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.
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.”
—Lamentations 3:22 (NIV)
Our words of assurance come to us today as a prayer from poet Joan Stott:
O Lord our God, we come to you, seeking to
rise up from the depths and agony of despair.
Please listen, our Saving God—
we need your help and blessing.Lord, through the tenderness
of your mercy towards us
we have learned to worship you—
and to revere your Holy Name;
therefore, we place our entire trust
and hope in you, our Trustworthy God.We gather to offer you our thanks,
for we know that you offer us
your unfailing love and mercy
that is beyond our understanding.You know our longing for forgiveness,
and you offer us your presence -
which blesses us from God’s overflowing store
of mercy, hope, freedom and joy. Amen.
SONG OF ASSURANCE: Ever Faithful God (lyrics here)