Our Father, we confess that You are Sovereign. We do not live in a world of chance. We are not part of some black hole of chaos. Even in our suffering we find reason to rejoice. For we know that we are being prepared for God as a man builds a fine house. We know that we cannot know the joys of God’s security and God’s blessing unless we know His sufferings. Grant to us the grace of Thy protecting arm. Be our fortress, our shield and our buckle. Uphold us lest we fall. Equip us with faith, so that no pain, no harm, no wound will overcome us. Strengthen us and we will not fall. We shall stand unmoved and immovable. Stand by us when Satan attacks and he shall flee from us. Anoint our lips with the song of salvation.

Lord, give us holiness. We want to be holy. We abhor sin. We love Thy law. Let us remember that evil is our enemy. It is a vile monster that encourages us to defile Thy law, to cast off the easy yoke and the light burden you have placed upon us.

O Lord, give peace to Thy Church. Thy Church is under attack. It always has been. O Lord, what are we to do when there is confusion, hatred, and distrust in Thy Church. Lord, your Church is our fortress. Let it not become a prison for us. Let it not become our enemy. Comfort those who have been disillusioned. Heal the hearts of those who have been wounded. Mend those who have been all but broken. Keep your people from being bitter. Keep the righteous from giving up and deserting Thy flock.

Lord we know guilt well. We know shame well. We know sadness well. Let us know Christ well. In Him there is no guile. In Him there is no hypocrisy. In Him there is no weakness. In Him we find the perfect Shepherd. In Him we find the fullness of life.

O Lord, we wrestle in prayer this morning. We will not let You go until you bless us. We will dwell at the throne of grace until You hear us.

Our Father, we have staked our lives on the truth of Thy word. We have given up much in this life. Help us to remember that as we have given up treasures in this life, we have laid up treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt. There are no thieves in heaven.

Lord may we learn early in life that the idols of this world do not satisfy. They sweep us up into their grip and eventually they spit us out like bitter tasting water. They lure us with promises of happiness, but we end up in despair. They promise us a life of fulfillment, but we find ourselves empty. O Lord, we pray that our children be not deceived.

Lord, preserve us from the danger of prosperity and preserve us from the danger of poverty. Preserve us form the danger of arrogance, and yet preserve us from the sin of hiding our talents under a bush. Preserve us from the pride of success, and preserve us from the jealousy that comes with failure. Preserve us from the foolishness that comes with youth, and preserve us from the apathy that comes with age.

Lord, heal our diseases. Give sight to the blind. Give hope to those who have lost hope. Give the wicked their due. Bring down our enemies and cast them into outer darkness. May Thy justice be vindicated when the weak are delivered from the bondage of the wicked and the wicked become dirt under Your feet. May You laugh at the nations when they seek to build a tower to heaven without you – without Christ. Vindicate the oppressed, deliver the victims of those who steal from them. Bring low the proud and raise up the humble. Lord, we come to humble ourselves before You today that you may raise us up at the proper time.

Teach us O Lord to look for Thy mercy in everything. Teach us to recognize that Thy love is in every event of every day. Give us a song of praise and a hymn of joy. Cast off frowns from our faces. Take away the sadness of the heart that shows through our eyes. For if we cannot rejoice, then who can. If we have no reason to show forth the face of gladness, then Lord who does. Lord, we are a pitiful lot. Yet you have chosen us to go forth and show the grace of God.