Dear all,
We finish our short series on the early prophets of Israel: Elijah, Elisha, Amos and Hosea. One thing they all had in common was pronouncing God’s anger at Israel’s unfaithfulness. They all warned people in very strong language that God’s righteous judgment would soon fall on Israel’s ingratitude and sin.
This past week there was lots in the media about confession and penitence and humbly imploring God (and those wronged) for forgiveness. Not so much about prophetic anger from those who spoke on behalf of the church. (That was left for some of the media commentators.) But Divine anger is there in spades in the prophets. That is not all that has been revealed about the God we worship, but it is part of it. What do we imagine God feels in relation the residential school catastrophe? Suffering and pain, yes; grief, certainly. What about deep anger at the grievous abuse of children that still traumatizes their descendants?
Righteous anger, whether God’s or our own, is often a good place to begin the healing journey. It is closely tied to God’s judgment (which might be a good way of characterizing what the church is living through in this generation.) Only after we have heard the word of God’s anger and judgment are we open to receiving the grace of God’s loving kindness and forgiveness – a particular emphasis in Hosea.
Order of Service
Prelude
Call to Worship
Hymn 73: “Praise to the Lord/Louez l’Eternel”
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace and Lord’s Prayer
Responsive reading: Psalm 107: 1-9; 43
Hosea 11: 1-11
Anthem: “10,000 Reasons” (Matt Redman)
Luke 12: 13-21
Hymn 508: “Your word, O God, awoke”
Sermon: “God’s Anger Management”
Hymn: “I was there to hear your borning cry”
Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 324: “Great is Thy faithfulness”
Benediction /Go now in Peace
Postlude