Time of Preparation
Begin by taking inventory of your surroundings. Are things in your vicinity conducive to a time of personal worship? Are there any changes or adjustments (turning off tech, making yourself comfortable) you need to make before you begin?
When you are ready, take some time to sit in silence and prepare your heart for worship. Ask God to clear away any distractions that might keep you from being truly present in this moment.
Assurance
In this third movement, we receive the good news of the gospel: we are forgiven.
“As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.”
—Psalm 103:13 (NIV)
Psalm 103 is a powerful reflection on the love and mercy of God. It is a wonderful scripture to return to whenever we need to be reminded and assured that our sins are forgiven.
Read the following verses from Psalm 103 slowly and prayerfully. Pay attention to any words or phrases that resonate with you. Pay attention as well to any that you resist inwardly. Offer both to God in prayer, asking the Spirit to bathe you in reminders of God’s compassion and grace. This is the good news: we are forgiven.
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
—Psalm 103:8-12 (NIV)
SONG OF ASSURANCE: The Lord is Gracious and Compassionate (lyrics here)