Sunday, May 10, 2020
“Worship From Home”
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Brothers and Sisters; Grace and Peace to you! Welcome to worship from home. I am glad you are able to join me this morning as we bring glory, honour and praise to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus. It does not matter where you are this morning, what you are wearing, how you are feeling, or what you may be dealing with; WELCOME to our family! I Would like to wish all the Women in our congregation a Happy Mother’s Day.
Call to Worship: “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love.” – Psalm 33:1-5
Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, today is a new day. A new day to worship you; A new day to start off fresh; a new day to appreciate and give thanks for. We come together from our homes this morning and we offer you thanks for always being with us, not only in our good times, but in our trials as well. It is fitting to praise you for who you are. All praise is due to you. As we worship together in spirit, may our praises bring all glory to you. Let your Word this morning resound in our hearts, and may we tell others about your greatness. This we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Worship in Song:
As we join in song together, please do whatever is most comfortable for you. Whether you are sitting, standing, listening, meditating or singing, I invite you to join me in some songs of praise this morning. Just click the link and it should bring you to our music this morning. Let’s sing to the Lord.
Prayers of the People:
Father, as we come to you today, we have to thank you for looking beyond our faults and for loving us unconditionally. Forgive us when we fail to love others in the same way. Give us eyes to see the needs of the people in our lives, and show us how to meet those needs in a way that pleases you. Lord, help us not to lean on our own understanding but in everything acknowledge you so that you can direct our words, thoughts and actions.
As we pause in this time of thought, we bring our prayers before you. (Insert your personal thoughts.) We give you thanks for answered prayer and always being with us. We continue to pray for those in our congregation who are going through life trials. In whatever way, we pray that you meet them where they are today. Also, as we continue to live with boundaries and restrictions due to COVID-19, I pray that you continue to grant us patience, and instead of worry, remind us that we are safe, which is something we should be grateful for. We think of those who are still working in the community, and pray for the safety of them and their families. As we continue to wait, teach us to focus more on you in this time than ever before. We give you thanks for your presence in my life. All these things we so humbly offer in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Reading
Isaiah 41:9-10: “I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Hymn:
Please join me as we sing a familiar old chorus together. The greatest thing in my life is knowing you, loving you and serving you. Let’s proclaim that together through song.
Devotion: “Is It Well With My Soul?”
Who enjoys learning about history? I have to say that was one of the things I always enjoyed even though I was never great at remembering dates and names. There is always so much one can learn from history and it really can give us an appreciation of the present. Last year during a hymn-sing Sunday, we learned about some of the stories and history behind the hymns that we sing in church. These stories can teach us many things, including how to trust and walk with God through rough patches in life. One of my favorite hymns is “It is Well With My Soul” and the story behind this particular hymn struck me. You may have already heard the story, but if you don’t remember, please read along and hear the story of this marvellous work and why we still sing it today.
“Attorney ‘Horatio Spafford’ and his wife, ‘Anna’, had a wonderful family of four daughters. Tragically, the great Chicago fire destroyed most of his business in 1871. Then, two years later, his wife and daughters were aboard an ocean liner Ville du Havre when it was struck by another vessel. All four daughters drowned. His wife survived and nine days later was able to contact her husband by telegraph with this question: “Saved alone—what shall I do?” Spafford took the next available ship to join his wife. During the passage, the captain of the ship notified Spafford they were crossing the place where the Ville du Havre had sunk. After those moments of reflection and over the course of the rest of the journey, Spafford penned the words of this beloved hymn. May God teach us that “whatever our lot” we can still say, “It is well.” In this true story, a circumstance of life confronts the child of God. And, God’s grace enables his child to trust the heart of the Father. Life will confront us too. The songs we sing in the darkest of midnight will be the very songs that show the world the unwavering faithfulness of our Father who loves us so much. The darker it gets, the more we should sing.”
Spafford suffered a fire that burned his business to the ground and then a few years later suffered the loss of his four daughters. That is more suffering than one should ever have to endure, yet his faith in God gave him strength to pen the words we still sing today. What are you dealing with today? Some of you are dealing with illness and some are dealing with heartache. Maybe someone today is dealing with depression, anxiety or pain over loss. Maybe our patience during the pandemic is wearing thin. Maybe uncertainty about the future is weighing on your shoulders. Friends, God walks with you every step of the way. He cares for you so much that He gave His only Son so you could be forever connected to Him. Whatever your lot, can you say “it is well with my soul?” Will you trust Him with your life and commit your days to Him? Tomorrow is not promised, but God walking with you until the end is. “Fear not, I will never leave nor forsake you.” Whatever you may be dealing with and going through, know that God cares. When we are standing in the boat sinking, have faith that God is in that boat with you. Even if we may not leave the storm, He will lead you through it. Trust in His wonderful love and know that because of our Saviour leading us, it is well with our soul. Amen.
Closing Hymn:
Let’s lift our voices in harmony together once again as we sing it is well. As you sing, remember the history/story of this beautiful hymn. Whatever you may be going through today, know that God knows about it, and He loves you! Whatever comes your way, may it be well with us because of the mighty God we serve!
Benediction:
“And now may the Love of God, the Peace of Christ, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with each one of you, now and forever more. Let’s continue to go forth together and serve our Lord. Amen.”
***God Bless you! Thank-You for joining our family online. We welcome you back again. Anytime throughout the week that you would like prayer or if you have a prayer request, I am only a phone call or e-mail message away. I look forward to hearing from you. Have a safe and blessed Lord’s day.
– Pastor Stephen Wheaton
