Good morning.
Today is Monday,
November 30,
2020.
O Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the Son.
Glory to God,
The three-in-one Creator,
Redeemer,
And Sustainer,
As it was in the beginning,
Is now,
And will be forever.
Amen.
Let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord,
Our Maker.
Remind yourself that you are in God's presence.
Notice how God may be speaking to you today.
Let yourself dwell on a word or a phrase that catches your attention,
And let your heart simply respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
I wait for you,
Lord.
My soul waits.
And I put my trust in your word.
Our scripture today is Matthew 24,
Verses 36 through 42.
No one knows that day and that hour,
Not the angels of heaven,
Nor even the only begotten,
Only Abba,
God.
The coming of the Promised One will be just like Noah's time.
In the days before the flood,
People were eating and drinking,
Having relationships,
And getting married right up to the day Noah entered the ark.
They were totally unconcerned until the flood came and destroyed them.
So it will be at the coming of the Promised One.
Two people will be out in the field.
One will be taken and one will be left.
Two people will be grinding meal.
One will be taken and one will be left.
Therefore,
Be vigilant,
For you don't know the day your Savior is coming.
Please repeat these words.
So I wait for you,
Lord.
My soul waits.
And in your word,
I place my trust.
Our prayer for this first week of Advent is from Jan Richardson,
And it's called Blessing for Waiting.
Who wait for the night to end,
Bless them.
Who wait for the night to begin,
Bless them.
Who wait in the hospital room,
Who wait in the cell,
Who wait in prayer,
Bless them.
Who wait for news,
Who wait for the phone call,
Who wait for a word,
Who wait for a job,
A house,
A child,
Bless them.
Who wait for one who will come home,
Who wait for one who will not come home,
Bless them.
Who wait with fear,
Who wait with joy,
Who wait with peace,
Who wait with rage,
Who wait for the end,
Who wait for the beginning,
Who wait alone,
Who wait together,
Bless them.
Who wait without knowing what they wait for or why,
Bless them.
Who wait when they should not wait,
Who wait when they should be in motion,
Who wait when they need to rise,
Who wait when they need to set out,
Bless them.
Who wait for the end of waiting,
Who wait for the fullness of time,
Who wait emptied and open and ready,
Who wait for you.
Oh bless.
I invite you now in a moment of silence to hold someone's name before God.
We pray in the name of Jesus who taught us to pray.
Our Father,
Which art in heaven,
Eternal God,
Earth maker,
Pain bearer,
Life giver,
Source of all that is and all that shall be,
Not only Father but Mother of us all.
May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe.
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another forgive us.
In times of temptation and test strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love now and forever.
Amen.
And now my friends may the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you wherever he may send you today.
May he guide you through the wilderness,
Protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
All in peace.
