Sunday Devotional

This Sunday, City Church is not holding our regular worship service. That’s because Saturday October 5th is our annual Leader’s Retreat and we want to give our leaders a break from all the hard work they do to pull together the Sunday service.

So we wanted to share a brief devotional for us all to reflect on, either individually or in groups of friends or as a family.

Take your time, get comfortable. Maybe take a few deep breaths to get yourself centered and comfortable…

Call To Worship

As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2)

Opening Prayer

Almighty and intimate God, meet us in this place, in this time. Would you refresh us today. And towards that end we pray that you would help us join you in seeing our own thoughts, help us join you in hearing own own hearts, help us join with you in feeling our own bodies. We acknowledge the busyness in our minds, the mixed emotions in our hearts, and the twinges in our bodies - and we bring all these before you, not for you to do away with them, but for you to fill them with yourself.

Gospel Reading

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us”). - Matthew 1:23

Reflection

In about 400 AD the great African bishop, Augustine of Hippo, was reflecting on Psalm 35:3 when David was feeling overwhelmed by people trying to kill him. David asked for God to be close, praying to God, “Say to me, ‘I am your salvation.’”

Augustine journaled about his experience taking that simple line from David and thinking about how it connected with him personally. H thought about the hardships of his own life. As Augustine jotted down his thoughts, it ended up being a very simple but intimate prayer to God. Take time to reflect on Augustine’s prayer, and see if there are ways to make it your own. Where do you need rescuing?

Whisper to my heart, "I am here to save you."  Speak so that I may hear your words.  My heart has ears ready to listen to you, Lord.  Open them wide and whisper in my heart, "I am here to save you."  I shall hear your voice and make haste to clasp you to myself.  Do not hide your face away from me, for I would gladly meet my death to see it, since not to see it would be death indeed.
- Augustine of Hippo, in Confessions

Listening

Listen to THIS song and allow it to wash over you. Can you hear God whispering to you? What is God saying? How might you respond?

All Belong Here by The Many

When you’re not sure who you really are
When all you feel is the shape of your scars
And you have more wounds than you can count
Open your eyes, look all around
You aren’t alone, this is your home

Come and remember who you are here
Do this to remember who I am
Come and remember you belong here
All belong here.

When you don’t know how to forgive
When locked doors seem like the only way to live
And you’ve got more questions than you can count
Open your eyes, look all around
You aren’t alone, this is your home

Come and remember who you are here
Do this to remember who I am
Come and remember you belong here
All belong here.

At this table come as you are
Broken and bleeding’s ok
At this table eat and be filled
Come and drink in this grace.

Closing Prayer

Almighty and intimate God, thank you for this time. Thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ, and how he made clear how much you want to be with us. Help us enter this week more aware of your presence in our lives and more able to carry your presence into this world.