Liturgist: Bert Allen
Scripture 1: Psalm 91 (CEB)
Living in the Most High's shelter, camping in the Almighty's shade, I say to the Lord, "You are my refuge, my stronghold! You are my God — the one I trust!" God will save you from the hunter's trap and from deadly sickness. God will protect you with his pinions; you'll find refuge under his wings. His faithfulness is a protective shield. Don't be afraid of terrors at night, arrows that fly in daylight, or sickness that prowls in the dark, destruction that ravages at noontime. Even if one thousand people fall dead next to you, ten thousand right beside you — it won't happen to you. Just look with your eyes, and you will see the wicked punished. Because you've made the Lord my refuge, the Most High, your place of residence — no evil will happen to you; no disease will come close to your tent. Because he will order his messengers to help you, to protect you wherever you go. They will carry you with their own hands so you don't bruise your foot on a stone. You'll march on top of lions and vipers; you'll trample young lions and serpents underfoot. God says, "Because you are devoted to me, I'll rescue you. I'll protect you because you know my name. Whenever you cry out to me, I'll answer. I'll be with you in troubling times. I'll save you and glorify you. I'll fill you full with old age, I'll show you my salvation."
Scripture 2: Genesis 21:8-21 (CEB)
The boy grew and stopped nursing. On the day he stopped nursing, Abraham prepared a huge banquet. Sarah saw Hagar's son laughing, the one Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham. So she said to Abraham, "Send this servant away with her son! This servant's son won't share the inheritance with my son Isaac." This upset Abraham terribly because the boy was his son. God said to Abraham, "Don't be upset about the boy and your servant. Do everything Sarah tells you to do because your descendants will be traced through Isaac. But I will make of your servant's son a great nation too, because he is also your descendant. Abraham got up early in the morning, took some bread and a flask of water, and gave it to Hagar. He put the boy in her shoulder sling and sent her away. She left and wandered through the desert near Beer-sheba. Finally the water in the flask ran out, and she put the boy down under one of the desert shrubs. She walked away from him about as far as a bow shot and sat down, telling herself, I can't bear to see the boy die. She sat at a distance, cried out in grief, and wept. God heard the boy's cries, and God's messenger called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "Hagar! What's wrong? Don't be afraid. God has heard the boy's cries over there. Get up, pick up the boy, and take him by the hand because I will make of him a great nation. Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well. She went over, filled the water flask, and gave the boy a drink. God remained with the boy; he grew up, lived in the desert, and became and expert archer. He lived in the Paran desert, and his mother found him an Egyptian wife.
