Prayers of the Church, 8.2.09

Praise be to the God of goodness and mercy, the one true God who loves us and cares for us despite our failings, despite our weakness. Praise be to the God of grace who showers us with forgiveness and never forsakes us no matter the circumstance.

We thank you so much for your great love, Lord, because we so often fail you, the God we call Father. We live with the illusion that we have control of the world around us. You have given us the responsibility to care for your world, but in our failed reasoning, we have determined this planet belongs to us and that we can do as we will with it. We see ourselves as great, as creators. Our civilizations have evolved at an ever increasing pace and we think we are at the helm. We do not see fit to acknowledge you; instead, we pat ourselves on the back and crow about how wonderful we are.

How wonderful…the words are so hollow, so empty. Without you we can be the vilest creatures. We have murdered, raped, pillaged, lied, cheated, coveted. Our ability to perpetuate evil knows no bounds. Many times we have committed these sins in your name which is nothing less than pure abomination.

In our meager attempts to “control” our world, we often point our fingers at those who we see falter, failing to realize we are mired in the same transgressions. There is no friend or enemy when it comes to sin. Give us merciful and empathetic spirits. Give us the strength, God, to recognize our sins and work steadfastly to live lives in the image of Jesus Christ, never flagging in our efforts to be the Christians you intend us to be.

We humans have made such a mess of your world. When we do experience moments of clarity regarding our mistakes, we often make matter worse by our ineffectual efforts to untangle the many messes we have made. One solution begets another mess and the cycle continues. Praise be to the God who is ultimately in charge of this world and can protect it from the likes of us.

Regardless of our weakness, regardless of our failings, we live in hope because of the risen savior. We live by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. Because of this great love, we have hope. Praise be to the God of hope.

In the silence, we repent of our sins to you. We ask your help in leaving them behind and moving forward in faith and service.


We ask your blessings, merciful God, on the Veals: Warren, Julie, and their family as they serve with Missionary Aviation Fellowship in Mozambique. Thank you for their strong faith and devotion to you and your kingdom as they serve the indigenous people and tribes by providing transportation and assistance to other missionaries as well as supporting medical efforts, community development, training development, and disaster relief. Be with the MAF missionary pilots and their families. Keep them safe and help them feel our love and backing as they do your will in a very remote part of the world.

And now we pray together as Jesus Christ taught us to pray:

Prayers of the Church, 7.19.09

Today is the day which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! You, Lord God, formed us from the dust of the ground and breathed life into our nostrils. You saw fit to place us humans on this earth and you called it good. You surrounded us with such great beauty. You created all the majesty before us, from the highest mountain to the deepest sea. You continue your creation as we may behold, but often do not notice. Your kingdom reflects the exuberance of life and joy that we imagine you must feel as you look upon that which you hold so dear.

Thanks be to you Father, that not only did you choose to create the world, but you also chose to save the world.

Thanks be to you, Father, for our savior, Jesus Christ. The invisible image of God, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the body. In him all things in heaven and on earth were created and through him you were pleased to reconcile yourself with all things…with us…through the peace manifested in the blood of the cross. There is no other name under heaven by which to be saved.

We fall on our faces before you in worship and adoration…for your great love and faithfulness.

As we contemplate the purpose of your creation, we cannot but help to ponder the purpose of our being on this earth. We are your children, most certainly, but we are also your tools, your servants. We are undeservedly privileged to be servants of the king. We are grateful, but we cannot sit back and enjoy the great privilege in a vacuum…because with great privilege comes great responsibility. You set heavenly tasks before us: that all may know and worship you...that your kingdom on earth reflects your love…as we await the Savior’s return. Thankfully you do not leave us alone in these endeavors…you love your kingdom and us too much to create a world such as this and then just walk away.

In the silence, Lord, help us contemplate the enormity of your creation as we try to fathom the depth of your love.


You created us, Father, and you created those we call our enemies. You did not make us enemies, Lord; we did that ourselves. Bless our enemies and bless us…that your love will overcome the chasm that is between us and we can live like you intend.

