Collect

Read aloud together:

O Lord, you who have mercy upon the cynics and the skeptics, open my mind, I pray to your miraculous presence and power in the world, attune my heart to your silent stirrings within me and woo me with your tenacious love, so that I may not be overcome by skepticism, nor be ruled by my cynicism, but with the child's father cry out, 'Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!' I pray this in the name of the One who gladly gives me the gift of a childlike heart. Amen.

Lyrics

Build My Life

Bridge

I will build my life upon Your love
It is a firm foundation
And I will put my trust in You alone
And I will not be shaken

Chorus

Holy, there is no one like You
There is none beside You
Open up my eyes in wonder
And show me who You are
And fill me with Your heart
And lead me in Your love to those around me

How He Loves

Chorus

oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us
How He loves us all

Verse 1
He is jealous for me
Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

And oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us
How He loves us all

And He is jealous for me
Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

And, oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves

And we are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking
And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about, the way...

That He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves

Yeah, He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves

Glimmer In The Dust

Bridge

I know that You love me
I know that You love me
Your love never fails
Your love never fails

Bridge

When all’s said and done
All that matters is love
So let love take over
Not just in part but in all that You are
Let Your love take over

Chorus

I know there’s a place I belong
Where I’ll see the fullness of love
A child face to face with my God
Lost in Your awesome wonder

Chorus

While I wait I will not be afraid
My faith will remain all the same
My hope in the things not yet seen
Found in the greatest of these

Scripture

Matthew 2:1-12

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Prayer

O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Lyrics

Sit With You A While

When I can not feel
When my wounds don't heal
Lord I humbly kneel
Hidden in You

Lord you are my life
So I don't mind to die
Just as long as I
Am hidden in You

Cause I could just sit with You awhile
You could just hold me
Nothing can touch me
Though i'm wounded
Though i've died
If I could just sit with You awhile
I'de need You to hold me
Moment by moment 'till forever passes by

When I can not feel
When my wounds don't heal
Lord I humbly kneel
Hidden in You

Lord You are my life
So I don't mind to die
Just as long as I
Am hidden in You