

and send your Holy Spirit to renew our hope.

Take our fears

and grow new courage in us.

Take our resignation to the way things are

and pull us into your passionate love.

Lord Jesus,

you meet us in the wilderness of our days,

and fill us with the bread of life.

You meet us in the desert of our loneliness

and streams of living water start to flow.

We drink deeply of the gift of your presence,

and we rejoice,

for you have made us glad.  Amen.

~ posted on Christine Jerrett. https://christinejerrett.wordpress.com/

Prayer: Hunger and Thirst

Here’s a prayer of petition from the Weekly Worship page of the Christian Aid website.

Prayer

With those who live 
in dry and weary lands, 
who know what it is to hunger 
and to thirst, 
we pray.

We pray 
that we may learn what it is 
to hunger for you, 
to thirst for justice, 
so all may have daily bread.

 ~ originally posted on the Monthly Prayers page (now Weekly Worship) of the Christian Aid website. https://www.christianaid.org.uk/churches/weekly-worship

Opening Prayer: Psalm 63

This opening prayer of invocation was written by Stephen Fearing and posted on his Liturgy & Hymns website.

 

Opening Prayer

(inspired by Psalm 63:1-8)

 

Good and gracious God,
we seek you.
We thirst for you.
Without your presence,
we are as a dry and weary land with no water.

Together, we lift up our spirits and call on your name
that you might abide with us.
Bless this our worship of you,
that we might sing for joy

under the shadow of your wings.  Amen.

 

~ written by Stephen Fearing, and posted on Liturgy & Hymns by Stephen M. Fearing.  http://www.stephenmfearing.com/

Call to Worship: God's Ways

Here’s a responsive call to worship from Tim Graves’s LiturgyBits blog. (See link below.)

Call to Worship

Out of a world of cut-throat competition,

of winners-and-losers,

and too many left behind

we come together.
The world’s ways are not our ways.
The world’s ways are not Christ’s ways.

Out of a world of hatred, violence,

individualism, and life-taking power

we gather as Koinonia, as God’s people.
God’s ways are inclusive, expansive,

and life-giving for all peoples.

Come and worship the One whose love knows no limits! 

Swim and splash in the cleansing waters of divine community!

Resurrect your spirits and souls in worship of the One!
Praise be to the Everlasting One!

~ written by Tim Graves, and posted on LiturgyBits. https://liturgybits.wordpress.com

Call to Worship: Come to the Water!

Here’s a call to worship inspired by Isaiah 55: 1-3.

 

Call to Worship

(inspired by Isaiah 55: 1-3)

 

Come to the water, all you who thirst—

come drink deeply from the river of life.

 

Come to the water, all you who are weary—

come rest in the quiet pools of God’s love.

 

Come to the water, all you who long for a justice—

come be renewed in God’s ever-flowing stream.

 

For God is here among us,

washing away the dust and grime of our lives,

and pouring out the Spirit on all who thirst.

Let’s worship God together.

~ Christine Longhurst

Call to Worship: Thirsting for God

Here’s a call to worship with a water theme. (Note that World Water Day is March 22.)

Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 42:1-2, Psalm 63:1-2, Isaiah 55:1-5,

John 4:13-15, John 7:37-39, Revelation 21:6)

We’ve come to worship God,

who makes streams flow from rock,

who turns the parched earth into springs of water,

who sends the rain from heaven

and makes the wilderness blossom and flourish.

As the deer thirsts for flowing streams,

so we thirst for You, O God.

Come, let’s worship our life-giving God,

who pours out living water on all who thirst.

~ Christine Longhurst

Prayers of the People: Healing River

Here’s a prayer of intercession I wrote for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank’s collection of resources for Lent/World Water Day (March 22).

Prayer for Others

(inspired by Isaiah 55:1-5, John 4:13-15, Psalm 63:1-2,

John 7:37-39, Revelation 21:6)

Holy God,

whose Spirit moved over the waters at the dawn of creation,

hear our prayers for all who thirst today.

We pray for those who are spiritually thirsty,

who long to know Your presence, but don’t know where to find You.

We pray for those who are alone and without hope,

those who long to feel needed and loved,

those who are searching for meaning and purpose. 

O healing river,

pour down Your waters, and heal Your people.

We pray for all who are physically thirsty,

who don’t have enough water to drink, or feed their animals,

whose fields are parched, whose crops have withered;

those who have to walk long distances to find enough water to survive,

or who have to be content with water that is unclean.

We pray for those whose homes and villages are torn apart

because of drought or famine.

O healing river,

pour down Your waters, and heal Your people.

We pray for those who are thirsty for justice,

who long for an equal sharing of resources among peoples and nations;

those who put their lives at risk to protect streams and rivers and oceans;

those who are working to find clean water, 

and make it available to those who need it.

O healing river,

pour down Your waters, and heal Your people.

