Sunday Morning’s Congregational Prayer
Lord, thank you for the opportunity on this day that you have made to come before your presence, gathered together as your people to worship and to receive your word into our hearts.
Holy Spirit, would you quicken our hearts that we may listen intently to your word preached this morning? We ask also that we may not only hear but respond to your word, to do your word in faithfulness.
Jesus, we confess you are very God of very God and true man, made like us in every way, yet without sin. We remember how on the Mount of Transfiguration you shined before your apostles a glimpse of your glorious presence that we will enjoy for all eternity. We celebrate you, how in perfectly doing the law you fulfilled all of the law and the prophets represented by Elijah and Moses. Help us, when coming before you, to fall on our faces like Peter, James, and John, with a holy fear and with hearts of Faith.
At the same time, we recognize we are sinful, foolish, and selfish, O Lord. We are quick to manufacture idols in our hearts, to transgress your law both in action and in inaction. At this time, Lord, we fall down before you in our hearts, confessing our sins and our need for you.
As the hymn says, ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. We praise you, Father, for the forgiveness that you have given us through the sacrifice of your Son. By his glorious sacrifice on the cross, his resurrection from the grave, and ascension to your right hand, we know forever that the debt of sin against us is wiped clean, and our fears are now and forever quelled.
Thank you that now by faith in Christ, the same words you spoke to your Son on that mountain, “this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” apply to us by adoption. And we know that you delight to make much of your Son throughout all the world, Father, in the spread of your Kingdom. Empower us to be ambassadors of the gospel and reconcilers in Christ, that you may glorified.
With this in mind, we pray for our mission partners at Wayside Cross ministries. We ask specifically that you encourage their staff—for everyone from maintenance to those involved in the spiritual formation of their residents, give them a taste of the fruit of the seeds they have planted. Shine your glory before their eyes as you transform lives through the power of your word that they regularly teach and preach. We also pray for the residents, that they may know your forgiveness, the new life available to them in Christ. Work in them mightily and powerfully for the sake of your kingdom, transforming them and their families.
And lastly, Lord, we pray for Pastor Chris this morning. Empower him by the power of the Holy Spirit so that through him you may now be glorified, we might be shown the beauty of your gospel, and that we all may be transformed by faith into Christ even today from one degree of glory to another.
We pray all of these things before you, Father, in the name of your Son Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.