Praise the Lord
we will praise the Lord with all of our hearts
before wealth and status
before possessions and position
we will sing praise to the Lord
bowing down in humbleness towards the Lord of Hosts
whose name is holy and worthy of our praise
for the Lord’s love is unfailing
the faithfulness of God is never ending
mighty is the King of kings
the true ruler of earth, as well as heaven
may we have no king before God
may the rulers of the nations bow before God in praise too
singing to God’s glory and honour
proclaiming the ways of the Lord to the ends of the earth
so everyone, rich and poor
strong and weak
Asian and Caucasian
African and American
would know the great glory of the Lord
which shines around us as the midday sun in midsummer
which burns within and around us through God’s Holy Spirit waltzing among us
which blazes in the myriad of colours and hues we witness around us
May our praise bring glory to God the most high
may our hearts be open to Christ’s challenge to us
may our minds be changed by the Holy Spirit’s prompting us to see further than we think
to imagine more than we thought
to love deeper than we dreamed
so we may draw together, as true brothers and sisters of Christ Jesus
confessing before him our sins of pride, arrogance, narrow-mindedness
bringing before him those times we cling to familiar ways of living our faith, at the expense of building the kingdom of God
conceding there are times we have failed to be faithful to Christ in our praise and worship, in loving God, in loving neighbour
Christ Jesus
come and show us the way which leads to the kingdom here on earth
take away all our pain and doubt, our sins and fears, all the excuses we have for failing to truly follow you
forgive us this day and grant to us hearts filled with love for you, our Saviour, Master, King
that we may love those you love as sisters and brothers
Amen