Father,
We thank you for your committed love - that you have called us out of the world, away from slavery to sin and into fellowship with you, with your son, and through your Spirit, with each other. It's not those who have not sinned that you have blessed, you have called them liars, but it is us who are very sinful, but have confessed and repented that you have given great mercy to. Because you have sent Christ for us, we can look at our sins of the past week, and then look at Christ and know that we are no longer guilty, and no longer sentenced. Fill us with joy in our freedom from the power of sin. Keep us from the misery of slavery to sin. Keep us from falling into the trap of thinking we can sin today and repent tomorrow, until we end up spending our life dreaming of a tomorrow that never comes. Give us daily faith and strength that we might persevere to the end.
Week by week I am so thankful to be able to have fellowship with these believers. It is inevitable that we will sin against each other, badly and hurtfully. I ask that you would strengthen us against those times that we might have the humility to acknowledge our wrongs not only before you, but also to one another. I ask that our peace and unity and joy in being together would be preserved so that when there is sin among us that there would be loving and wholehearted restoration. May pride and tempers not flare such that some would leave the family and may bitterness not grow like cancer. Keep and protect us and help our deep love for one another grow deeper still.
Having saved us, we ask you that you would save those that we know and love. You brought the world into being by speaking words. But your new creation required the death of the word made flesh. As much as we praise you as the mighty maker, it is your saving work that is most marvelous in our eyes. We ask this morning that, by your Holy Spirit, you would apply this glorious and hard won salvation to those you have brought into our lives. First send us opportunities to speak: according to our abilities and according to the unique grace that you have given each of us to serve. You made our mouths. Help us to know what to say. Give us words in the moment as we stand conversing with unbelievers that it might be as if we are speaking the very oracles of God.
Please save our children. Though many come to love you as their parents do, for others they grow up and find it irrelevant or too difficult or find the shine of the world too appealing. And so we know that although you let us serve as examples and teachers, there is no method that guarantees that they will come to desire you. It is a work of your Spirit, so we ask that you keep the god of this world from blinding their minds and let the glorious gospel of Christ illuminate their hearts and minds.
There are many in this world who are strong and proud and confident who say, "there is no God". But we, who are certainly not the strong and powerful in this world, have you taking care of us. Week by week we bring our need to you and week by week we hear testimony in this place of your help. In our need, we pray. Then we look at our lives and find that you have answered and we are left in awe. You provide work and money, healing, peace, and strength, but you also see through our motives and answer in a way to thwart our attempts to spend what we get on our pleasures.
Please meet with us this morning. As we offer our praise to you in song, may it be pleasing to you. May our hearts be full of wonder at you as we hear your word expounded. Empower Paul as he preaches. Help us to speak truth to one another. Strengthen and bless those who are in the nursery and make it possible for many of us to be here. In all things, help us to live in a way that is worthy of our calling.