Monday, March 31, 2014

For April 6, 2014 -- Looking at "Lead us, Not into Temptation..."

 OPENING PRAYER
God of life, we gather in this Lenten season, this time of preparation.
We walk together the road that leads to the cross. And as we walk we reflect on the world.
A world where we are beset by choices, by people laying temptations in our path.
So we open ourselves to you God, that we would be gifted with wisdom and strength.
In this time of worship,
open our eyes, our hearts, our souls.
So that we would see our options clearly, so that we can go back out to live faithfully in the world.
For we are people of faith, seeking to follow The Way of Jesus. Amen.


PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
Lead us, not into temptation...
Because, if we are honest, we know that we find temptation without any help.
But deliver us from evil...
When our feet have taken us down the wrong path, help us find the way back to wisdom.
Lead us, not into temptation....
God of Grace, help us see temptations for what they are, and give us the strength to resist, the wisdom to make healthy choices.
But deliver us from evil...
God of redemption, when we have fallen to temptation, help us to learn from the experience so that NEXT time will be different.
...time of silent prayer...
Here is Good News shared by St. Paul:
I am convinced that neither death, nor life, ... nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are flawed, we make bad choices, but we are also forgiven, we are accepted, we are not separated from God.
Thanks be to God who is Gracious. Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
We have gathered, we have listened, we have prayed, we have eaten together
And now it is time to continue living and serving.
We live in a world where temptation lurks around every corner.
But we live in a world where God also lurks around every corner.
Go now, trusting that God is there to lead and to deliver,
God will strengthen us in the face of temptation,
For we are never separated from God.
And that is a good thing. Amen.

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