Worship
Listen to The Goodness of God on YouTube
Reading
Poem: Marked by Ashes by Walter Brueggemann
Ruler of the Night, Guarantor of the day . . .
This day — a gift from you.
This day — like none other you have ever given, or we have ever received.
This Wednesday dazzles us with gift and newness and possibility.
This Wednesday burdens us with the tasks of the day, for we are already halfway home
halfway back to committees and memos,
halfway back to calls and appointments,
halfway on to next Sunday,
halfway back, half frazzled, half expectant,
half turned toward you, half rather not.This Wednesday is a long way from Ash Wednesday,
but all our Wednesdays are marked by ashes —
we begin this day with that taste of ash in our mouth:
of failed hope and broken promises,
of forgotten children and frightened women,
we ourselves are ashes to ashes, dust to dust;
we can taste our mortality as we roll the ash around on our tongues.We are able to ponder our ashness with
some confidence, only because our every Wednesday of ashes
anticipates your Easter victory over that dry, flaky taste of death.On this Wednesday, we submit our ashen way to you —
you Easter parade of newness.
Before the sun sets, take our Wednesday and Easter us,
Easter us to joy and energy and courage and freedom;
Easter us that we may be fearless for your truth.
Come here and Easter our Wednesday with
mercy and justice and peace and generosity.We pray as we wait for the Risen One who comes soon.
Walter Bruggemann b.1933AD From ‘Prayers for a Privileged People’ (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008).
Scripture
1 John 2: 3-6 (RSV)
And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He who says “I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Song
Listen to Christ is Mine Forever by Rich Thompson, Jonny Robinson, sung by City Alight, on Youtube
Prayer, Praise and Prophecy
“Reveal to us Lord the things that we have laid aside and need to take up, and the things we have taken up that we need to lay aside.”
“Come Holy Spirit.”
“Lord, may we be guided more deeply into prayer and into your Spirit.”
“We seek your face. We seek your Word. Help us to respond to the love you first gave us.”
“Thank you that my fellowship band helps me to look for signs of God at work, and I see them more clearly because I am looking.”
“Lord, you are the one that sows the seed, grows the seed and brings seeds to fruition. Help us to be patient in waiting on you and expectant that you will bring the harvest of each seed at just the right time.”
“Thank you for the outpouring of your Spirit at Asbury University, for the signs of the yearnings in so many peoples’s hearts for more of you. Increase their hunger. Open people’s eyes as they journey to Easter, to see Jesus in his glory and power, present with them.”
“May there be a renewal of joy and peace as we move towards the celebration of the Resurrection.”
“As we walk towards Easter, make our walk worthy of you, make it shine for you in our homes, families and neighbourhoods. Help others to talk more deeply about their longings for more of Jesus.”
“The world around us can be a dark and depressing place, may your light shine through us as the source of Light – the Way, Truth and Life. Give us boldness to speak of your Way, to live in Truth for you so that other might have Life.”
Closing Prayer
Collect for Ash Wednesday
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life. Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Join In
We would love to have you be a part of our Inspire community of pray-ers. Here are just a few ways you could join in:
- Prayer group on Signal Messenger to share prayer requests and answers to prayer more frequently and as they arise. Contact us to join in.
- Monthly prayer newsletter – Prayer Bowl – holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people (Rev 5:8). Subscribe here.
- Prayer Gatherings meet 3 or 4 times a year on Zoom to bring people together from across the Movement, and beyond, to pray and listen to the Lord together. Read the Prayer Bowl for dates and updates or contact us.
- Share a praise, prayer request, encouragement, Scripture, prophecy or something that feel the Lord might be saying. Contact us.
- Receive prayer from an Inspire Missioner and/or the Inspire Prayer Team. Contact us.
