TITLE: Generations - Meditation on Ps 145

READING:

 
 145:1-8
Psalm
WEEK: Year a, Proper 20, Ordinary 25
AUTHOR: Sara Hargreaves
May be used in public worship or private devotion.
Can be adapted for context, and photocopied for non-commercial use.
Must be attributed to © the Author/engageworship.org
For any other usage email info@engageworship.org
Visit engageworship.org/AREA_52 for other similar materials.

You may want to close your eyes as we reflect.

We read in Psalm 145:

I will exalt you, my God the King;

    I will praise your name for ever and ever. 
Every day I will praise you
    and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
    they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—
    and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness
    and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
    slow to anger and rich in love.

Let’s reflect on the verse: One generation commends your works to another.

Imagine a line of people, a line of about 200 people. How long would that
be? Perhaps imagine this line inside this building and how far it would
stretch.

You find yourself towards the end of the line.

The 200 people in front of you are the generations of Christians since
Christ’s death and resurrection. Right at the front are Peter, Mary Magdalene,

P A G E 1 o f 3
TITLE: Generations - Meditation on Ps 145
READING:

 
 145:1-8
Psalm
WEEK: Year a, Proper 20, Ordinary 25
AUTHOR: Sara Hargreaves
May be used in public worship or private devotion.
Can be adapted for context, and photocopied for non-commercial use.
Must be attributed to © the Author/engageworship.org
For any other usage email info@engageworship.org
Visit engageworship.org/AREA_52 for other similar materials.

Paul; followed by Timothy and the rest of the second-generation Christians.

Right in front of you are the people who told you about Jesus, who led you
to faith. Imagine the faces in this line of people, starting with Christians from
the Middle East, the missionaries sent from Rome, the church planters sent to
this country, the leaders from before you were born. Each telling the next
person.

One generation commends your works to another.

Imagine what each of those generations must have gone through,

throughout the ages. The adventures, the suffering, the breakthroughs, the
hard work. All to bring the Church to a place where you can sit in this
building, in this meeting, bringing the thanksgiving and the prayers of your
generation to Christ.

Think about the issues of your generation, the struggles in your own life.

Imagine the line of Christians in front of you, in whose footsteps you tread.
Did anyone live the struggles you live through? Did anyone else face the evil
that your generation faces?

Imagine these faithful witnesses who has clung to Christ through trouble and
suffering.

See yourself in this long line of Christians, where…

…One generation commends God’s works to another.

Draw strength from your unity with these witnesses. These are the servants
making up the Church, which you are one with. Your brothers and sisters in
Christ.

P A G E 2 o f 3
TITLE: Generations - Meditation on Ps 145
READING: 
 145:1-8
Psalm
WEEK: Year a, Proper 20, Ordinary 25
AUTHOR: Sara Hargreaves
May be used in public worship or private devotion.
Can be adapted for context, and photocopied for non-commercial use.
Must be attributed to © the Author/engageworship.org
For any other usage email info@engageworship.org
Visit engageworship.org/AREA_52 for other similar materials.

Give thanks for their faithful service to Christ.

Now, imagine casting a glance backwards, over your shoulder, in this line of
generations of Christians. Think about who is following in your footsteps?
Who can you see following behind you? You might want to pray for
someone who you can see in your mind’s eye, that they too may stand
faithfully through struggles and temptation. Or you may want to commit to
God to commend him to the next generation somehow.

Let’s spend some time in this image and see what God is saying to you
through it, and respond to the nudges he provides.

[Allow space]

As we bring this reflection to a close, let us pray:

Thank you for those who speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty—
we will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—
we will proclaim your great deeds. Amen.

P A G E 3 o f 3