Lord, we have come out of the miry clay and the pit of destruction. We were nothing but objects of wrath. We have no claim upon being Your children, but by Thy grace. We were dead in trespasses and sins. We were wayward seeking to go our own way. We were blind, without true knowledge, and living in darkness. But You have changed us. We are new creatures now. We are not what we used to be. Thanks be to God who had changed us, given us a renewed mind, a heart of piety, and zeal for Your Name.

Lord, You have become our Father by adoption. As a father on earth loves his children, so we know in the same way You love us. As a father on earth rejoices in the success of his son, so we know that you rejoice when we make good strides in our sanctification. As a father on earth cares for his son when he is sick or injured, so we know that Your loving care surrounds us like a mountain overshadowed by a large cloud. As a father on earth will set boundaries for his beloved children, so you have given us Your law to set boundaries for us. As a father on earth will discipline his child to save him from danger, so we know that You will discipline us to keep us from harming ourselves. Lord, help us to know You not only as a Judge, not only as holy and righteous, not only as all powerful, but help us to know You as a child on earth knows his father, as loving and caring, rejoicing when we rejoice, and weeping when we weep.

Lord, we pray for this Church. We have tried over the years to conform to your Word in our teaching, in our actions, in our worship, and in our discipline. We have tried to be a haven for the tired and weary. We have tried to uphold the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and draw attention to You. Lord, we pray that You are pleased with us. We pray that You will overlook our mistakes where we have missed the mark. We thank You that we need not be perfect to be accepted by You.

Our Father bless our covenant children. They have a privileged place. There is a way to raise a child and we have every hope that we will see in them the love of the Lord Jesus Christ as we have loved Christ. Raising children is no great mystery. May You give them the grace to listen when we advise them. May You give them the grace to take heed to our correction. May you give them such a joy of the Church, that it will be their joy for the rest of their lives. Lord, give them self-control. Give them wisdom as they make decisions. Give them the conviction to honor their mother and father. May their accomplishments be the opportunity to praise the grace of God, and may their failures be the opportunity to learn humility. You promised in their baptism that if we raised them In the fear and admonition of the Lord, then we would see the work of grace in their lives. O Lord, today we call upon You to allow us to see Your work in their hearts.

Lord, provide comfort for those who must bear sickness in this world. For those who live with chronic illness, give them daily comfort. Somehow, we must believe that there is a purpose in everything. This gives purpose to suffering. Lord, if we know there is purpose, then we can bear up much better under its strain. if we do not see the purpose in this world, help us to be reminded that suffering in this world will gain for us a weight of glory in the next world. Comfort Your people O God. It hurts us to see them suffer.