04A*
A Call to Worship
Advent 4A 2010
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19

O Lord, the Great Shepherd of your people—
we come to worship you, seeking your tender care.
Lead us, Good Shepherd, into your path of your
fullness of life, through your justice, peace and joy.

O God the Father of us all, we are aware that we
have failed to worship and serve you as we should.
Come to us, Restoring Lord, with your forgiveness;
and bind us to yourself as your belovèd children.

May the radiant light of God’s face shine upon us
as we come to worship the God of light and mercy.
As we receive the light of your presence, O God,
may our prayers and our worship be acceptable to you. Amen.

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Prayers of Confession and Lament
Advent 4A 2010
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19

O Lord our God, hear our cry as we come to you this day
in prayer. Great Shepherd of your people, hear our call for
your help and mercy. O God, the Holy One, as we come
before you in worship, may our words, our sincere feelings
of penitence, and our prayers be acceptable to you.

We are filled with remorse because of our careless living
and our casual approach to worship and prayer. O God,
strengthen us in our commitment to you and to your ways.
Help us to more faithfully worship and praise you, so that
we will confidently know again that you hear our prayers.

O Gracious and Forgiving God, we know from our past
experiences, that if we honestly and sincerely confess our
lack of trust in you; our slowness to respond to you; and the
way we fail to honour your Holy Name; then you will forgive
us and renew us with the joy of your eternal fellowship.

Restore us we pray, into the care of the Great Shepherd
of the flock of your people! O God, shine the radiant light of
your love upon us again, so that we will once again receive
God’s merciful blessing, God’s protection, and God’s favour. Amen.

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A Personal Meditation
Advent 4A 2010
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19

O Lord my God, forgive my foolishness, and the way I have strayed
from your paths of right living and loving. May I never again have to
taste my bitter tears, or the sourness of a daily diet of sorrow! May I
never again be the laughing stock of my neighbours who mocked my
fall from grace, and openly enjoyed seeing me fail in my faith in you!



O Lord my God, please listen to me while I pray for your help, and as
I struggle with my dreadful sense of isolation from you. O Shepherd
God, I feel lost and bewildered, and I am in desperate need of your
guiding hand. Restore me not only to the care of my Tender Shepherd,
but also into the membership of your flock, for I only feel secure when
I am by your side and as a part of your flock - safely at home with you.



O God, I lose my way and darkness is all around me when the radiant
light of your presence seems not to be shining down upon me. Turn
your ears and your eyes towards me again, O my God. I yearn to worship
and praise you each day in ways that are acceptable to you. Restore
me again as your belovèd child; and in your generous love, lay your
hand upon me in healing, giving me renewed strength and courage so
that I may worship you all my days as I live in the radiant light of your love

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Acknowledgements:
Unless stated otherwise, all Bible readings and extracts used in these weekly Prayers and Meditations are from
‘The New Revised Standard Version’ Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

*The additional weekly numbering is from the Revised COCU Indexing Scheme
COCU = ('Consultation on Church Union'); as it offers an easy sequential numbering
for the Revised Common Lectionary for the Church Calendar.

If any part of these Prayers and/or Meditations is used in shared worship, please provide
the following acknowledgement:
© 2010 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year A. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au

Download/view a pdf file of this document here: advent4a_2010.pdf

© 2010 Joan Stott - " The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year A