32C*
A Call to Worship
Easter 2C 2013
Psalm 118: 14-29

This the day the Lord has made – that glorious “now” in God’s presence!
In faith, hope and love for God, we celebrate the “now” in God’s presence.

This is the “now” that the Lord has made, a wondrous mystery still unfolding.
Within the shining light of God’s “now” presence, we bring our worship to God.

This is the minute of time that God gifts us with, for us to worship our God.
Brightest Light in our darkness, you are our Lord and God, and we exalt you!
Radiant Light of love, hope and faithfulness, we gather “now” to worship you. Amen.

Prayers of Praise and Thankfulness
Easter 2C 2013
Psalm 118: 14-29

God of light and life, we gather now to celebrate the mystery of the light
that you bring to the darkness of our living, even as we acknowledge that
without that darkness, we would never appreciate or love the light of God’s
presence in our life. Today, now, we celebrate the gift of this new morning,
which is not a repeat of yesterday or the day before; but a new, fresh and
holy day. This the day that the Lord our God claims as God’s own gift to us—
and in praise and thankfulness, we gather to offer our response to our God
for this new day, this “now” time in our lives. Now, there is just us together
with God in worship; when we can bring all the “now” moments of this world’s
life to God for forgiveness, healing and wholeness from God, its Holy Creator.

God of joy and God of mercy, we gather to sing your praises in this sacred
space where, we as a community are nurtured, strengthened and forgiven
by our generous light-bringing God. This is only one place of many sacred
spaces where the “godly” gather to praise and thank their Maker and Lifter
of the darkness that is in our individual and shared lives. We praise and thank
our God that at this moment of “now” time, we can celebrate the victory God
gives to us over all that darkens our living. May we with songs of praise, joy and
thankfulness go into your world to share with others, God’s light-bringing life.

The Lord our God is indeed our strength and our song! May the memory of this
victory over darkness, carry us through the hours ahead, so that we may continue
to sing, praise and thank our God for all the mercies bestowed us, and to continue
to trust in God’s powers of light and love to sustain and uphold us in the struggles
that are ahead of each of us - individually - and as a community of faith. You are
our God, and we praise you! You are our God, and we exalt your holy name! We
give thanks to the Lord our God, whose goodness and faithful love endures forever! Amen.

A Personal Meditation
Easter 2C 2013
Psalm 118: 14-29

This week, whilst I was watering my garden in the early morning, I was very
blessed to observe the rise of Venus and the setting of the Moon; then gradually
the brightest light of the Sun pierced the clouds on the horizon, and God gifted
the earth with a new day!. It was an awe-inspiring time of experiencing afresh
that “...The Lord is God, shining upon us......” I have always loved the poetic
expressions in Genesis chapter 1 and part of 2, of the work of God’s Spirit
actively involved in the creation of our universe, when the whole earth was
described as being “…empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the
Spirit of God was hovering over its surface. Then God said, "Let there be light,"
and there was light. And God saw that it was good. Then he separated the
light from the darkness. God called the light "day" and the darkness "night."
Together these made up one day…..”1 “….And God said, "Let bright lights
appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. They will be signs to
mark off the seasons, the days, and the years. Let their light shine down
upon the earth." And so it was. For God made two great lights, the sun and
the moon, to shine down upon the earth. The greater one, the sun, presides
during the day; the lesser one, the moon, presides through the night. He also
made the stars. God set these lights in the heavens to light the earth, to govern
the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God
saw that it was good….” 2 That morning, I experienced it all as extremely “good”!

Creative pause: The mystery of the darkness and light that God gifts to us.


Today, in this moment of “now” time, is God’s gift to all people, whether they
know or acknowledge the Giver of this holy moment. Faith, hope and trust in
my light-bringing God, enables me to celebrate this moment of “now”, to give
thanks for the last few moments of this day, and to leave the next moments
in God’s safe and secure hands. Faith, hope and trust in my light-giving God,
also allows me to accept the light and warmth of God’s life-renewing presence
in my life, for however long that life may be. I have several friends who are now
at the moment of leaving this “now” time, and moving into God’s eternal time
of light and love, where there is no more darkness or tears. Their faith, hope and
joy in life and in death, has been a miracle of grace and mercy for them and me.

Creative pause: This moment of “now” time, is God’s gift to all people.


Our daily journey through light and on into the brief darkness, where my sisters
and brothers take their turn to celebrate the light, is a cause for celebration and
joy, because “....The Lord is God, shining upon us. Bring forward the sacrifice
and put it on the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God,
and I will exalt you! Give thanks to the LORD, for God is good! God’s faithful love
endures forever....” In prayer and worship I bring to God my sacrifice of praise.

Creative pause: In prayer and worship I bring to the altar my sacrifice of praise.


1 Genesis 1: 2-5 (NLT)
2 Genesis 1: 14-18 (NLT)

Acknowledgements:
Unless stated otherwise, all Bible readings and extracts used in these weekly Prayers and
Meditations are from the ‘New Living Translation’, © 1996. Copyright. All rights reserved.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189 USA.

 *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:
© 2013 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year C. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au

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