God, we ask that you would open our hearts to the needs of all who thirst.

Give us courage to work together for justice,

to stand alongside those who are thirsty,

so that all people, everywhere, may live without want or fear,

and may discover the abundant life You promise to each one.

In the name of Jesus Christ—the source of living water—we pray.  Amen.

 

~ written by Christine Longhurst, in Worship Resources for Lent & World Water Day, 2013.  Posted on the Canadian Foodgrains Bank website.  http://foodgrainsbank.ca/lent_worship_resources.aspx

Call to Worship: Living in Exile

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by Isaiah 40:1-11. It was written by Tim Graves and posted on LiturgyBits.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Isaiah 40:1-11)

We’ve been in exile.
We’ve allowed ourselves to be tempted

by the idols of things and power.

We’ve found it isn’t what we thought. 

Shopping therapy and yearning for a soda pop

does nothing to build up our world.
They are all fizz and sugar,

satiating only temporarily. 

We’re left with the same emptiness.
We’re left without the spirit-words of God.

We’re alone in harshness and brokenness.

Acknowledging our idolatry and mistakes,

we turn back to the living water.

We turn back to the love that flows forward

bringing justice and hope to all of humanity.
The word that comes from God’s mouth

does not return empty.

God’s word does as God intends.

Always.
Always. 

Amen. 

~ written by Tim Graves and posted on LiturgyBits: Little bits for worship. https://liturgybits.wordpress.com/

Call to Worship: All Who Are Thirsty

Here’s a call to worship inspired by Isaiah 55:1-5, John 7:37-39 and other water-related passages. It was written by John Birch, and posted on Faith and Worship.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Isaiah 55:1-5, John 7:37-39;

John 4:13-15, Psalm 63:1-2, Revelation 21:6)

Come, all who are thirsty
says Jesus, our Lord,
come, all who are weak,
taste the living water
that I shall give.
Dip your hands in the stream,
refresh body and soul,
drink from it,
depend on it,
for this water
will never run dry.
Come, all who are thirsty
says Jesus, our Lord. 

~ written by John Birch, and posted on Faith and Worship.  http://www.faithandworship.com/

Opening Prayer: Psalm 63: 1-5

Here’s a responsive opening prayer inspired by Psalm 63: 1-5.  It was written by Joanna Harader and posted on the Spacious Faith website.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 63: 1-5) 

You, God, are our God,
earnestly we seek you;
we thirst for you,
we long for you with our whole selves.
We are like drought-cracked earth
desperately hoping for rain.
We have seen you in this place, with these people,
seen your power and your glory.
Your love is better than life,
and so we glorify you;
as long as we live, we praise you;
with our voices and our bodies, we praise you.
You fill and fulfill us here at this table,
and so we sing our thanks and praise to you. Amen.

~ written by Joanna Harader, and posted on Spacious Faith. http://spaciousfaith.com/

Litany and Prayer: Isaiah 55: 1-11

Here’s a litany and prayer inspired by Isaiah 55: 1-11.  It was written by lutherjulia, and posted on RevGalBlogPals.

Homecoming

(inspired by Isaiah 55: 1-11)

Home is a place of rest.

My home is in the Lord.

Home is a sense of peace.

My home is in the Lord.

Home is a generous welcome.

My home is in the Lord.

Home is refuge from fear.

My home is in the Lord.

Home is an open table.

My home is in the Lord.

Home is an end to eternal longing.

My home is in the Lord.

God of all places and people,

you are not bound by walls,

contained by addresses,

or limited by borders and barriers.

Open our eyes to see ourselves at home in you,

wherever we are and whatever our experiences.

Teach us to recognize our neighbors

as our fellow travelers and co-habitants,

alive together in You through Jesus Christ. Amen.

~ written by lutherjulia, and posted on RevGalBlogPals. http://revgalblogpals.org/

Prayer: Psalm 63

Here’s a prayer of longing and petition, inspired by Psalm 63.  It was written by Christine Jerrett, and posted on Christine Jerrett: Reflections on being the Church in God’s new creation.  She wrote it to be used after singing “I will enter the gates…God has made me glad.”

Prayer: Rejoicing yet Thirsting

(inspired by Psalm 63)

We do rejoice in you, God our God

We rejoice in your steadfast love and faithfulness
– a rich feast for our souls.

We rejoice that you shelter us in the shadow of your wings
– strong protection against the storms.

We rejoice that you are more powerful than
the troubles that trouble us.

We rejoice that, when we wander far from You,
losing our way,
you do not leave us on our own.
You come to us in Jesus, your Word made flesh.
dwelling among us,
full of your grace and your truth.

O God who has drawn near, you know us as we are:
the songs of praise tell only part of the story.

We have wandered down many paths,
seeking happiness or glory,
we have trusted in lesser gods,
looking for safe haven from the dangers that threaten.

But the deep hungers are not satisfied;
the fears and anxieties still haunt us.

