Prayer

Heavenly Father, 

We rejoice in you. You have caused the morning sun to rise on us. You have brought us into your communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You have illuminated our lives and encouraged our timid hearts to release the prideful grip we had on false hopes.

Our hope is in you.

You are the satisfaction of our souls. You are the peace for every generation. You are the power that restores the land. 

Now set before us the path we are to take and order our steps according to your purposes. How shall we meet you in the ordinary moments of each day?

Open our eyes that gratitude may flow from our tongues.
Open our ears that obedience may flow from our hands.

Embraced by you we venture into spaces where the shadow of death seems to be ahead of us.  Whether it be in the lab or the classroom, the forest or the cathedral, the office or the caffe — we find ourselves asking, “How long Lord?” Unless your Spirit empowers us Lord we have nothing. Unless your love motivates us we are a sounding gong. Fill us with your love.

We lift up to you the people of Ukraine and Russia. Oh Lord would you stop this madness!? Fortify the hearts of those who are extending refuge and care to people fleeing violence and oppression. We ask for peace and pray that you would multiply the peace makers in this conflict but also for those who oversee borders drawn between Israel and Palestine, and Ethiopia and Tigray.

Lord 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.

Heavenly Father,

You have been our help – an anchor through storms wrecking our souls. Thank you for calming the storm. Thank you for carrying us through the storm. And even when the storm was of our own making you have restored our souls and given us rest. 

When shame weighed us down you have lifted us up. You put a new song in our hearts and raised our chins from the depths. You invite us to gaze on your glory and goodness. 

Who is like you?

You took our place at the Cross through Jesus Christ and have graciously poured your Spirit into us so we may enjoy life with you now and forever. This new birth delivers us from the destruction wrought by Satan, from guilt, from shame, and from fear. Now you usher us into the  peace, righteousness and joy of your Kingdom.

Thank you.

Lord you have empowered us to be neighbours to those who need one. We turn our faces with you to consider our campus, our city, and the countries of our day — give us your heart for people.

Raise up students who love you and grant them courage and wisdom to speak up with you.
Raise up men and women who will lead with loving kindness in their fields of work.
Raise us up as a generation that will follow Jesus.

Even here — we know —  powers and principalities prop themselves up against the knowledge of You. They seek to destroy people by denying their dignity and their worth as bearers of your image. 

Today as we look at our world with you: 
We lift up the Wei-ghurs in NorthWest China; 
We lift up to you the many people displaced by violence in Ukraine.
We lift up to you the troubles our brothers & sisters in Nigeria have been facing. 
Oh Lord, Come quickly — please orchestrate release for the captives, homes for the displaced, and enduring peace for neighbours.

Please give our leaders humility and the wisdom that comes from Heaven.

We pray today as Jesus taught us — ( 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.

Heavenly Father,

We rejoice in you. May your Presence infiltrate our whole lives and our fellowship together. We have communion with you and each other through the blood of Jesus who has covered us and silenced the condemnations of the Accuser. By your Spirit we know we are your children and so we cry out, Abba Father.

Lord, In the course of the week our anxieties hinder our capacity to love. May your Word show us the inner workings of our souls that we might be free to love and to lead at home, at work, and in all our relationships. You have said that we will bear fruit that will last!  Make it so Lord!

We believe you Lord. Grant us a hunger for your Word and the desire to obey you. There is genuine happiness in following you. We repent of wilful sins, may that not rule over us.

Lord, we lift up those who were baptized this weekend. As your dear children, born by the Spirit of your will, enlarge their vision of life with you and in your Kingdom. May Jesus be the centre of their lives. Root them in the reality of your love and transform their lives.

Lord, you see the nations… Why do they rage? May your wisdom prevail in Russia and Ukraine, in India, in Syria, and in Venezuela. Your word pleads with us: Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. But your people and even those who do not acknowledge you as Lord, need your wisdom from heaven! Grant it generously Lord as you have promised to all who ask.

Lord we need you in all arenas of our lives and so we pray as Jesus teaches 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