Father,
May you be glorified in this church. You have called us together in the name of your son. He is the radiance of your glory and the exact imprint of your nature, and through him your power upholds the universe. He made purification for our sins and you have made us joint heirs with him who is the heir of all things. You have bound us together and given us spiritual gifts by your Holy Spirit. You do far more than we could ever think or imagine
Those of us who know you know that you are the source from which all good things come. You hear our prayers, you give us good work to do that is not meaningless, you give us comfort and endurance through our trials, you surround us always with innumerable blessings, and you promise eternal joy in your presence after death. It is our desire that our friends and family would share these blessings with us and so we ask that you would work in the hearts of those who we have been speaking to about Jesus. Convict them of their sin, remove the veil and let the light of the glorious gospel of Christ illuminate their minds that they would see clearly who you are. Help us to be good communicators of the truth. We have read about times in the past when you have powerfully poured out your Spirit and so many people suddenly repented and came to know and love you, that whole communities were transformed. We see so many people now who are living as slaves to their sin, without hope, and full of fear and depression. We ask if it be your will that you would bring such a time of revival that many may come to know you who are the giver of abundant life.
We are not self-sufficient and in fact this was never your intention, but it is your will that we should come to you constantly with our needs and that we should find peace and comfort in asking and that you would delight in giving. We ask that you would preserve and heal those of us who are unwell. Help them to find peace and joy for as long as the trial lasts. Give strength to others of us to serve them well. We ask that you would give us work to do and strength to do it that we may have enough money to be able to care for our own households and have something leftover to give to those in need.
It is no secret to you that there is no one who always does good and never sins. Somehow it seems worse that we who have already been forgiven of so much and have known the joy of life in Christ should still participate in sin at all. But you know our frame, you remember that we are dust, and you do not treat us as our sins deserve. We love you and desire to submit to you, but we often find the desires of the flesh at work in our actions. Forgive us for our inflated desire to have the physical things the things we see around us. Forgive us for using people as a means to get what we want instead of treating them reverently as those who bear the divine image. Forgive us for working harder at being admired than we work at being like Christ, who is the perfect expression of all things worthy of honor and admiration. We don’t want to continue in sin that grace may increase. So we ask not only for forgiveness, but also for strengthened love, strengthened faith, and strengthened understanding of your word that we might not sin against you. We ask this not with trepidation and uncertainty, but holding to your promise that you faithfully forgive those who repent.
We pray for our service this morning and ask that you would be honored in all that is done here. May our songs be pleasant to you. May you be pleased as the truth is taught through the reading and exposition of the scriptures. Help us to be receptive hearers, that we would not be hearers only but doers of the word. Help us to love you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. In our fellowship, help us to speak truth with each other, always seeking others' interests ahead of our own. We ask that you would specially encourage those who serve in the nursery that we might gather here.