Thank-you, O God, for giving us a portion in Zion. For bringing us into that holy fellowship and numbering us among the saints in heaven.
And as we come to that holy haven this morning, we acknowledge that we have none but thee. The world’s treasures are as lasting as day lilies, here today but withering and gone before morning. But you satisfy to eternity’s end. You are an ever flowing fountain of goodness and beauty.
How happy we are because of you. How blessed we have become through you. Our lives are continually refreshed by your pity. Your grace enlivens our souls with each passing moment. Our hearts are given peace; our hands are given prosperity.
Our lips shall praise you forevermore. Our banners shall be lifted to you with gladness. Until all are gathered as one and your people drawn from their dispersions, we shall sing to you.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Breaking the Whole of the Law
Gracious and holy God,
What a perfect web is your law. Each precept rests in another. They are like the many ligaments that make up a single joint. Each relies on the other and every one finds its beginning in you.
Yet this law gives us reason to quake. It stands over and against us because of our sins. We transgress at one part, and we find ourselves condemned at every point.
But our faults are always profuse and are accompanied by several other aggregations. One sin is as a bomb. Its shrapnel causes many wounds and offenses.
How awful is our state, O God. How terrible is our frame. Though you have made us a little lower than the angels and crowned us with glory and honor, we have made ourselves beastly in our character and robed in all kinds of rubbish.
Humbled by the greatness of our sin, we come to you today. And we pray that you would look on our poor state with pity. We pray that you would lift us up out of the mire of our sins and set us again in grace. Remove the guilt that hovers over our heads and the stains that are so deeply woven into our flesh.
Let us find ourselves resting in the sweetness of Christ’s mediation and enjoying the fruits that do flow from it.
For it is in Jesus’ name only do we pray.
What a perfect web is your law. Each precept rests in another. They are like the many ligaments that make up a single joint. Each relies on the other and every one finds its beginning in you.
Yet this law gives us reason to quake. It stands over and against us because of our sins. We transgress at one part, and we find ourselves condemned at every point.
But our faults are always profuse and are accompanied by several other aggregations. One sin is as a bomb. Its shrapnel causes many wounds and offenses.
How awful is our state, O God. How terrible is our frame. Though you have made us a little lower than the angels and crowned us with glory and honor, we have made ourselves beastly in our character and robed in all kinds of rubbish.
Humbled by the greatness of our sin, we come to you today. And we pray that you would look on our poor state with pity. We pray that you would lift us up out of the mire of our sins and set us again in grace. Remove the guilt that hovers over our heads and the stains that are so deeply woven into our flesh.
Let us find ourselves resting in the sweetness of Christ’s mediation and enjoying the fruits that do flow from it.
For it is in Jesus’ name only do we pray.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Sting of Shame and Conviction
Our Lord,
Each of us here today bears not just the guilt of our sin, but also its shame. We know all too well our failings and shortcomings, and its heaviness bears us down. Deep within our spirits we feel the pains of conviction. O how we lament our weakness and sinful propensities. We despise how incredibly corrupt our flesh is. Lord, our souls ache because we quickly offend you and so easily trespass your holy law.
Lord, it is maddening. We fall prey to sin and it pounces upon us long before we have time to think about fending off the temptation. And then the pains of grief, frustration and sorrow berate us. They linger over our hearts as dark clouds. Perhaps Lord, Satan’s greatest victory over us is not so much getting us to stumble into sin, but in making us to languish in it.
This is why we look to you, O God. For you are the only cure for our miserable condition. You yourself have said that a broken spirit dies up the bones. And you are the only one who can mend a broken spirit. Only you can cleanse us from the guilt of our sins and strengthen us against the power of sin. Only you can stabilize us and remove the piercing agony of conviction in our breast.
O God, we pray that you might wash away our sins and fix our minds upon the grace of the gospel. Let us rest in the cross of our dear Lord and find joy in his precious blood. And may we be freed from the restlessness we now experience and sense an all surpassing, supernatural peace that only you can afford.
Each of us here today bears not just the guilt of our sin, but also its shame. We know all too well our failings and shortcomings, and its heaviness bears us down. Deep within our spirits we feel the pains of conviction. O how we lament our weakness and sinful propensities. We despise how incredibly corrupt our flesh is. Lord, our souls ache because we quickly offend you and so easily trespass your holy law.
