Author: mblashill

I have a Masters of Divinity but chose to not become ordained. I discovered my love for writing liturgy while in seminary and, while student pastoring a small church in Michigan for three years, wrote all my own worship services. I continue to write for my church and enjoy every minute of creating!

Psalm 139:13-18

For it was you who formed my inward parts;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.

It is beyond my comprehension, God.  Without you, I would not exist.  There is no one on earth like me. To think that you fashioned me out of skin and bone and tiny cells.  Somehow I came together and you breathed life into me, I am one of a kind.  Remarkable!  Amazing!

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.

From the very beginning, your hand was on me, molding me into your image.  I have come from the very heart of you; into my earthly form you have poured your spirit.  What shall I do with these precious gifts?  My possibilities are endless! 

In your book were written

all the days that were formed for me,

when none of them as yet existed.

My life was a clean slate, ready to be written on by myself and others.  Some decisions have pleased you; others, not so much, but a life has been created nonetheless – my life.  In humility, I stand before you, stripped bare of excuses.  You wipe the slate clean again…and again.  

How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

I try to count them – they are more than the sand;

I come to the end – I am still with you.

I hear you calling me to walk in your ways, Lord, to make my life a testament to your goodness.  Fill me, God, with only your thoughts.  Erase my self-centeredness and let me see myself as you see me – unique and wonderfully made – your beloved child.  Help me live each moment joyfully, knowing your light shines through me to light the path for others.

Psalm 139:1-12

O Lord, you have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from far away.

You search out my path and my lying down,

and are acquainted with all my ways.

All-knowing God, it is frightening to me that you know me so well.  My every thought is laid bare, even those I am ashamed of.  I can not hide my deepest wishes and desires from you, even those that are sinful.  My secrets are not secrets to you.  Everything I think and everything I do is an open book; I am naked before you.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

O Lord, you know it completely.

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is so high that I cannot attain it.  

Even in my nakedness, I feel safe with you.  You know my truth; I cannot lie to you as I do to myself and others.  You set boundaries for me, knowledge of right and wrong, so I might walk the path you have set before me.  You do not abandon me to the wiles of the world.   I am not cast into the wind-tossed sea without a life preserver.

Where can I go from your spirit?

Or where can I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there;

if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

If I take the wings of the morning,

and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me fast.

Why do I run from you?  Why do I think I can escape your knowing eye?  It is your hand that saves me.  Why would I turn away from your grace and mercy?  When life drains from me every drop and I am weary with the burdens I carry, you lift me out of the mire and hold me close.  Why would I turn my back on a love so deep, so constant, so needed?  

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light around me become night,”

even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is as bright as the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

None of my attempts to hide from you will work, God.  Your light shines on me every minute of every day.  None of my blemishes, my sins, my wrongdoings can extinguish that light.  The glittering, beaconing glare of the world cannot outshine the beauty of your presence.  You have chosen to love me and I choose to love you.  It is this love that will see me through until I am with you for eternity.

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come into his presence with singing.

We come to this place of worship clapping our hands, smiles on our faces, our feet dancing the rhythm of joy!  The worries and stress of our lives left behind; our hearts open to your Spirit.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he that made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

What comfort to know that we belong to you, great God of heaven and earth!  We are made from your own heart, fashioned out of your love.  We belong to you and you to us.  We will listen to your words, do your will, and follow you all the days of our lives.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him, bless his name.

Shouts of “Hallelujah!” fill our mouths and we delight in being in your presence!  We sing songs of praise and thanksgiving – do you hear us?  Do you feel our love pouring out from us to you, precious Lord?  

For the Lord is good;

his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.

Life is constantly changing, but you, Lord, are a firm foundation, trustworthy and true.  We can depend on you.  Nothing separates us from you, nothing.  Your grace is our strength and your mercy is our salvation.  Every praise is yours and every good word belongs to you!  Hallelujah and Amen!

Fill My Cup, Lord

(The United Methodist Hymnal – #641)

Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord.

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.

Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more;

fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

O Lord, how I hate desert days that sometimes extend to desert weeks, desert months, or desert years!  Doubt has taken root and, like a weed, threatens to overtake the garden of my soul.  My prayers are empty words, without passion or meaning.  Darkness envelops me and escape seems impossible.

Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord.

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.

Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more;

fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

Pour into my soul the faith that will rescue me from this quagmire!  Let your love flow into my heart so I may once again feel your presence.  Let your Word fill my mind with the reassurance of your salvation.  Here I am, Lord, ready and eager to be filled with your Spirit!

Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord.

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.

Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more;

fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

In my brokenness, I seek to be whole.  Your hand will resurrect me and I will feel the joy of life again.  Hope will surge through me; I will fall in love with you as if for the first time.  Light will pierce the darkness and I will see you at last.

Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord.

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.

Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more;

fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

I Come with Joy

(The United Methodist Hymnal – #617)

I come with joy to meet my Lord, 

forgiven, loved and free, 

in awe and wonder to recall

his life laid down for me,

his life laid down for me.

It is with a light and joyous heart that I kneel at this communion rail, Lord.  Your words, your life, your love have transformed me.  The bread and cup, your body and blood, have freed me from all darkness and sin.  I am one with you, Lord, fused together by the simple act of this eucharist.  I am ready now to hear your call and do your bidding.

I come with Christians far and near 

to find, as all are fed,

the new community of love

in Christ’s communion bread,

in Christ’s communion bread.

This act of eating and drinking together has made us family.  We are connected to each other by the gifts Christ offers us – the bread of life and the cup of salvation.  We are no longer strangers but friends; people bound together by Christ’s cords of love.  We are each different from the other yet united in the one body and one spirit of Christ.