And now we know:
our souls thirst for you, the living God.

Show us your power and your glory.
Take our weariness
and send your Holy Spirit to renew our hope.

Take our fears
and grow new courage in us.

Take our resignation to the way things are
and pull us into your passionate love.

Lord Jesus,
you meet us in the wilderness of our days,
and fill us with the bread of life.
You meet us in the desert of our loneliness
and streams of living water start to flow.

We drink deeply of the gift of your presence,
and we rejoice,
for you have made us glad.  Amen.

~ written by Christine Jerrett, and posted on Christine Jerrett: Reflections on being the Church in God’s new creation. http://christinejerrett.wordpress.com/tag/prayer/

Prayer: Psalm 63: 1-8

Here’s a thoughtful prayer of thanksgiving, petition and commitment inspired by Psalm 63: 1-8.  It was written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Mucky Paws.

Prayer Reflection

(inspired by Psalm 63: 1-8)

Life-maker –

You hold my life

and I long for you to hold it.

You hold all of Life

and I am held within it.

My very soul cries out for you:

In the morning I linger at the sunrise

eager for the light to embrace my soul;

At dusk I crumple in the shadows

restless for your dawn-light

to replenish my thirst for you.

May my eyes be open to your creation-sanctuary,

alive to the wonders that speak of you

for this evidence is you constant-promise

and my soul dances in praise of you.

I will speak words of thanks

and live a life of thankfulness

all the days of my life.

This is my prayer,

in word,

in deed,

through all of life.

On this blessing I shall feast and be satisfied

and my every breath will be a canticle of praise.

May I waken in the morning singing it

and let it lull me to sleep as I lie down at night,

your constant-promise,

your forever-love,

your always-presence.

And I will cling to you,

and trust your love

that clings to me,

forever.

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Mucky Paws. http://www.nkchurch.org.uk/index.php/mucky-paws

Responsive Call to Worship: Psalm 63

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by Psalm 63.  It was written by John Paarlberg, and posted on the Reformed Church in America website.

Opening Sentences

(inspired by Psalm 63)

Your steadfast love, O Lord, is better than life.
Therefore our lips will praise you.
We will bless you as long as we live.
We will lift up our hands and call on your name.
For you have been our help
and in your presence we sing for joy.

~ written by John Paarlberg, pastor of First Church in Albany, New York.  Posted on the Reformed Church in America website. https://www.rca.org/

Opening Prayer: Psalm 63

O God, you are our God.

We seek you.

Our souls thirst for you,

our bodies long for you,

as in a dry and weary land

where there is no water.

We have met you in the sanctuary,

and beheld your power and glory.

Because your steadfast love is better than life,

our lips will praise you.

We will bless you as long as we live;

we will lift up our hands, and call upon your name.

~ inspired by Psalm 63

Prayer: O Jesus!

Here’s a prayer of devotion and longing inspired by Psalm 63.  It was written by Bill & Kristi Gaultiere, and posted on Soul Shepherding.

 

Prayer

(inspired by Psalm 63:1,3)

 

O Jesus!

My soul thirsts for you! – for your Spirit’s living waters;

My whole being from the inside out yearns for your presence;

My personality clings to you to hold me together, upright;

My inner depths look up to you, longing for your smile;

My soul cries out to you, to flow in your life now and forever.

O Jesus!

Your love is better than life! – better than any other thing;

Your presence with me is the only thing that satisfies me;

Your personality – wonderfully complete – is what embraces me;

Your deep mercy and grace is all that I live for;

Your life in me and through me to others is my greatest joy.

O Jesus!

My soul thirsts for you! – for your Spirit’s living waters;

Your love is better than life! – better than any other thing;

My whole being from the inside out yearns for your presence;

Your presence with me is the only thing that satisfies me;

My personality clings to you to hold me together, upright;

Your personality – wonderfully complete – is what embraces me;

My inner depths look up to you, longing for your smile;

Your deep mercy and grace is all that I live for;

My soul cries out to you, to flow in your life now and forever.

Your life in me and through me to others is my greatest joy.

~ written by Bill & Kristi Gaultiere, inspired by Psalm 63:1,3. Posted on Soul Shepherding. http://www.soulshepherding.org/

Prayer: Pierce My Soul with Your Love

Lord Jesus Christ,

pierce my soul with your love

so that I may always long for you alone,

who are the bread of angels

and the fulfillment of the soul's deepest desires. 

May my heart always hunger and feed on you,

so that my soul may be filled with sweetness in your presence. 

May my soul thirst for you,

who are the source of life, wisdom, knowledge, light

and all the riches of God our Father. 

May I always seek and find you,

think about you, speak to you

and do everything for the honour and glory of your name. 

Be always my hope, my peace, my refuge and help

in whom my heart is rooted

so that I may never separate from you. 

~ written by Bonaventure, 13th century