Passage:
2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. 4 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”
26 All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own descendants, not including Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all. 27 And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.
(Genesis 46:2-4, 26-27 ESV)
Song:
Give Us Clean Hands by Charlie Hall
Lyrics:
We bow our hearts we bend our knees
Oh Spirit come make us humble
We turn our eyes from evil things
Oh Lord we cast down our idols
Give us clean hands give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Give us clean hands give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
And oh God let us be a generation that seeks
That seeks Your face oh God of Jacob
And oh God let us be a generation that seeks
That seeks Your face oh God of Jacob
Prayer:
O Lord, we acknowledge that no creature is able to comprehend the length or breadth, the depth or the height of your most excellent love—which moved you to show mercy where none was deserved. You gave life where death had gotten the victory. You recovered us into your grace plan when we did nothing but rebel against your justice. Lord, the blind dullness of our corrupt nature does not allow us to experience your ample benefits. Even so, at the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, we present ourselves… By him alone you acknowledge us as your children and heirs. By him alone we have access to the throne of your grace. By him alone we are members of this spiritual kingdom… All these blessings are beyond our comprehension. We acknowledge and confess that we have received them only by your free mercy and grace, by the only beloved Son Jesus Christ. And as your congregation, moved by the Holy Spirit, we give you all thanks, praise, and glory, forever and ever. Amen.
—John Knox
