Deus Misereatur

"Almighty and Everlasting God, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift; we give thee thanks for all thy benefits, temporal and spiritual, bestowed upon us in the year past, and we beseech thee of thy goodness, grant us a favorable and joyful year, defend us from all dangers and adversities, and send upon us the fullness of thy blessing; through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever One God, world without end. Amen ."  From "The Book of Worship: Approved by the General Synod of the Evangelical Reformed Church," 1947, p. 120. Mike

{ Audio File can be heard here } --- [ Passage: Micah 6.1-8 ] New Year 2014: Micah 6.8 O Lord Jesus, you walked the way of the cross as the obedient Son of God, open our eyes and ears and hearts, and teach us by your Word and Spirit, that we may not rebel, but may walk in the obedience of disciples who have learned well from you. Amen. Of course New Years is a time of new potential, new resolves and new directions. It is also a time for healthy reflection. If we go blundering and smashing on through our days ahead of us without reflecting on the successes and catastrophes of the previous times, we are bound to repeat oft-committed bunglings. And if we plunge full-steam head-long into the new year without contemplating the past goodnesses of God in the previous months, we may find ourselves increasingly insensitive to His present kindnesses . Bring it Up (1-5). The opening scene has a back and forth-ness to it. God invites an increasingly compromised Judah (1.1) to air th