Thank God for Pastor Chris and his sermon on Sunday, “From This Day Forward,” from Haggai 2:10-23. Let us remember the truth that when we are faithless, God remains faithful.

Please pray for Pastor Daniel as he prepares this week’s sermon, from 1 Peter 1:10–21. May this Old Testament prophetic book speak to us powerfully.

Pray for Ed, who has received a diagnosis of leukemia. May he trust God, be comforted in this trial, receive needed wisdom, and receive needed treatment and healing. 

Pray for healing, patience, and refreshing sleep for Bob as he heals from knee surgery and continues rehab. 

Pray for Darlene and Katie as they continue to grieve.

Pray for Jim as he continues rehab and healing.

Pray for Julie to receive relief and healing from her knee pain. 

Our Father and God,
Because you invite us, we come — with hearts softened and awakened to the gospel, liberated from the penalty of sin, and indwelt by your Spirit.
We praise you for the gift of life itself.

And on this Mother's Day, we pause to thank you for the gift of mothers. Our prayer of thanksgiving joins that of Timothy — for the profound blessing of learning the Holy Scriptures at a mother's knee, and a grandmother's knee. We thank you for mothers who have loved us and taught us, who have prayed with us and for us, & who’ve lived before us as women of faith

We pray for mothers everywhere — especially in war-torn regions of the world, in refugee camps, in cities and villages where resources are scarce. Amid such circumstances, would you raise up women of faith — women like Monica, the mother of Augustine, and Susanna Wesley, whose devotion to you extended to generations that followed.

And we pray tenderly for those women who long to be mothers but for whom that door has not yet opened. Grant them your comfort and your peace. And where it is your will, bring children into their lives—children they can love & enjoy.
Lord, we come to you now with hearts of repentance.

We confess that we have not always built our lives on you. We have trusted in our own efforts, our own goodness, our heritage— on things that feel solid, but are not the foundation. We have drawn near with our lips while our hearts have been far from you.
 
We have absorbed your discipline without turning to you. Forgive us, Father, for the shallowness of our devotion and the smallness of our faith, and in this moment of silent confession, hear our prayer.
 
Moment of silence.

And yet — this is the wonder of the gospel. In Christ, the unclean touches the holy, and instead of defiling him, is made clean. He who knew no sin was made sin on our behalf, so that in him we might lay hold of your righteousness.
 
We pray now for our ministry partners at Wayside Cross. Grant wisdom and direction to their leaders and volunteers. For the Master's Touch Friendship Dinner on May 21st, we ask that you would bring many new faces through the doors—And through the summer months, as young people engage in the sports and educational initiatives, may their experience be nothing less than life-transforming.

Finally, we pray for the preaching of your Word this morning. May your Spirit move among us, so that we leave not merely informed, but transformed — indeed, conformed to your holiness and truth.

Toward this end, we humbly pray. Amen.