We ask your blessings, Lord, on Philokalia Ministries and the Headen Family as they work to express your love to outcasts of our societies. Not only do the Headens preach the gospel, but they share your unconditional love with HIV patients, helping them understand they have a home in your kingdom and helping them remain productive members of their community even as their health and strength slip away in the ravages of their disease. Strengthen the Headens and members of the ministry as they share your love in the midst of death.

And now we pray together as the firstborn of all creation, Jesus Christ, taught us to pray:

Prayers of the Church, 7.12.09

As the deer long for flowing streams, so our souls long for you, O God. Our souls thirst for you, the living God. When shall we behold your face? We search for you, yet we don’t see. We look so hard, but we are focused on ourselves and the details of our lives and how you fit into them instead of how we fit into your kingdom. We can’t see the forest from the trees and even when we step back, we still see only trees. Our vision and our minds are polluted with all the clutter and minutia of our lives turned inward. Frustration and emptiness surround us.

We want to belong to something bigger and better than our current situations. We want our lives to mean something, to matter. Still, because we are focused on ourselves, we bounce around trying to decide what’s right for us, what true for us. We search and we pray to every god we can count, ever longing, ever seeking. First money is the answer, then self-indulgences, then fame. Everything we try eventually fails us and leaves us empty…still wanting, still searching.

But you, gentle God, never falter, never waiver. You continue to love us and wait patiently for our eyes to open, for our minds to grasp your presence. You send your servants to immerse us in your word, to help get our minds right, to teach us your love. As we begin to listen, as we begin to see…you are here, right in front of us all the time. You surround us with your beauty, true beauty; with your love, true love the only things that can completely satisfy us.

We experience you manifested in the life of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for the world and we have hope. We have hope in the word of the Lord. We have hope in the pierced hands and the torn side. We have hope in the empty tomb. We have hope in the risen savior.

-- Praise be to you, O God, for your steadfast love and goodness. --

In the silence, Father, hear our prayers of hope; amidst all our troubles and pain and joy and thanksgiving, hear our hope:


Bless our enemies, Father. Bless them and let them see you. Forgive us when we fail to show your love through us.

Bless our brothers and sisters in the Salvation Army. Lord, these people, the workers and volunteers, walk in the footsteps of Jesus, serving those whose lives are often so desperate. We raise them and those they serve before you. Strengthen and guide them as they do your will and care for your children.

And now we pray as the light of the world, the risen Savior, taught us to pray:

Prayers of the Church 7.5.09

You, O Lord, are God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who executes justice for the orphan and widow and who loves the strangers. The heaven of the heavens belongs to you, the earth and all that is in it. You are our praise, wondrous God, and have done great and majestic things for us. You have called us out of darkness and into your marvelous light. We fear you, Lord and you alone will we worship, to you we hold fast.

You bless us and bless us again. Our Father, you have sent us a living stone, Jesus Christ. Though rejected by mortals, he is chosen and precious in your sight. He is our cornerstone; he is our redeemer.

We are yours, God’s own people. Through the light of the Messiah, you have called us out of darkness and into your marvelous light.

Though you call us your chosen, let us not suppose for ourselves any sense of lofty existence…because when you called us, you called us to a life of service. You handed us the basin and the towel and put us to work. You said to us, “though you are my children, this is not about you; it is about my kingdom.”

Father, you called us to be a holy priesthood, to be your offering…an extension of the savior, your emissaries on earth. Help us to respond according to your call. Through us, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to you.

Precious God, when we begin to forget our place as your servants, put into our minds the Son of Man, washing the feet of your people, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, sacrificing and bleeding for the wretched of the world…for us.

Our enemies deserve your love no less than we do. Bless them and turn their eyes, along with ours, toward you.

In the silence, help us contemplate your great gifts, your great love, and our responsibility to you:


Father, not only have you blessed us by making us your own, but while we are on this earth, you have allowed us to live in a wonderful land, one of hope and promise, one that is build on human freedom and opportunity. Bless our leaders and those who work for the common good. Give them wisdom and discernment and true humility.

In all this, we still know our only true freedom is the salvation offered through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And now, we pray together as the Prince of Peace taught us to pray: