Heavenly Father,
We rejoice in the knowledge of you. We are known by you and we approach you as our Father for Your Son, Jesus Christ, has opened the way for us. Your Spirit confirms that we are your children; He has poured out your love into our hearts! Thank you for bringing us into your communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We delight in your church. Thank you for the people you have called from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of your Son. We come from many places and we all have a story of being intercepted by your truth and your grace. You saved us from our sin, from despair, from deceit, and from the powers arrayed against the true knowledge of You.
Thank you for the person who showed us Jesus. In all of our original stories, somebody posted up right inside the gates of hell and announced the Good News of your Kingdom to us. They loved us and shared their true life with us. We thank you for these saints. Allegiance to Jesus as Lord became to us the most reasonable act of faith!
Your Church, Lord, is under pressure in many places so we intercede for them this morning. Grant your church Jesus’ courage and the wisdom of forgiveness so they can love under duress in China, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, North Korea, Mexico and Pakistan.
Awaken your church in Canada Lord. Awaken us so that we may watch with you and remember that our sins have been forgiven. Purify us through obedience to you so that we have a sincere love for each other. Help us love each other deeply from the heart in both word and in deed. Help us spur one another on to love and good deeds and not give up meeting together — even online during this pandemic.
Disrupt our self-self-centred stupor. Awaken us to our neighbours. Help us to see others with a glimpse of your glory so we may love as you love and fulfill the mandate of your Kingdom. Give us new motivations! You teach us to pray: “May Your Kingdom come,” so we pray as you taught your disciples:
(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 Weekend Broadcast on 2 October 2020.