Prayer

Heavenly Father, 

When our faces were downcast you called out to us, “Take heart.” When we were not sure of our way You made a way for us. When we were sure that death was winning, you told us “Don’t be afraid.” No doubt, all our days are better with you, for you have brought us into your communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

By the blood of Jesus all our sins have been covered. You have clothed us with joy where before we were weighed down with shame. Living loved is what your Spirit specializes in, so Lord, pour your Spirit into our fellowship!

Help us uproot unforgiveness and resentment. Free us from lingering attitudes of contempt and fear. Help us live justly and as much as it depends on us to live at peace with everyone — show us how to love even those who regard us as enemies. 

You have delivered us into your freedom that we might be free to pursue the righteousness of your kingdom on behalf of our neighbours. Oh Lord, when we announce the good news of Jesus’ Kingdom may it be accompanied by good deeds generated by faith in you.

Lord we lift up to you those who doubt their own humanity because of the disregard and trauma they have received from those with power and selfishness. Oh Spirit of God come close by, reveal yourself to them, and fill them with the grace and truth of Jesus. Heal them and raise them up as confident and strong lovers of your children, able to speak with authority and faith.

Lord we lift up to you the people of Mozambique, of Tigray in Ethiopia, and of Azerbaijan. Please Lord bring a just peace to the land that your Gospel of truth and grace may be known. We hear the cry of the hurting in our own city and we yearn for your Kingdom, so we pray,

(Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, 
forever. 
Amen.

This Prayer was part of the Origin Church Weekend Broadcast on 13 November 2020.

Heavenly Father, 

Unless you had come to our side, we would have stood alone in the dark. But you came to our rescue; you delivered us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Your Son, whom you love. You have shown the brilliant light of the Gospel into our hearts and minds. Thank you! Now your Spirit unites our voices in praise and our hopes together in the promise of eternal communion with you — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

For some of us, life is going well but we worry about the future. For others of us, life seems like a struggle and we worry about today. Some of us Lord, are haunted by memories of the past so accusations pierce the thin armour provided by time to disrupt our day and our most noble  dreams. Help us Lord! Let us live by your truth and grace. Cover us and heal us. Sanctify us for your purposes and fill us with the joy of your salvation again.

Lord anxiety is weighing heavy among us. Bind it up and cast it away even as we come to Jesus as little children. We are too easily frozen or driven by our fears. So we come to abide with you. Form in us the steady trust in you that characterized Jesus’ life.

Lord we lift up to you students at the University of Kabul in Afghanistan who suffered through a terrible attack this week. Comfort the families and friends of those whose lives were so violently taken from them. Bring healing to the wounded and to those traumatized by the surge of fear and violence. Oh Lord Jesus bring your peace that they may take up their studies and enter into the knowledge of their Creator. May they become peacemakers who reap a harvest of righteousness. 

We lift up to your our neighbours who are weathering uncertainty in their finances, in their health, in their politics, and in their work. May your church Lord be a beacon, a city on a hill, and a taste of our kinship before your Throne and at your Table. So we pray Lord as you taught us:

(Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, 
forever. 
Amen.

This Prayer of the People was part of the Origin Church Weekend Broadcast on 6 Nov 2020.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the grace that has brought us into your communion— the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our hearts sing out to you in celebration of the promise Jesus has secured for us. We can be at home with you now and forevermore. Thank you!

May all creation sing your praise and may every nation and people be a witness to your grace and your righteousness. Our Hope is in you Lord.

The hope of the resurrection secured by the death , burial and resurrection of Jesus has formed our communion together. Come Holy Spirit! May your holiness grow in us so that the character of Jesus radiates in all we do and say.

Oh Father encourage the students living in the UBC campus community. Provide for their needs and open their hearts to your wisdom and beauty.

We lift up to you the people of France. we pray that would comfort and heal. We pray that your Son Jesus Christ who suffered for the sins of all would prevail against enmity, envy, and hate. May your Kingdom come!

(Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, 
forever. 
Amen.

This Prayer of the People was part of the Origin Church Weekend Broadcast on 28 October 2020.

Heavenly Father,

You speak the words that awaken us to you. You speak the words that convince us of your love. Your words are always true! You have spoken through your Son, revealing your purposes, so we are delighted with Him, the crucified Word existing with you before the Creation of the World. Thank you for bringing us into your communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Oh that we would not let your words just fall to the ground neglected by us. Instead, let them fall deep into our hearts. We believe You are always sowing the good seed of your word into our lives, even the messy parts. And that’s where we pray you would cause the abundance of your everlasting life to emerge. We open our minds, hearts, and souls to you that you might orchestrate a new creation in us together as your people.

Even as we are full of your Word, may we also be full of your Spirit. Grant new songs to us and may the musician play and the singers sing, with sincerity and power. May thanksgiving and hope prevail over meagerness and despair. May new songs emerge from the revelation of your Word prevailing in our lives as a testimony of your character.

We long for your character to be evident in our leaders and our homes. We lift up to you the elections in British Columbia and in the United States. We join our voices with the cries of people in Nigeria, Xinjiang, Thailand, Chicago, Toronto, and Nova Scotia who yearn for righteousness and justice over oppression and violence. 

May the joy of the Lord be our strength. Strengthen us with your Word, and with the fellowship of your Spirit among us so that we may pray together with faith. We now join ourselves again to the the words of Jesus, who directs us into our concerns and your care.

(Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, 
forever. 
Amen.

This prayer is part of the Origin Church Weekend Broadcast on 23 October 2020.