|
PRAYERS
OF THE PEOPLE
2/10/2008
O Sovereign God, through Jesus Christ your Son you have humbled yourself
in order to exalt us. You
became poor to make us rich. You suffered and died, and in doing this,
you gave us freedom and life. You
have blessed us with a new understanding of righteousness, so that we
may share your love with others. For
this we thank you.
And in thanking you, we come to you in the faith that Christ is leading
us. We are able to spread
out before you all that to our understanding seems hard and complex and
in need of your care. In
your mercy remember all of us, and be merciful to us, because we know
that without you we can do nothing.
We pray that as your family, we your congregation and church, will be
led by you in astonishing ways of grace that will be a new kind if
witness for you in this world. Please,
have mercy on old people and young people, on people who are even
unbelievers right now. Have
the kind of mercy that will lead them to hear your truth.
And if we may participate with you in this ministry, we offer
ourselves to you.
Show your presence and have mercy on the countless persons who today
suffer starvation, so many that are mistreated and homeless, the sick in
body and soul, here in our community and other places.
Lord we are now going to take a time of silent prayer, to lift to you
those with whom we suffer personally, and others here with us may pray
out loud so that we can all share in these prayers …
Have mercy on us all in the hour of trial and the hour of death.
Lord, because we believe with certainty that you have overcome,
and that with you we too have already overcome in you, we call upon you
now to show us another first step in your new kind of righteousness.
Eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, accept the prayers
of your people, and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ.
Amen
|