Great Rejoicing, Heard Far Away--Nov. 5, 2019

God of our lives, hear our prayer.

By day command your steadfast love,

and at night let your song be with us.

We pray that the kingdom of the world

will become more like your kingdom;

we know that this will be your doing,

not ours, but we have a role to play.

Make us willing to work for that day,

to give all that we have to hasten it;

for when it comes, it will be a time

of great rejoicing, heard far away.

And you shall reign forever and ever.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 42; 146; 102; 133

Neh. 12:27-31a; 42b-47

Rev. 11:1-19

Matt. 13:44-52

Selected Verses

Ps. 42:8

 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
          and at night his song is with me,
          a prayer to the God of my life.

Neh. 12:43

[The  people] offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced.  The joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

Rev. 11:15

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
     “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
          and of his Messiah,
          and he will reign forever and ever.”

Matt. 13:44-52

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  …”  [Jesus, to his disciples]