Lectionary 18

Color: Green
Readings: Gospel Text: Matthew 7:7-8 | Sermon Text: Job 38:25-27; 41:1-8; 42:1-6 (Job Sees God)
Prayer of the Day: God of all creation; your majesty is evident everywhere we look. Keep us from the sin of thinking we are at the center of creation and orient us towards the true center of all that is: You and You alone. We pray with humility and love to the Creator of all. Amen.

Suggested hymns based on the Sermon text:

ELW #846 Amen, We Praise Your Name
ELW #638 Blessed Assurance
ELW #684 Creating God, Your Fingers Trace
ELW #245 Creator of the Stars of Night
ELW #756 Eternal Father, Strong to Save
ELW #880 O God beyond All Praising
ELW #873 God, Whose Almighty Word
ELW #830 How Marvelous God’s Greatness
ELW #450 I Bind unto Myself Today
ELW #881 Let All Things Now Living
ELW #837 Many and Great, O God
ELW #601 Savior, When in Dust to You
ELW #785 When Peace like a River
LBW #550 From All That Dwell below the Skies
LBW #286 Bow Down Your Ear, Almighty Lord
LBW #238 God Has Spoken by His Prophets
LBW #483  God Moves in a Mysterious Way
LBW #462 God the Omnipotent!
LBW #443 Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray
OBS #45  A Ram’s Horn Blasting Barren Hills
W&P #15 Be Bold, Be Strong
(ELW=Evangelical Lutheran Worship; LBW=Lutheran Book of Worship; OBS=O Blessed Spring; W&P=Worship & Praise)

Suggested hymns based on the Gospel text:

ELW #302 As with Gladness Men of Old
ELW #402 Eternal Spirit of the Living Christ
ELW #786 O Holy Spirit, Enter In
ELW #696 Jesus Calls Us; o’er the Tumult
ELW #658 O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts
ELW #754 Jesus, the Very Thought of You
ELW #519 Open Your Ears, O Faithful People
ELW #669 Rise Up, O Saints of God!
ELW #800 Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart
ELW #262 Wait for the Lord
ELW #680/681 We Plow the Fields and Scatter
ELW #742 What a Friend We Have in Jesus
LBW #506 Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
LBW #413 Father Eternal, Ruler of Creation
WOV#783 Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God
(ELW=Evangelical Lutheran Worship; LBW=Lutheran Book of Worship; WOV=With One Voice)

Other options based on both:

“May Your Wonders Never Cease” By Brad Avery, David Carr, et al.
“Only You” As performed by Young Oceans.
More contemporary suggestions here.

Prayers of Intercession:

Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

A brief silence.

We pray for your church, O God. Trusting that you can do all things, we ask that you strengthen our faith and proclamation. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for your creation, O God. Trusting that you can do all things, we ask that you protect plants, animals and ecosystems and give us the courage to speak out against misuse and mismanagement of the earth’s resources. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the nations, O God. Trusting that you can do all things, we ask that you grant wisdom to our leaders and bless them with hearts dedicated to justice and peace. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for all who suffer in spirit, O God. Trusting that you can do all things, we ask that you use us to proclaim hope and peace to all who are troubled. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for all the suffering, O God. Trusting that you can do all things, we ask that you bring healing and comfort to those in need and bless doctors, nurses, and all those who work your healing. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

We pray for the saints, O God. Trusting that you can do all things, we ask that you keep us on the path of faith that they have walked before us. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.