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A CALL TO WORSHIP
Adapted from the Psalm of Zenos (Alma 16:178-184)
Leader:
You are merciful, O God, for you
have heard my prayer
All: even
when I was in the wilderness.
Leader:
You were merciful when I prayed
concerning those who were my enemies,
All: and
you turned them to me.
Leader:
You were merciful to me when I
cried to you in my field.
All: I
cried to you in my prayer, and you heard me.
Leader:
When I turned to my house, you
heard me in my prayer.
All: When
I turned to my closet and prayed to you, you heard me.
Leader:
You are merciful to your children
when they cry to you,
to
be heard of you, and no one else,
All: and
you will hear them.
Leader:
You have been merciful to me and
heard my cries
All: in
the midst of your congregations.
Leader:
You have also heard me when I
have been cast out.
All: When
I have been despised by my enemies, you heard my cries.
Leader:
You heard me because of my
afflictions and my sincerity.
All: It
is because of your Son that you have been merciful to me.
Leader:
Therefore, I will cry to you in
all my afflictions. In you is my joy!
All: For
you have turned your judgments away from me, because of your Son.
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A CALL TO WORSHIP
Based on 2 Nephi 15:4 and D&C 85:38c
Leader: I cry to my God in faith,
All: and I know that
God will hear my cry.
Different
readers could be assigned to read the following instead of the leader:
Leader: When Abram’s family resettled far from their homeland,
he
prayed to God for help.
All: I know that God
will also hear me.
Leader: When the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt,
they
prayed to God for help.
All: I know that God
will also hear me.
Leader: When his people were suffering because of famine,
Elijah
prayed to God for help.
All: I know that God
will also hear me.
Leader: When her people were in danger of being destroyed by their
enemies,
Esther
prayed to God for help.
All: I know that God
will also hear me.
Leader: When Jesus needed strength to face his suffering,
he
prayed to God for help.
All: I know that God
will also hear me.
Leader: When members of their communities were sick,
the first Christians laid hands on them and prayed to God for help.
All: I know that God
will also hear me.
Leader: When Joseph Smith was searching for the truth,
he
prayed to God for help.
All: I know that God
will also hear me.
The leader concludes:
Leader: The Lord says: Pray always, so that you do not faint.
All: Lord, I know that
you will hear me.
Note: The middle portion of this call to worship (the litany of sacred stories) could be freely adapted by adding references to other stories, from the scriptures or from church history, about individuals turning to God in prayer. Here are just a few examples:
Leader: When Rebekah was frightened by a difficult pregnancy,
she
prayed to God for help.
All: I know that God will
also hear me.
Leader: When Hannah wanted to conceive a child,
she
prayed to God for help.
All: I know that God
will also hear me.
Leader: When Lehi and Sariah’s family were traveling through the desert,
they
prayed to God for help.
All: I know that God
will also hear me.
Leader: When Alma and his people were freed from their oppressors,
they
prayed to give God thanks.
All: I know that God
will also hear me.
Leader:
When Ammon and his companions wanted to share the gospel,
they
prayed to God for help.
All: I
know that God will also hear me.
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