Restless Hearts Liturgy/Call to Worship

A Responsive Reading for Lent by Rev. Barbara Sartorius Bjelland

Dear Friends,

I offer this responsive Liturgy/Call to Worship, to those who sign up for a free subscription:

I wrote this Liturgy based on the Revised Common Lectionary texts for this week (April 3, 2022), plus a few others. It may be used as a prayer by individuals, groups, or in congregational worship. (You may find the Revised Common Lectionary and lots of great resources online at: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/)

The Liturgy goes with the story in John 12:1-8, of Mary (Lazarus’ sister) anointing Jesus with costly perfume before he went to the cross. It reminds us that Jesus suffers with us and for us. It reminds us of the tears and joys of the Lenten season, especially at this time in our world.

The image below of Jesus’ hand (without the watermark) is available in my website store at: www.BarbaraBjelland.com

Restless Hearts

One:  O Lord, you said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

All:  O Lord, you have formed us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in thee.

One: O Lord, you have said, “Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.”

All:  We press on, because Christ keeps his promises and has made us his own.

One: O Lord, you have said, “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

All:  We bring ourselves to you. We ask you to do something new in us and in the world that you love, knowing that you are faithful. With your people throughout the ages, we claim and proclaim, “The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoice.”

Amen.

(Matthew 11:28; Isaiah 43:21; quote by Augustine; Psalm 126:5; Philippians 3:12 Isaiah 43:19; 2 Timothy 2:13; Psalm 126:3)

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Join the conversation and leave a comment! What are your tears and joys? What promises of God are you claiming? What are you asking God to do in our world?