The following devotion was used on Saturday, May 22, 2010 for our Meet and Greet the Lambs gathering at Heatherhope. It was written for that occasion by John Seraphine. Please feel free to use it in its entirety, or any portion of it. But it would be kind if you would include reference to this web site and the authorship. Please!
Devotion
Meet and Greet the Lambs
OPENING RESPONSES
L All creation sings the Creator’s praises.
New life all around shows forth our God’s love of life.
Let God’s people say Amen.
C Amen!
L The trees stretch out their green branches,
the grass and flowers bloom,
the birds soar and call out their melodies,
the lambs skip and run and leap for joy.
Let God’s people join the celebration and shout Alleluia and Amen!
C Alleluia and Amen!
L Bound up with all life is the work that keeps us full of life.
The bees gather their sugars for honey and thereby pollinate the plants we use.
The worms and bugs burrow and build the soil.
The birds are busy finding food for their young.
The ewes nurse and protect the lambs.
Let God’s people pray through their work. And let them say Amen.
C Amen!
CREATION PSALM: PSALM 148
Note: Israel often praises the Lord for creation, but almost always remembers God’s creative power along with God’s redemptive power in history. Let us never forget that God’s Lordship is over Creation and is powerful in its love.
THE GOSPEL: JOHN 10:1-18 “The Good Shepherd”
CONFESSION AND COMMITMENT (To the prompt, “Open us, Lord.” we respond: “Open our eyes to see and our hearts to be changed.”)
L Creator God, we confess our carelessness and faithlessness in the way we often join in the abuse and neglect of this earth. Open us, Lord.
C Open our eyes to see and our hearts to be changed.
L We confess that we consume and waste too much. We confess that we live in too much of a hurry. We confess that we are reckless about what our food does to our bodies and what our practices mean for others who have little, and the generations that follow us. Open us, Lord.
C Open our eyes to see and our hearts to be changed.
L We confess that we take your goodness and generosity for granted. You have been patient. You have been forgiving of our waste. But, how long? So open us, Lord.
C Open our eyes to see and our hearts to be changed.
L Open us to your grace in Jesus Christ and to our own place in your creation. Help us celebrate your goodness faithfully by working with your life-giving Spirit. Help us to delve deeply into the holiness of all things and all people. Open us, Lord.
C Open our eyes to see and our hearts to be changed.
L Let the people of God say Amen.
C Amen.
BLESSING
L Bless, O Lord, each step and breath and drink and morsel of food we take.
Yet bless us once again in Christ, that we may give as well as take.
And let the people of God say Amen.
C Amen.
