Heavenly Father,
We rejoice in you today as we enter your communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You have given us a seat at the table through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ. This grace is real to us through Your Holy Spirit who pours out your love into our hearts and does not disappoint. Thank you!
Thank you for lifting us up from the pit of despair.
Thank you for redeeming us from the destructiveness of our sin.
Thank you for transferring us from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of your Son.
Thank you for causing us to sit, walk, and stand with you.
We fear that we are not as beautiful, successful, unique, powerful, and loveable as we need to be. Oh Lord, this fear holds us down, winds us up, and drives us into all kinds of self-righteous, protective, and problematic decisions. Help us Lord! Give us wisdom from heaven to order our steps and help us to think rightly about ourselves and this world we live in. Let the joy of your salvation work powerfully within us.
Give us courage Lord to extend our hands to others with mercy and grace.
Give us courage Lord to open our mouths against injustice and racism.
Give us courage Lord to proclaim the goodness of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
Give us courage Lord to interrupt unbelief and loneliness.
Give us courage Lord to turn strangers into friends.
As our friends and family return from countries and assignments all around the world, we ask you to fortify them with your love. We lift up the people of China, Hong Kong, Venezuela, Brazil, Yemen, Syria and Turkey — grant them true wisdom, peace and freedom Lord; may hate, fear, bitterness and violence — the tools of the evil one — not be the tools of their leaders. May your Word flourish in all these peoples and may you raise up brothers and sisters for us through the Gospel of Jesus.
We yearn for your Kingdom to be fully established in our hearts and on our campus 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.