Our God,
This morning we begin a season of thinking about the incarnation. You existed before any other thing was. Your infinite transcendent mind conceived all things before they existed. Then you sounded your voice into the void and the power of your word embodied the conceptions of your mind. And having come from you, all things are like you since there is no other source from which anything came to be. Since there is no darkness in you, you made light as the first of your acts and by it, our eyes perceive your work. And yet you have set another light to blaze inside us by which our souls know the glorious things that are hidden from our eyes. And this light is your life which is yourself. What we call faith is our certainty about invisible things because your life has stirred this knowledge in our souls. How can it be that you who are light, and life and word... How could the fullness of deity become a man? And yet as we read "the word became flesh", your Spirit living in us says, "it's true. Come and worship. It's true." It seems that each of your wonders is more glorious than the last.
Please give us all we need to sustain our life in this world. To keep our life and work in order is complicated and with so many moving pieces, and so many expenses, it's easy for us to be anxious. But everything in the world is yours to give and you give to each of us according to your pleasure. Please keep us from anxiety and give to each of us what is needful for each day: food to eat, money for our debts, gas for the car, and a place to live.
That same light by which Peter confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God", has illuminated the minds of those here today who are about to be baptized. You have given them the faith by which they know the truth of invisible things - the glorious gospel. Give each one an unshakable faith in the work of your Son. Give each one delightful hope in their coming resurrection. Give each one an ardent love for yourself that spills over to those around them. You are all-powerful. No one takes your children from your hand. All that you do stands forever. The gates of hell will not prevail against your church. The darkness will not overcome the light. Yet in the mystery of your sovereignty, some have wandered from the faith. Some, for a while, rejoice in your light, and then return to the darkness. We have seen it with our own eyes. Spirit, come and so strengthen these four that they may endure such circumstances as you have assigned to them and persevere in the faith to the end. Do not let them be drawn away from you by sinful or indulgent pleasure, but may they enjoy all gifts that come from you who are the Father of Lights as an act of worship. Do not let them slip away because of the anxiety and challenges of life, but be for them a source of help and a place of rest. Do not let the words of false teachers lure them away, but teach them yourself in their hearts.
Jesus, we thank you for the cross. There was only one way that you could both maintain your holy justice and protect from justice those you love. You became man and bore in your own body your own justice. But being God, once all had been paid, you took up your life again. God and sinners have been reconciled and we all rejoice together.
Please continue to bless this service. May our songs and prayers and spoken words and the secret meditations of our hearts be pleasing to you.