Opening Prayer
Almighty God, whose glory the heavens are telling, the earth his power, and the sea his might, and whose greatness all feeling and thinking creatures everywhere herald; to you belongs glory, honor, might, greatness and magnificence now and forever, to the ages of ages, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—The Divine Liturgy of St. James
TEXT
Isaiah 12 TNIV
In that day you will say:
“I will praise you, Lord.
Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
and you have comforted me.
Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.
In that day you will say:
“Give praise to the Lord, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the
Holy One of Israel among you.”
READ
If God is our strength and our salvation, then so, too, He should be our song, our life-song.
From the wells of Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit, we are strengthened. And through the blood of Christ, and the working out of our salvation in the Holy Spirit, we are given a song to sing. Our life-song is to be an unending praise-song for the great things God has done so that all will know and that He will be known to all… May our life-songs be a symphony of praise to Thee, our Lord and our Redeemer.
-Cheri Cowell
“You made me for yourself, O Lord, so that I might rejoice forever in the immensity of your glory. When shall I be worthy of that glory? When shall I praise you as I ought? I offer you, my Creator, all my desires and hopes; give me your blessings so that I may put them into practice, through Jesus Christ your Son who shed his blood for me on the cross.
—Francis de Sales, 1567-1622