Prayer of the People, 17 July 2020
Heavenly Father,
As with generations before us, you have shown yourself to be our Deliverer and Guide. You are our Provider and our Life. Your glory shines through Jesus and by His invitation we have been brought in your communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Your wisdom seems foolish to people and so they do not partake — even we who call your name Lord are reluctant. Sometimes we obscure your holiness by calling ourselves innocent and by making you small in our minds. Forgive us Lord. May your Spirit convict us all in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment — for, Jesus has come, He has returned to You, and the prince of this world now stands condemned.
When we look to The Cross of Jesus, we recall how the Bread of Heaven was broken for us and how the Blood of the Lamb was poured out for our transgressions. Thank you Lord.
We come to you. Lord have mercy.
When we pray for daily bread Lord, we ask not only for ourselves. We know that humanity was not just created to be consumers. We were created for you and so we live on your life-giving Word. Yet, Lord in our lives we do have trouble. And that trouble flows from our neglect of our your Word and the ever-competing mindset of scarcity.
We lift up to you people under pressure: the people of Yemen, the people of NorthWest China, and the dear men and women of our Province bound up in addiction. Raise up people restrained by your justice; shaped by our equality before Christ the Judge. O Lord, mobilize people to pray, to serve, and to lift up the bruised and the weary rather reject them and snuff them out. Every one is precious to you.
We look to your return and so we say, “Come Lord Jesus.”
We need you now Lord, So we pray 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.