Father,
In Christ you have given us every spiritual blessing. Before you made the world, you chose us to belong to you and determined that we should leave the sinful life of the flesh and walk before you with sobriety and holiness. And this was not a cold distant transaction, but you loved us and adopted us into your household so that we could enjoy all the privileges and responsibilities of sons and daughters of God. It was your will that our Older Brother, your only begotten son, would buy our freedom with his blood so our sins would be covered and so we would have an eternal inheritance.
It is our delight to see your kingdom advanced in the world. For a long time now we have been asking you to make a way for Sara John to go to India. You told us to persist in prayer. We have persisted and you answered and we give you thanks for your great love and care for us. We ask that you will strengthen Sarah as she makes final arrangements to leave. We ask that you will arrange the circumstances that are out of her control to be favorable to this work. Most of all we ask that your name and the name of the Lord Jesus will be honored through Sarah's work and character, and that you will give her many years of fruitful ministry.
There is another long awaited departure happening this week as Sam Sey leaves for the United States. We rejoice for Sam as he goes to marry, yet we are sorry for our loss of him. So I pray for us who are left here that you would restore us for the loss of a member of the body. You alone are the searcher of hearts, but it seems to us that you have given Sam humility and compassion with strength, clarity of understanding, and a gift for speaking the truth. We know that any good or virtue that we see in a man is a testimony to the work of your Holy Spirit in his life. Please oversee his travel. Bless his marriage to Annie. Continue to give him good work to do. Most of all, may he love you before all things.
We pray that you would bless the gathering of your people this morning. As the word is preached, may the Spirit bring conviction of sin where repentance is needed. May we be stirred up to love and good works where zeal is needed. May our hearts be stirred with affection for you where love is needed. May we be given insight and understanding where wisdom is needed. As we sing, may our songs reflect the posture of our hearts and be a delight to you. As we speak to one another, may we speak truth with love and wisdom and humility and sincerity.
As we go from here later today, please care for us during the coming week. Give us money. Not enough that we forget how much we need you, but enough that we are not tempted to be unfaithful. Care for us like you care for the birds. Stir up the hearts of those with more to share with those who have less. Care for our souls like you care for our bodies. Keep us satisfied in the knowledge that our sins are forgiven, in our sonship, and in the promise of waiting glory. Again stir up those to whom you have given an abundance of comfort to minister comfort to the discouraged and to speak about Christ to his brother.
Over the last couple of years, the circumstances in our country have been difficult but we have found joy in the blessings of your kingdom. In fellowship. In the breaking of bread. In shared burdens. In songs of praise, and in prayer. By your Spirit we have loved you and been devoted to you and loved one another and been devoted to one another. As the political climate seems to be changing again, keep our hearts here. Whether the news we hear is good or bad, help us to keep our attention on you who are the bringer of comfort, the bringer of joy, and the one who has power over all things.
Fill us with your Spirit that in all things we may love you and love others.