Cenote Suytun, Mexico
An ancient collect A.D.440: “For Light to Follow You” link
O Lord,
direct our steps this day
into the way of peace,
and strengthen our hearts
to obey your commandments.
May the Dayspring visit us from on high,
and give light
to those who sit in darkness
and the shadow of death,
that they may adore you for your mercy,
follow you for your truth,
desire you for your sweetness,
for you are the blessed Lord God of Israel,
now and forever.
Amen.
A Lutheran Confession link
(The congregation would say:)
Most merciful God,
We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves.
We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole hearts; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,
so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.
Amen
(The Lutheran pastor then would say:)
In the mercy of almighty God,
Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake
God forgives us all our sins.
To those who believe in Jesus Christ
he gives the power to become the children of God
and bestows on them the Holy Spirit.
All would say
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer (traditional) link
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
Dr. Jennifer Wiseman: Hubble Senior Project Scientist
Dr. Charles Lee: Stanford School of Business: The Moghadam Family Professor and Professor of Accounting, Emeritus
Dr. John Lennox: Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University (emeritus) link
Here are the words in English
I love You, Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
And in darkest night You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father
I’ve known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God, yeah
And all my life You have been faithful, ohh
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God, yeah
‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me, oh-ohh
‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it keeps running after me
And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God
I’m gonna sing, I’m gonna sing
‘Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God
Benediction: Based on 10th-century blessing
As you go on your way, may the Lord Jesus Christ go with you.
May he be near you to defend you; may he go before you to show you the way;
Behind you to encourage you; beside you to befriend you;
Above you to watch over you, and within you to give you peace.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, God forevermore.
Amen.
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Thanks, Dee.
I suspect that the gap between “moral reasoning” and “life actually lived” is inhabited by … “desire.” What we want is more fundamental than what we consciously believe to be “right”. It’s not surpring that getting one’s doctrine “right” does not consistently transform a person.
A profound question is “where does desire come from?” Presumably it’s some combination of “nature” and “nurture”. I’ve long wondered what might be possible if perfectly righteous parents were to raise their offspring in a righteous environment. Perhaps the children could learn to desire only what is good, and to abhor all that is evil. And they would pass this on to their offspring, and on and on into the future.
One would like to think that the churches could be places where people’s hearts are purified of the desire of what is not right. Perhaps the fellowship of people who are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus — whom I reckon was untainted by any evil desire — could profoundly change people.
And over time, generation by generation, the faith community could ascend to greater and greater heights of moral beauty, as each generation surpassed its predecessors.
But that doesn’t seem to have been the history of the churches, or if it is the history, the ascent is so gradual as to be almost imperceptible. This is deeply troubling to me.
Loved the Ukranian Christians singing
The sound on Lennox’s vid is messed up.
Both here and on YouTube.
Same.
James 1:15, “After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”