Sunday Morning’s Congregational Prayer
This morning we will be praying for Judith B. Judy works to
strengthen care of foster children, provide medical care for children,
work with child services in Honduras, and provide training and support
for house parents. Judy desires to build relationships that allow the
gospel to be shared in word and deed. My prayer this morning will be
based on parts of Deuteronomy 10:12–22. Please pray with me.
Our Father, to you belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth
with all that is in it. We give you our praise this day because you are
worthy of all glory.
We know that you have called us to fear you, to walk in all your ways,
to love you, to serve you with all our heart and with all our soul, and
to keep your commands, which you have commanded for our good. Yet we
often fear man, we walk in our own ways, we love the world, and we serve
our own interests without regard for your wisdom. And so we confess our
sins to you.
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We thank you for Jesus, who in his first coming showed perfect fear of
God and served you with his whole being, to the point of death on a
cross, that we might be forgiven, and he rose from the dead, that we
might be declared righteous in him. We give you thanks for your love for
us in Jesus.
We pray that you would teach us to love you and to love our neighbor.
Because you have set your love on us, not for what we have done, but
because of your mercy and grace. Help us to love each other, to love our
cities, and to love those around the world within our circle of
relationships. Help us to love without partiality, to love our
neighbors, though they be citizens or migrants, though they be
Christians or not, though they be poor or rich, though they be of our
political persuasions or not. Because you are the God who executes
justice for the fatherless and the widow, who loves the migrant, giving
him food and clothing. As you have clothed us with your love, give us
eyes to see how we can clothe others with your love in word and deed.
We pray for the Middle East, where bombs, missiles, and drones are
falling at an alarming rate, that there may be peace and justice. We
lift up your people there, that they may extend the love of Christ in
word and deed and that you would use even this dark time to build your
church.
We thank you for the ministry of Judy B., who is seeking to love
in word and deed in Honduras. We give you praise with her that she has
finished her required hospital service, and we ask for your grace and
favor for her as she completes the mountain of paperwork to receive her
Honduran medical license. We thank you for M.’s 2nd birthday and pray
that he and A., I., W., and F. may flourish under Judy’s care. We ask for your sustaining grace for Judy as she cares for her boys and works with child services, that her impact may continue for
the good of children and families in Honduras, for the glory of your name.
We pray for the health care workers in our city. We thank you for using
the men and women who serve as doctors, nurses, pharmacists,
technicians, and many medical professions in our community. We ask you
to give them strength and wisdom to restore their patients to health or
to support them as they near death. Help them to know that you are the
Great Physician, in whose hands are the lives of all their patients,
that they may trust you and love you.
We pray for those among us dealing with pain. For Elizabeth C.,
we pray for her recent treatment to give her relief from her pain. Help
her and Ron, Noeli, and Noah to know your care and sustaining grace for
this hard season.
We pray for Jim F. to fully heal and regain his strength, that he
and Sharon may return home soon.
We pray for Sharon P. and thank you that she has been able to gather
with us these past few Sundays. We pray that she would be reminded each
day of your mercy and care.
We pray for the many adult children of those in our church who are
estranged from their parents and many who are estranged from you, that
they may see that you are God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the
mighty, and the awesome God, who has set your love on us through Jesus
Christ.
Finally, we pray that you would strengthen Pastor Chris to preach your
word this morning and that through his message you would guide us from
your word, that we might keep in step with your Spirit, to fear you, to
love you, and to walk in all your ways with the strength you provide,
through Jesus Christ, amen.