Lord, it is maddening. We fall prey to sin and it pounces upon us long before we have time to think about fending off the temptation. And then the pains of grief, frustration and sorrow berate us. They linger over our hearts as dark clouds. Perhaps Lord, Satan’s greatest victory over us is not so much getting us to stumble into sin, but in making us to languish in it.
This is why we look to you, O God. For you are the only cure for our miserable condition. You yourself have said that a broken spirit dies up the bones. And you are the only one who can mend a broken spirit. Only you can cleanse us from the guilt of our sins and strengthen us against the power of sin. Only you can stabilize us and remove the piercing agony of conviction in our breast.
O God, we pray that you might wash away our sins and fix our minds upon the grace of the gospel. Let us rest in the cross of our dear Lord and find joy in his precious blood. And may we be freed from the restlessness we now experience and sense an all surpassing, supernatural peace that only you can afford.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Rejoicing in God
Blessed God,
We do rejoice in you. We rejoice because you created us by your might, you purchased us with your Son, you sealed us with you Spirit. Now there is kept for us in heaven an inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade. We confess that you are that portion allotted to us. Gladness now fills our souls because we have this whole day to savor you and the benefits you have secured for us through Christ’s mediation.
Let us therefore praise you with a joyous heart. Let us glory in the congregation of your delight. And grant that we might know the assurance of your love today, that we are your people, your treasured possession, created to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. Though we were once not a people, you have gathered us under the name of our dear Lord and Savoir to declare your praises throughout the world.
Let it be so this day. May this room be filled with adoration as we delight ourselves in you and experience your delight in us.
For we ask this in the Name of our great Savior, Amen.
We do rejoice in you. We rejoice because you created us by your might, you purchased us with your Son, you sealed us with you Spirit. Now there is kept for us in heaven an inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade. We confess that you are that portion allotted to us. Gladness now fills our souls because we have this whole day to savor you and the benefits you have secured for us through Christ’s mediation.
Let us therefore praise you with a joyous heart. Let us glory in the congregation of your delight. And grant that we might know the assurance of your love today, that we are your people, your treasured possession, created to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. Though we were once not a people, you have gathered us under the name of our dear Lord and Savoir to declare your praises throughout the world.
Let it be so this day. May this room be filled with adoration as we delight ourselves in you and experience your delight in us.
For we ask this in the Name of our great Savior, Amen.
Outward Religion
O God,
You know how prone we are to cleanse the outside of the cup. We know the destiny of the good Pharisee. Yet we pride ourselves on how clean and moral we are in comparison to others. We even congratulate ourselves our outward piety. But such is wickedness and iniquity, for our true goal has not been the honor of your name. Rather we have been self consumed and we have sought by our ethical theatrics the applause of men.
O, what do we see when we open the cavity of our chest? Is it not rank putrefaction? Does not the evil that resides there compare to an aged tomb? Father we confess that these hearts of ours are still so filled with dead men’s bones. We acknowledge that this is the only place in the world where death is active, and ever so lively.
Father, we know that you find it even more foul than we do; for you see it as it is and its odor rises before you day and night. It is for this reason we seek your favor. We want you to forgive us, O God. Forgive us for using religion as a means of gaining recognition and concerning ourselves so much with externals only. And forgive us for being so deluded and failing to recognize the real (the pitiful!) state of our souls.
Lord, we want you to eliminate Pharisaical spirit and we want you to reign in us. But all we can do now is fall upon Christ and beg you for that which we do not deserve. Cleanse us from this mask of religiosity, and give us hearts that do manifest true godliness from the heart.
You know how prone we are to cleanse the outside of the cup. We know the destiny of the good Pharisee. Yet we pride ourselves on how clean and moral we are in comparison to others. We even congratulate ourselves our outward piety. But such is wickedness and iniquity, for our true goal has not been the honor of your name. Rather we have been self consumed and we have sought by our ethical theatrics the applause of men.
O, what do we see when we open the cavity of our chest? Is it not rank putrefaction? Does not the evil that resides there compare to an aged tomb? Father we confess that these hearts of ours are still so filled with dead men’s bones. We acknowledge that this is the only place in the world where death is active, and ever so lively.
Father, we know that you find it even more foul than we do; for you see it as it is and its odor rises before you day and night. It is for this reason we seek your favor. We want you to forgive us, O God. Forgive us for using religion as a means of gaining recognition and concerning ourselves so much with externals only. And forgive us for being so deluded and failing to recognize the real (the pitiful!) state of our souls.
