Prayers and Poem for Worship




Prayers for Worship Lent 5 by Ron Gordon

John 12: 20-33

Collect:

Lord Jesus, knowing that your hour had come, you prayed that the Father’s name be glorified. By your loving obedience throughout all your days and in your death on the cross you glorified your Father. We exalt you whom God raised to the highest with a name above all names. Glory to you with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen

Prayer:

Eternal God, the Father of Jesus and our Father, we want to praise and thank you for all your gifts which daily surround us, gifts we see, enjoy and use: the catalogue is vast, and as long as each life. Above all we acknowledge the gift of your Son, Jesus, truly one of us, and truly yours: in his offering of love in words and deeds to us and for us; in his willingness to remain true to you despite the fearful cost; in his suffering judgement that he might bring judgement on all the deceptive, destructive and dehumanizing forces at work in our lives and in the world; in his being lifted to the cross and suffering death. Father, your verdict on his life spent for you and for us, is that he is indeed the Saviour of the world, the resurrection and the life and our way into fellowship with you. Glory to God in the highest! On lives shuttered against the Spirit, which deny in word and deed the claim of Jesus upon them: Lord, have mercy. On us when we become strangers to the truth, and become accusers with false testimony against him: Christ, have mercy. On all who will not share the loving compassion received from Jesus to be offered to others: Lord, have mercy. Eternal God whose mercy endures forever, forgive and cleanse us from all evil and bring us to eternal life by the power of your Spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. © 2009 Ron Gordon (used with permission)

unless a grain by Jenn Gordon
John 12: 20-33 why wait for death to sweep you from the floor before you shed the centred-self that speeds you to her door? why wait for death to start to take apart the closed and shuttered capsule of your tightly guarded heart? why wait for death to lift you to a place where you might see the face of love and know it as your own eternal home? why wait for death while life demands release; a long and fruitful burial of all that hinders peace? why wait for death to live this hour? (Comments to Jenn at jennieg@labyrinth.net.au.)