21st Century Worship Resources for the First Sunday in Lent, Year C

Gathering Meditation

We do not live by bread alone.
We pant for your every word, O God,
And pine for your breathings about us.

Though we presume to know all mysteries,
And boast of knowledge beyond that of our ancestors,
In truth,
We struggle to answer the simplest of questions.
We second guess ourselves and one another at every turn.

Teach us, O God, our humble place in the universe
As we walk through this howling wilderness.
Amen.

A Call to Worship for the First Sunday of Lent

Leader: We come to worship the God that walks with us through every challenge.

People: We come to remember what Jesus did when he was faced with the wilderness.

Leader: When Israel wandered through the wilderness, she was not alone, God was there!

People (to one another): If you are walking through the wilderness, you are not alone, God is with you!

All: We come today to worship our God, who gives us strength for every journey, and courage for every test!

Prayer: When We Are Tested

God, give us wisdom when we are tested.
Teach us when to speak and when to be silent,
when to ignore and when to respond with a shout from the rafters!
When the Tempter comes, teach us to discern things important
from mere distractions from your plan for our lives.
Teach us, O God, how to respond with wisdom when we are tested. Amen.