Together met, together bound,

we’ll go our different ways,

and as his people in the world,

we’ll live and speak his praise,

we’ll live and speak his praise.

Today I will remember.  I will remember to give Jesus the credit for all the blessings in my life.  I will remember to thank him for the turning points, hard as they were, that made me a better person.  I will remember the people he placed in my path whose time and attention gave me purpose and direction.  And I will remember to speak Jesus’ name to others, people eager to know the joy and the love he extends to all.  Today I will remember.

Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying

(The United Methodist Hymnal – The Faith We Sing – #2193)

Lord, listen to your children praying,

Lord, send your spirit in this place;

Lord, listen to your children praying,

send us love, send us power, send us grace.

Lord, we need you – to listen to our pleas, to understand our pain, to hear our gladness and the joy we feel when we are with you.  When there is no one else, you are always there, the one constant we can count on.  Our lives are a swirl of change but you are the calm that fills our soul and brings us peace.  So we come to you this day, in this moment, with hearts full, praying, Lord, praying.

Lord, listen to your children praying,

Lord, send your spirit in this place;

Lord, listen to your children praying,

send us love, send us power, send us grace.

In the quiet of this sacred space, we seek your goodness and your grace.  We have not always been kind or generous to one another.  We have ignored the call of your Spirit and left undone your bidding.  We have been uncaring and sometimes even mean in word and action.  Our patience has been depleted and we have lashed out in frustration and anger.  We need your gentle spirit to wash us clean and set us right.  We open our hearts to the ways of Jesus.  Teach us, Lord, teach us.

Lord, listen to your children praying,

Lord, send your spirit in this place;

Lord, listen to your children praying,

send us love, send us power, send us grace.

In our world, Lord, it seems that love is in short supply.  We need your abundant love, your unconditional love, your amazing love to fill us to overflowing.  Your grace will help this love flow in a never-ending stream, pouring out to those who are thirsty to be included and longing to be embraced.  The power of your love through Christ will save us from ourselves and create a bond between us that cannot be broken.  We are grateful, Lord, we are grateful.

Lord, listen to your children praying,

Lord, send your spirit in this place;

Lord, listen to your children praying,

send us love, send us power, send us grace.

Sanctuary

(The United Methodist Hymnal – The Faith We Sing – #2164)

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary,

pure and holy, tried and true.

With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living

sanctuary for you.

Lord, prepare our minds to be a sanctuary.  Jesus, you are the cornerstone of our faith; without you we are empty shells.  Ignite us from within to seek you, to know you, and to love you.  Give us the discipline and desire to read your Word, by ourselves and together, so we can learn your ways.  Let this knowledge translate into holy action.

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary,

pure and holy, tried and true.

With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living

sanctuary for you.

Lord, prepare our hearts to be a sanctuary.  Deepen our commitment to you; tether us to you with a bond so strong it cannot be broken.  Help us develop and nurture the Christ in us and in each other.  Shape us into your image so your grace flows through us to the people you place in our path.  Create in us a heart for loving kindness.

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary,

pure and holy, tried and true.

With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living

sanctuary for you.

Lord, prepare this church to be a sanctuary.  Let all who enter find a safe place in which they can explore their faith, ask questions, speak their fears, and imagine your face.  May we, as the Body of Christ, offer to the world a peaceful harbor, a place to rest and find you amid the distractions of life.  Continue to build us up into a living, vibrant community of Christ’s disciples, ready, eager, and willing to do your work.

Lord, prepare us to be a sanctuary,

pure and holy, tried and true.

With thanksgiving, we’ll be a living

sanctuary for you.

Hymn of Promise

(The United Methodist Hymnal – #707)

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;

in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!

In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,

unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Our lives are a mystery, Lord, each moment bringing something new and unknown.  Standing at the precipice, we cannot see over the edge.  For some, this is exciting, the anticipation of change is charged with positive energy.  For others, the stress of constant shifting is debilitating.  We want stability, something to hold on to, something we can trust.

There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;

there’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.

From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,

unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Our hope and our trust is in you, God, who lends strength and courage as our lives twist and turn.  Your love is our anchor that steadies us.  Your Word guides us through the labyrinth of fear and indecision.  Your steadfast hand is upon us throughout all our days.

In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;

in our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity.

In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,

unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Why are we afraid, Lord?  Why are we afraid?  Life is a circle always coming around to the beginning.  When doubt clouds our vision, the wind of your Spirit gently restores our faith.  When we are swallowed by pain and suffering, your grace and mercy plucks us out of our misery.  And at the end when things look the darkest, you swoop us up into your arms and carry us home!  The promise is fulfilled!

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;

in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!

In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,

unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

The Summons

(The United Methodist Hymnal – The Faith We Sing – #2130)

(soloist)  Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?

Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?

Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,

will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

Lord, you are calling my name.  Your voice is soft and quiet, not easily heard above the demands of my life.   I feel your gentle nudging to do more, say more, be more…this makes me very uncomfortable.  I think I am already Christian enough – I am kind, I give to the poor, I attend church – what more do you want?

(soloist) Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?

Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?

Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?

Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

What I do is not enough; you want me to change, to never be the same!  I am not Mother Teresa!  I am not a saint!  I am an ordinary person living an ordinary life.  I play it safe.  I am politically correct.  I don’t take risks.

(soloist) Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?

Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?

Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen,

and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?

Alright, I do love you and you love me.  Is this relationship supposed to change me, make me someone I am not?  Or maybe…maybe you are asking me to stretch a little: to say “Yes” when asked to help, to make a meal for someone in need, to drive my neighbor to the doctor.  What if I mess up, take a wrong turn, burn the food, make a mistake?

(soloist) Will you love the “you” you hide if I but call your name?

Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?

Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around,

through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

(ALL) Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.

Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.

In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show.

Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.