GATHERING
THE CALL | Lamentations 3:25 [ESV] The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. CONFESSION | Lamentations 3:28–30 [ESV] The phrase, Kyrie eleison, simply means "Lord have mercy" and has been used by the Church for centuries, including by Reformers like John Calvin as a congregational refrain during worship. We often use it to ask for the forgiveness of personal sin, but it is just as appropriate to call upon God's saving mercy as we experience the sinful effects of others upon us. Here we will use it as such. You can speak it, or you can sing it: ~Kyrie eleison [sheet music]~ Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; ~Kyrie eleison~ let him put his mouth in the dust-- there may yet be hope; ~Kyrie eleison~ let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults. ~Kyrie eleison~ ASSURANCE | Lamentations 3:28–30 [ESV] For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. SING | Doxology [sheet music] Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen WORD Read Psalm 32 2nd Reading: Romans 4:7-8 (Psalm 32:3-4) “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.” Do you keep silent? Whether you are extroverted or introverted, all of us in one way or another have been guilty of keeping silent when we should have spoken up. In this case, David has kept his sins silent, not confessing them to the Lord in a timely manner. This lack of confession caused his bones to waste way. Holding onto sin is like acid eating away inside of you. How do we confess our sin? First, we must see the blessing in confession. This is how the psalm begins, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (v.1). If you don’t see the blessing in confession, then you will continue to hold onto your sin. Second, we “acknowledge” the sin, fully uncovering the transgression (v.5). There will always be a temptation to hold onto part of your sin even as you confess it. God requires full repentance, which is turning from our sin and turning towards God, without looking back. Third, do not wait. Verse 6 calls us to “offer prayer to [God] at a time when [he] may be found.” When may God be found? For the Christian we need not go to the temple to confess our sin, or to a priest, but the time is now. The Lord has set his Spirit in our hearts, and by the Spirit, through the mediation of Jesus, the Father hears our prayers. Do not wait. Lastly, (v.11) “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.” Do not dwell in your sin, but dwell in his righteousness, received by faith. ABIDING SING
WEDNESDAY-CONTEXTUALIZE | Psalm 123 Consider ways that you can let the Psalm form your imagination, that you might share it with others. Perhaps you can journal about it, write poetry or prose, learn a song, create visual art, or reexpress it in ways that speak to your context. If you are planning to fellowship with other people this weekend, consider how you might share these imaginations with your community. SENDING LORD'S PRAYER Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen. Lamentations 3:22–24 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” GATHERING
THE CALL | Lamentations 3:25 [ESV] The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. CONFESSION | Lamentations 3:28–30 [ESV] The phrase, Kyrie eleison, simply means "Lord have mercy" and has been used by the Church for centuries, including by Reformers like John Calvin as a congregational refrain during worship. We often use it to ask for the forgiveness of personal sin, but it is just as appropriate to call upon God's saving mercy as we experience the sinful effects of others upon us. Here we will use it as such. You can speak it, or you can sing it: ~Kyrie eleison [sheet music]~ Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; ~Kyrie eleison~ let him put his mouth in the dust-- there may yet be hope; ~Kyrie eleison~ let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults. ~Kyrie eleison~ ASSURANCE | Lamentations 3:28–30 [ESV] For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. SING | Doxology [sheet music] Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen WORD Read Psalm 31 2nd Reading: Luke 23:46 (Psalm 31:3-5) “For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” Scholars have organized the psalms into various categories, such as kingly, messianic, psalms of ascent, praise, thanksgiving, wisdom, confidence, historical, prophetic, and like Psalm 31 - a psalm of both lament and penitence. Penitential psalms are categorized as a psalm where the author is asking forgiveness for a particular sin. A lament is praying our sorrow. We read both elements of lamentation and penitence in this psalm. In v.10 David confesses that it is because of his “iniquity” that this affliction has come upon him. Perhaps he knows this because the Lord has revealed it to him, or perhaps it’s a logical consequence of his actions. For whatever reason, David finds himself asking for salvation (v.2, v.16), comfort in affliction (vv.9-10), and protection from his enemies (v.15). Our central verse v.5, is quoted by Jesus in Luke:23:46 as he hung on the cross and breathed his last breath. The last words of Jesus before he died, were “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” David’s use of the phrase is tied to a net he has fallen into because of his sin. Jesus, on the other hand, goes willingly into the “net” because of our sin. Jesus commits himself to the will of the Father in his period of greatest darkness. Two points: The first is to praise God that you can be saved from the darkness (the “net”) because Jesus entered it on your behalf. While David experienced distress due to his sin, and while we experience distress due to our sin, we will never feel the full weight of our sin because of the gracious and salvific act of Jesus. Second, commit yourself to the Lord. Have you sinned? Have you messed up? Are you paying some consequence for your sin? Are you lamenting some tragedy? The way of life is to fully hand yourself over to the Father. Commitment is putting all of your weight onto him, stepping out over the cliff. Trust that he will catch you. ABIDING SING
TUESDAY-READ | Psalm 123 Spend time understanding and memorizing the outline of the Psalm, taking special note of the flow or transition points. If you are in a group, discuss the main themes and emphasis together. SENDING LORD'S PRAYER Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen. Lamentations 3:22–24 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” |
City Reformed Presbyterian ChurchThe 90 Days project is a collaborative effort of many church leaders. Matt Koerber and Daniel Snoke have taken lead roles, with others helping to write daily devotionals. Archives
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