Meditation For Sunday, March 15, 2020

Meditation for Sunday morning 3/15/2020

As Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus' thirst...'Repent and believe' Jesus tells us. What are we to repent? Our indifference, our hardness of heart. What are we to believe? Jesus thirsts even now, in your heart and in the poor -- He knows your weakness. He wants only your love, wants only the chance to love you.

Mother Teresa

Embrace, Meditate, Breathe in The Spirit of God!  Take several deep breaths and let them out as you prepare yourself to worship God.

Sing Amazing Grace or any song that bring you close to the Lord, or calms your spirit

Prayer of Confession

God of mercy, hear the prayers of your thirsting people.

For every time we have attributed your miracles in our lives

to our own hands alone,

Forgive us, we pray.

For every time we promised to trust you but turned to our own way

when your response did not come soon enough

or in the way we expected,

Grant us mercy, O God.

For the many opportunities to extend forgiveness

that we have refused,

Show us what it means to love, again, dear Lord.

For each way we put our own understandings above your wisdom,

For each time we resist your command to be reconciled with those

who believe differently from us,

Direct us in the way of peace, we pray.

For our silent sins, our quiet acts of violence,

and our indifference to the suffering round us,

Forgive us, Loving One, and quench our thirst with your grace;

Remake us into vessels of tenderness and compassion.

For Christ’s sake we pray.  Amen. And Jesus taught us to pray. . . Our Father. . .

Scripture:  Psalm 95 As you read, here are some questions to consider:

1. What action does the writer ask of the reader?

2. How is God described by the writer?

3. How does the writer describe the people of God?

4. What is the warning the writer warns the people about?

5. Are you thirsty for healing, wholeness in your spirit? Sing, shout to the Lord, receive a new gift of restoration of compassion through forgiveness.

Gracious Lord, I am so thankful for Your love.  So thankful, You love me in spite of my failings and feelings. You have promised to walk with me and never to leave me.  I want to be used by You as an instrument of Your peace, love, forgiveness, mercy and kindness everywhere I go.  Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me. Amen

Go now out into your day with courage and love filled with more of God than you had yesterday and love more.

Our condolences for Sam Kelley and family as Ann passed this past Thursday. 

Continued prayer for Peggy Kofer as she recovers from surgery. Continued prayers for Spencer and Ruth Bencal. Pray for all in our state impacted by the Coronavirus.  Prisoners and their families, Military abroad and their families, our first responders and their families.  All thoses traveling.

Our students coming home from college early, our students who are out of school over the next two weeks who are food insecure in Northwood and our surrounding communities.

All those living in Nursing home facilities and our mentally ill facilities.