Lord, we want you to eliminate Pharisaical spirit and we want you to reign in us. But all we can do now is fall upon Christ and beg you for that which we do not deserve. Cleanse us from this mask of religiosity, and give us hearts that do manifest true godliness from the heart.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Glory Due Him
God Almighty,
What a pleasure it is to praise you, O God. What a joy it is to declare the glory of the Lord. For this we were created and for this reason we gather together.
Yet, how can we attribute to you the sum of what you deserve? No man has that capacity to sing the full measure of your praise. Even if our voices were amplified a thousand decibels over, it would not achieve a fraction of your worth. If all the starry host could speak and every grain of sand could cry out, still it would not be enough. Even eternity will not provide enough time to exhaust the riches of your greatness.
You are too wonderful, O God. Your glory exceeds the pomp of kings and your majesty is above that of the earth’s treasures.
But no matter how meager our worship may be this morning, though it be but a small portion of what you are due, we pray that you would find delight in it. Though we give what may only be counted as an offering of poor peasants, we pray that you would take great pleasure in it. And so be moved to lay your tender affection on us and affirm your love to us again.
For we ask this in the strong Name of Jesus, Amen.
What a pleasure it is to praise you, O God. What a joy it is to declare the glory of the Lord. For this we were created and for this reason we gather together.
Yet, how can we attribute to you the sum of what you deserve? No man has that capacity to sing the full measure of your praise. Even if our voices were amplified a thousand decibels over, it would not achieve a fraction of your worth. If all the starry host could speak and every grain of sand could cry out, still it would not be enough. Even eternity will not provide enough time to exhaust the riches of your greatness.
You are too wonderful, O God. Your glory exceeds the pomp of kings and your majesty is above that of the earth’s treasures.
But no matter how meager our worship may be this morning, though it be but a small portion of what you are due, we pray that you would find delight in it. Though we give what may only be counted as an offering of poor peasants, we pray that you would take great pleasure in it. And so be moved to lay your tender affection on us and affirm your love to us again.
For we ask this in the strong Name of Jesus, Amen.
Anomolies in Creation
God,
We come to you again this morning, frustrated with our selves, and recognizing that you are frustrated with us.
We are so peculiar in comparison to all the rest of your creation. The birds sweetly sing your praises from morning to night. The heavens resound with an eternal chorus, never ceasing to declare the glory of God. All around us there is a loud crescendo of worship all the day long.
But we suffer from the paralysis of sin. Our hearts limp along at best. When we compare ourselves to the rocks that lie motionless on the ground and are trampled on by our feet, we recognize that they do a better job of paying homage to you than we do.
We admit before you Lord, that it is not our nature to honor you. Even when our souls are primed and our affections are ignited in the worship you, it is like a storm that quickly passes. The embers cool so rapidly and our enthusiasm fades away so quickly.
Lord, we know that a cool breeze in August lasts much longer than our zeal for the worship of your name. And we are greatly sorry for this. We are grieved by our own sluggishness, for we know that you are deserving of all our affection.
And we pray for your pardoning grace in this matter. We thank you that there is Jesus. We thank you that his love was undying and his passion was never tempered. We thank you moreover that this was for us and for our salvation. So we look not to our ourselves, but only to what he merited by his virtuous life. And we pray that our sins would be consumed in his perfect sacrifice.
For it is in His name we pray. Amen.
We come to you again this morning, frustrated with our selves, and recognizing that you are frustrated with us.
We are so peculiar in comparison to all the rest of your creation. The birds sweetly sing your praises from morning to night. The heavens resound with an eternal chorus, never ceasing to declare the glory of God. All around us there is a loud crescendo of worship all the day long.
But we suffer from the paralysis of sin. Our hearts limp along at best. When we compare ourselves to the rocks that lie motionless on the ground and are trampled on by our feet, we recognize that they do a better job of paying homage to you than we do.
We admit before you Lord, that it is not our nature to honor you. Even when our souls are primed and our affections are ignited in the worship you, it is like a storm that quickly passes. The embers cool so rapidly and our enthusiasm fades away so quickly.
Lord, we know that a cool breeze in August lasts much longer than our zeal for the worship of your name. And we are greatly sorry for this. We are grieved by our own sluggishness, for we know that you are deserving of all our affection.
And we pray for your pardoning grace in this matter. We thank you that there is Jesus. We thank you that his love was undying and his passion was never tempered. We thank you moreover that this was for us and for our salvation. So we look not to our ourselves, but only to what he merited by his virtuous life. And we pray that our sins would be consumed in his perfect sacrifice.
For it is in His name we pray. Amen.
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