Ordinary lives, hard weeks.

A call to worship.

May our life together point others to the hope and welcome of His kingdom.

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This call to worship¹ reminds us that the deepest truth about our life is not our exhaustion, our failure, our fear, or our ability to hold ourselves together. It’s the presence and grace of God in Jesus Christ. His grace is more real than anything unfolding in our lives.

The grace of God brings us together with other people, who, like us, are coming to understand and experience this same grace. And together, with others who need and experience His grace, He forms a real community, not some idealized one—a community of grace before the Lord who welcomes us, who meets us in ordinary work, who embraces us with all our hidden burdens, who frees us from condemnation, and who gives mercy for whatever is the need immediately before us.

We gather together because Christ is with us. And through Him, we are brought near to the Father and then held in communion with the Father. And by the Holy Spirit, out of that communion with the Father, we are formed and then sent into truthful, faithful, neighbor-honoring life with others. And it is just such a life with others that requires His grace!

God’s grace does not remove us from creaturely life, particularly the entangled, hard, messy life we experience with others. His grace enters it, claims it, and steadily remakes it into a witness to the welcome of God’s kingdom.

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Themes

Christ’s welcome • Divine presence • Grace • Joyful community • Ordinary faithfulness • Christ-shaped regard • Courageous holiness • Mercy • Steadfast love • Hope • Hardship • Compassion • Communion with God • Spirit-formed unity • Kingdom witness

Scripture reading

Genesis 39:2
Psalm 34:18
Romans 8:1
Hebrews 4:16

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This call to worship reminds us that Jesus meets us before we’re ready, and He welcomes us with all the crap we’re carrying. We’re to bring our real lives before God and be formed together into a people of truth, mercy, courage, and hope.

In the midst of all the trauma in Joseph’s life, we read these words:

The LORD was with Joseph.


In the midst of all the trauma in David’s life, he sang these words:

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted 
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.


Paul penned these words to the Roman Christians whose churches were traumatized by division, suffering, and persecution:

There is now no condemnation 
for those who are in Christ Jesus.


The writer of the Book of Hebrews preached these words to Christians who were tired, vulnerable, and in danger of losing heart.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace 
with confidence, 
so that we may receive mercy 
and find grace to help us 
in our time of need.

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Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
You are here with us this morning.  
In fact, 
You were here before we arrived.
You haven’t asked us 
to reach some threshold of effort 
before You would be with us. 

You haven’t been waiting for us 
to welcome You here. 
You have welcomed us here.
You have gathered us as we are. 
You are with us. 

And so we’ve come with all our burdens. 

We’d much prefer an escape hatch 
from all the hard things distracting us. 
We’d prefer it 
if You could just remove 
all our difficulties. 

But here we are, 
with all the burdens we’re carrying
and all the joys, too, that we’re sharing,
and all the grace we’re needing. 

Meet us in all of these ordinary places of our lives.
Meet us at work, 
at home. 
meet us in our struggles. 
meet us in our service.

Make us faithful in all the things we’re in, 
because whatever it is You’re calling us to, 
it’s being worked out 
in our ordinary responsibilities, 
in our relationships, 
and in all the pressure we’re under. 

And in all of that,
help us to be kind 
with all our words.
Hold us steady 
in Your love.

Give us the strength 
to resist living like there’s a split 
between our “spiritual” life and our daily life. 
You’ve claimed all of who we each are;
every sphere of our creaturely existence is Yours. 

So, keep our hearts close to You.
When we’re drawn toward things that are false or harmful,
give us the courage to choose what is right.

And in all of that, 
keep us from reducing holiness 
to just some private rule-keeping.
And instead, 
give us a Christ-shaped regard for others.
Teach us to honor one another
as people made and loved by You.

Make us a people of truth.
In this little church
—really anywhere—
our image doesn’t matter more than truth does. 
So guard us from careless words and false judgments.
And give us wisdom 
to listen really well.
Give us the strength 
to protect the vulnerable.
Give us the kind of mercy 
that doesn’t turn away from what is right.

When our life gets hard 
and the way forward is really unclear,
remind us that You have not left us.
Your presence is always the deeper, truer reality of our lives—
more true, 
and more deep 
than the one we think we’re in.
Hold those of us who are hurting,
strengthen those of us who are weary,
and give each of us hope 
that Your grace is at work 
in our lives.

Father, draw us to Your Son.
Jesus, make us more like You.
Holy Spirit, unite us here in love 
and send us out in peace.
And may our lives together 
point others to the hope 
and welcome 
of Your kingdom.
Amen.

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1. A call to worship given to the small assembly of Christians that gathered in Pathway Church, Beaverdam, Michigan, on June 28, 2026.