46A*
A Call to Worship
Pentecost 3A [Ordinary 14A] or [Proper 9A] 2011
Psalm 45: 10-17
O God, to whom can we liken you in all yourbeauty and majesty, so that we may know you better?
To a bride and groom in all their wedding day glory?
O God, to whom can we liken you in all your
grace and splendour, so that we may know you better?
To a king and queen in all their majesty?
O God, to whom can we liken you in all your
glory and perfection, so that we may know you better?
God’s true Presence is seen in God’s justice
and mercy, in God’s truth and wisdom.
Praise be to the God of all beauty and majesty. Amen.
Prayers of Praise
Pentecost 3A [Ordinary 14A] or [Proper 9A] 2011
Psalm 45: 10-17
Majestic God, we come to you in praise, and we honouryou in all your glory and perfection. Our finite minds struggle
with concepts by which we can praise and worship you
in ways that are relevant to our limited understanding of
the Holy Being that is God. We seek ways that are appropriate
to revere your holiness and goodness, and yet we fail dismally.
Glorious God, because of our human limitations we instead use
images with which we are familiar that express something of the
beauty, glory and dignity of our God. We imagine the pomp and
majesty of royal processions and coronations; of superb brides and
grooms at their wedding festivities; we even imagine street parades
where significant people are lauded and honoured, and presented
with gifts. Yet each of these images pale into insignificance when
we finally manage to grasp something of God’s presence and glory.
Holy God, in reverent awe, we praise and worship you. Through the
Beauty of your Being, you have raised our perceptions of the being
majesty and splendour of our God, and we are spiritually enriched
because of this, and we want to share this experience with others.
Gracious God, may we worship and praise you always and forever. Amen.
A Personal Meditation
Pentecost 3A [Ordinary 14A] or [Proper 9A] 2011
Psalm 45: 10-17
How I love the imaginative descriptions that people usewhen trying to describe God - God’s Being, God’s majesty,
God’s powers, God’s generosity and benevolence, God’s
awesome presence and divine holiness. Each of us seem
to flounder, as there are no appropriate ways of defining God
that in ways express what we are trying to say with sufficient
awe and reverence that is a requisite way of honouring God.
| Creative pause: | How limited we are with words and ideas! |
I become caught up with images from magazines and
newspapers where splendour, extravagant beauty and
magnificence are depicted in royal people and events;
public events and extravaganzas; or political or social
gala events that extol the supposed gifts, strengths and
beauty of the people thus displayed for all to see and envy.
| Creative pause: | How easily false images influence us! |
Yet none of this helps me in my understanding of God!
All these images seem a bit ‘tacky’ when applied to God!
Instead of peripheral images, I am sure I would do much
better if I concentrated on my personal experiences of God’s
attributes and being. Instead, I should be thinking about
God’s love, generosity, compassion, mercy, wise guidance,
justice, and unfailing faithfulness. Finally, I am now starting
to move nearer to the heart of God with these reflections.
| Creative pause: | Life’s experiences teach us more about God! |
One image of God helps to sustain me as I grapple with concepts,
and that is the experience of being anointed with God’s oil of joy—
just like they do at coronations - with the oil flowing through my
hair, onto my body and bringing healing and wholeness in its wake;
and the gentle touch of consecration placed on my shoulders.
| Creative pause: | God’s healing oil of joy and peace. |
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:
© 2011 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year A. Used with permission.
jstott@netspace.net.au
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