14A*
A Call to Worship
Epiphany 6A [Ordinary 6A] or [Proper 1A] 2014
Psalm 119: 1-8

Be still in the presence of the Lord! Come with quiet confidence before the Lord.
We give thanks for the contentment we know, as we love and serve the Lord.

Be still in the presence of the Lord! Come with a steadfast faith before the Lord.
We give thanks for the contentment we know, as we trust in God’s guiding hand.

Be still in the presence of the Lord! Come with peace in your heart and mind before
the Lord, so that in God’s holy presence, you will know God’s love and forgiveness.
We give thanks for the contentment we know, as we obey God’s calling us to worship—
and to daily living a life of faithfulness and obedience to God’s path to fullness of life. Amen.

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Psalm 119: 1-8

1 Happy are people of integrity. Who follow the law of the LORD.
2 Happy are those who obey his decrees and search for him with all their hearts.
3 They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths.
4 You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully.
5 Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your principles!
6 Then I will not be disgraced when I compare my life with your commands.
7 When I learn your righteous laws, I will thank you by living as I should!
8 I will obey your principles. Please don't give up on me!

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Prayers of Thankfulness and Trust
Epiphany 6A [Ordinary 6A] or [Proper 1A] 2014
Psalm 119: 1-8

Faithful God, our Teacher and Guide to life in all its fullness, we gather
to give thanks that we have such clear guidelines provided for us by the
wise people of the past, especially from God’s Holy Word. We give thanks
for the honesty and openness of the Psalmists who shared their life’s
experiences without any fudging of issues or hiding their personal shame
or problems; and for their willingness to appear as they were without any
added gloss. We give thanks that they placed their entire trust in God’s
wisdom and guidance. Help us to discern from your Holy Word the path
ahead for each of us, individually and collectively; and also give us the
will to learn from each other the true way to a life of contented obedience
and faithfulness to God, that leads us to the awesome presence of God.

Creating God, we thank you for this glorious world in which we all live, with
its pattern of ordered life through its various seasons; day and night; and as
creation evolves, the ever-amazing reality of life and death. We give thanks
that this helps us to understand the faithfulness and reliability of God’s care
and concern for all creation. We thank you that within this structured pattern
of life, we could also discover the orderliness of the way God has blessed
and led God’s people through the ages past. As the Psalmist wrote: “…You
have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions
would consistently reflect your principles…!” We give thanks that God has
provided for us for a pattern of living through the experiences of the ancient
people of God. They learned to live within their disciplined commitment to their
orderly worship of God - each and every day. Help us to always place God at
the centre of our life, relationships, leisure, commitments and worship, as we
seek to maintain a disciplined and harmonious balance in all of our living.

Mysterious and Awe-inspiring God, we will never even begin to understand the
complexity of who and what God is, except that God is love, grace and mercy.
Within this profound simplicity, we discover the faithfulness and the assurance
of God, and that God’s ways are the path to serenity and contentment of spirit;
and the beauty of holiness that is experienced in the peace-filled presence of God. Amen.

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A Personal Meditation
Epiphany 6A [Ordinary 6A] or [Proper 1A] 2014
Psalm 119: 1-8

I am a great believer in the practical uses of constitutions for groups
and organisations, as they provide a safety-net during heated debates,
or when uncertainty clouds the way forward, and when decisions need
to be made for the orderly processes of residing together. Psalm 119 is
a bit like a constitution for living in a faith-filled and obedient relationship
with God, and with one’s neighbour! The “way of God” is not intended to
be restrictive or a burden to anyone, but instead, through living a life of
disciplined faithfulness to God’s way, we can still freely express our own
God-given gifts and graces within a trusting relationship with our God.



Living the “Torah” way of life according to Psalm 119, means following
God’s path of wisdom and faithfulness within a right relationship with God—
which leads into fullness of life, hope and joy! This Psalm is full of words
in English such as: “word”; “statute”; “commandment”; “promise”; “decrees”;
and “precepts”; and these may sound rather aggressive in their power
and forcefulness. However, that is contrary to the purpose of Psalm 119—
which in reality, celebrated God’s covenant relationship with God’s own
people, and expressed God’s reliable and sustained loving kindness and
mercy; and encouraged and empowered them to become God’s own people.



Maybe I am a “control freak”, but I resonate with these words from Psalm 119:
“….You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my
actions would consistently reflect your principles! Then I will not be disgraced
when I compare my life with your commands…” In other translations, the word
“carefully” is replaced with “diligently”; “faithfully” and “completely” – suggesting
that we are challenged to total obedience and complete commitment to a way
of life that reflects God’s own faithfulness and commitment to all creation, and
particularly to God’s own people. “…Then I will not be disgraced…” seems like
another definition of “sin”, as I separate myself from God’s “way of life” and living.
“…When I learn your righteous laws, I will thank you by living as I should! I will
obey your principles. Please don't give up on me..!” Yes, don’t give up on me, God!

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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.

*Revised Indexing Scheme from 'Consultation on Church Union' (COCU).

I acknowledge and give heartfelt thanks for the theological inspiration available from the writings of Professor Walter Brueggemann; and through the resources from the internet and “The Text this Week” (Textweek).

If the Prayers and/or Meditations are used in shared worship, please provide this acknowledgement:
© 2014 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year A. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au
www.thetimelesspsalms.net

Download/view a pdf file of this document here: epiphany6[6]a_2014.pdf

© 2014 Joan Stott - "The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year A