Not to Be Served

Everyone loves a good happy ending; we all want to “live happily ever after.” But the real world is rarely as neat as that. There are often lingering effects of suffering, or grieving. For example, when someone loses a spouse, we will frequently surround that person with care and with grace. But after a time, that caring presence drifts away, as we assume everything is taken care of. In fact, there is a whole new life to be lived now, and sometimes the widow or widower struggles with how to continue on after the one he/she came to count on is gone. Life is different even when there is restoration, even when everything seems to have worked out for the best. In our worship today, we can acknowledge the complexity of life, in good times as well as in bad times. And we can resolve to worship the God who is present through it all, and to be the community that will also be present.

Prayer of Intercession

(Inspired by Mark 10:46-52, Job 42, Hebrews 7:23-28)

Heavenly Father, like Job, when we ask for your presence and intervention, we will end up on knees, astounded at your greatness, and humbled by our own unworthiness.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

Holy Spirit, when we tearfully share our hopes and dreams with you, you promise a harvest of joy. Fill us with expectations of your goodness.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

Lord Jesus Christ, high priest and intercessor for our sins, help us live as your children, trusting that we are also children of the Heavenly Father.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

Lord Jesus, healer of Bartimaeus' blindness, help us see you in this world active in love, and help us see you by our side, so we may walk your way without stumbling.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

Lord Jesus, Great Physician, hear now the names of those we know who need your healing _____.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

The love of God has won. The new life has begun. Amen.

Written by Paul Sauer. Posted on the Lutheran Forum website. http://www.lutheranforum.org. Reposted: https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2012/10/prayers-of-people-proper-25-b.html.

Confession and Absolution:

P: Loving and merciful Father, when overcome by grief, with Job we wonder what happened to your love and your wonderful plan for our lives?
C: It feels as though our prayers fall on deaf ears.
P: Like Job, we begin looking for you to the east, to the west, to the north and the south—all the four points of the horizon and the compass—but you are nowhere to be found.
C: The darkness threatens to swallow us whole and we feel as though we are drowning in the ocean of divine silence.
P: Lord, then we are tempted to do something cheap or dirty,
C: Or something that will bring great shame upon us and those we love.
ALL: Have mercy on us, O God.
P: Hear the word of the LORD from Job 42:12, “The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first.” Our God turns crucifixions into resurrections. What was dead is now alive and what was once defeat is now an everlasting triumph. Christ is alive. He forgives you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
ALL: I know that my Redeemer lives!

Rev. Reed Lessing, The Book of Job: Blessed Be the Name of the Lord, Concordia Seminary, Lenten Sermon Series, 17, https://www.csl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lenten_The-BOOK-of-JOB.pdf.