Prayers of the Church 6.7.09

God of hope, God of grace, God of the risen savior, smile down upon us. You have given us life, you have given us minds and bodies, you have given us resources with which to worship you and serve your kingdom. For these great gifts, we thank you.

Have mercy on us, Father, because so many times we have not used your gifts in the ways you have intended. We have sinned against you. We have focused on ourselves. We have turned our backs on our neighbors, on our own brothers and sisters. Sometimes we have lifted our hands against them and sometimes we have just stood by and watched as they suffered and we did nothing.

We cry in agony before you because we know our own iniquities. We can call them by name. We have wrapped our arms around them and made them our own. We have often so ingrained them in our lives that we convince ourselves our transgressions are good, they are justified, they are proper.

As we stand before you, we know we have no excuses. We have done what is evil in your sight and know that you are justified in any judgment we receive. We cry out in agony waiting for our punishment. We plead, do not cast us away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from us.

And you hear our cries, Father. Amidst all of our weakness, selfishness and greed, you placed the empty cross. You have not turned your back upon us. Washing us with the blood of the lamb, you have blotted out our iniquities. Through your abundant mercy, Lord, you have set us free.

Put a new and right spirit within us, O God. Sustain it in us so that we may experience you more closely and better understand you and how we can serve you more fully.

Teach us wisdom, Father, so that we may know when our weakness approaches, so that we may cloak ourselves in your word and draw close to you, our refuge and our salvation.

Bless our enemies, Lord, and let them see your mercy through the expressions of our Christian hearts.

In the silence, most gracious God, hear our sinful confessions and our heartfelt thanks for your forgiveness.


God of light, we ask your blessings on Milligan College and the servants they are educating to spread the gospel in word and deed. Bless them as they begin their capital campaign this fall and always as they seek to do your will.

And now we pray together as Jesus, the lamb of God, taught us to pray: