Father,
We belong to you and we have made it known to those around us that we trust you. You care for us so that those who are watching could never have any grounds to say, “their God doesn’t take care of them.” When we call to you for help, you heal us. When our situation seems too late to be helped, you restore us. We gather this morning to sing to you and give you thanks for all you have done. Sometimes you let us suffer for a little while to refine us and purify our faith. But afterwards, you bring joy. It's easy for us to be self-sufficient and indulgent and forget you when everything in our life is going well. But you are stronger than us. You change one small, simple thing in our lives and we go suddenly from pride to our knees begging for mercy. But you are merciful, and you help us and then we recount to others your faithfulness. You take us out of misery and into joy and delight.
When we consider what is going on in the world it makes us anxious: violence and wars threaten lives; the bombardment of lies from every direction threaten minds, and the promotion of every kind of evil practice threatens souls. We want what you want for the world: a place where the godly rule and exercise justice, where every person speaks the truth to his neighbor, and where people care more about love and right living than the pursuit of the lusts of the eyes and flesh and the pride of life. We know you will establish such a world at the end of days, but for the encouragement of your saints and for the glory of your name, give us a foretaste of it now. We look at the world as it is, in its chaotic evil flight from you and it scares us. But for our part, we often forget to open our eyes of faith and see the power that stands between us and them. The people and institutions that promote these things may be stronger than us, but they are a breath to you. Speak to us in our hearts by your Spirit to assure us of the truth that any difficulty we might encounter is measured to us from you, not from them. They have no power over us unless you open the gate of your protection and allow the evil powers to do your good will by bringing us trouble for a little while so that we may be made more like our Lord. Make us fearless. Strengthen our weakness. Everything around us seems perverted and twisted, so make our purity shine like stars in this blackness. Overwhelm us with your Spirit and teach us to speak so that one by one we may bring others to the water of life. The subtle messages from outside prod us to keep our faith within limits. Stir up in us the knowledge of just how free we really are. Settle in us the conviction of the overwhelming power of our faith.
For those who are healthy, teach us to use our strength for the purpose for which you gave it: for doing good. While we are well in body, direct our inner person to attend to the health of our souls - to peace, and gentleness, and joy, and love. Don’t let the members of our body (which is your gift) to be used as agents of sin. Instead, with thankfulness, help us to work zealously and joyfully in the work you have laid out for us in the strength that you provide.
For those among us who are sick, please let affliction do its refining work and then quickly bring healing. Give them strength to endure for the time you have appointed. Encourage their hearts with the knowledge that you are treating them as sons and daughters.
You have chosen us to belong to you. From the beginning you set your love on us and your love is its own reason. From the beginning you planned to buy back your church with the blood of her husband. Your choosing of us is strange to our minds, but a delight to our lives because now we know you. There is no reluctance in your love because you chose us without compulsion. Increase our delight in your love for us.
We ask that you would be pleased this morning with our worship. May your Holy Spirit minister the word in the heart of each according to his need.