05A*
A Call to Worship
Christmas Day (i) Year A 2010
Psalm 97

The Lord, our Eternal God is King forever and ever.
It is the Lord, the Most High God who reigns. Amen!
Let all time and eternity respond with joy to the glory of God.

The earth rejoices at the wonder and majesty of God.
Creation is in awe of the mighty powers of God. Amen!
Let all creation respond with joy to the glory of God.

All people join in praising God, who reigns as King.
People of all generations rejoice that God is Lord. Amen!
Let all people respond with joy to the glory of God. Amen!

Prayers of Praise and Thankfulness
Christmas Day (i) Year A 2010
Psalm 97

With joy we gather in praise and thankfulness to honour
the Lord our God, who reigns supreme over all things!
Each day, we experience the glory of God in creation, as
we see the light of God’s presence expressed in nature.
God is King Eternal, and all creation responds with awe.

All creation recognises the powers of our God, through the
flashing lightning and the roar of thunder; the force of the
winds, the tumbling seas and trembling lands as they bow in awe.
The stately mountains bow low before God, and the brightness
of the stars dim before the radiance of God’s holy presence.

The foundations of God’s throne are justice and righteousness!
All God’s judgements declare that God is holy, fair and just.
All of God’s Being, that Great Unknown, affirm that God abhors
evil and its subversive powers! The generosity of God is seen in
the way God’s faithful people receive love, mercy and blessings.

The radiant light of God‘s presence shines down upon all people
who seek to love and serve their God; and they are forgiven and
cared for by the goodness of God’s mercy. All people who bow
down before God in worship receive blessing, but those who reject
God’s ways, find their arrogant independence comes to nothing.

The Lord is King! Let all the earth rejoice! Let all people near and
far away celebrate with thanks, the goodness and glory of our God. Amen.

A Personal Meditation
Christmas Day (i) Year A 2010
Psalm 97

God rules forever! I invite all those people who love and
serve the Lord join with me in celebrating such wonderful
and astonishing news! I cry aloud that ‘God rules forever!’
Sometimes, when evil rears its ugly head, I pause to wonder
if that is really so. But then I remember that God detests and
abhors evil, and that it has no status in God’s Kingly Rule.

Creative pause: Join in celebrating God’s everlasting rule.


God rules forever! All of creation recognises this, and bows
before God in trembling awe. The mighty mountains are as
wax before God; the strength and power of the waters of
the earth are but drops of dew before God; the forces of
nature are but a whimper before God. With reverent awe,
I echo their responses, their praises, and their celebrations.

Creative pause: I echo nature’s responses to the majesty of God.


God rules forever! I have learned about God’s righteous rule
and God’s justice from the saints and prophets who have gone
before me, leaving their indelible messages written in God’s
holy word. All God’s people in times past have honoured and
rejoiced in the mercy of God, and I rejoice in these blessings.

Creative pause: I too, rejoice in God’s past blessings.


God rules forever! Yet some people sometimes have some strange
ideas that God is a spent force, a ‘has been’, and that they know
best! How foolish they are! Each day, as I feel the warmth of the sun,
it is a reminder to me of the warmth of God’s love and mercy; of the
brightness of that Light of love that shines on my path, to lead me
on my journey home to God. God does rule forever and ever.
I rejoice in this experience and knowledge, and I give my thanks!

Creative pause: I give my thanks for my experiences of God’s rule.


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

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