Prayer for July 28-August 3, 2019
Sermon Text: Luke 11:1-13

That our entire life together may be an act of prayerful worship

Jesus, we rejoice in your promise that those who ask will receive, those who seek will find, and those who knock will have the door opened to them. Jesus, we are encouraged by your promise that God is ready to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.

We rejoice that God has filled us with the divine Spirit and that the Spirit guides us as we pray and energizes us for faithfulness, including the work of forgiveness that runs counter to our natural inclination.

May your name be reverenced and set apart among us, so that nothing rivals our devotion to You.

May your reign come in fullness among us, so that all people and all things are aligned with your will.

Provide us with our daily provisions, so that we may respond with thanksgiving and share generously with others.

Forgive us, so we may learn and practice forgiveness.

Lead us in paths of righteousness and away from those things that tempt us to wander from You.  

Let everything we think, say, and do be an act of prayerful worship. Amen.

Prayer for July 21-27, 2019
Sermon Text: Luke 10:28-32

That we may remember the priority of devotion to you for our discipleship

Jesus, we know that You invite us to absorb your word into the very center of our hearts and minds. We know that You also call us to extend the good work of your ministry into the communities in which we live and in other places to which You may send us.

Enable us to learn your word thoroughly and enable us to work as diligent servant ministers in your name. Help us to discern the time to sit at your feet and the time to work strenuously in order to minister to You and to those with whom You identify yourself.  

Help us remember that our devotion to You takes priority as the starting point for our lives of discipleship. Help us not to be anxious, but to learn and practice your ways with gladness. Amen.

Prayer for July 14-20, 2019
Sermon Text: Luke 10:25-37

That we may be open to the disruption necessary to respond to others in their need

God, instruct us thoroughly in your word. Fill us fully with your Spirit. Give us the mind of Christ so that we are always ready to serve.

Do not let us try to justify ourselves by narrowing the definition of “neighbor,” then by letting ourselves off the hook when given an opportunity to respond to real needs that are right in front of us.

Enable us to be open for interruption, to allow our path to be altered and our schedule disrupted. Make us ready to bend to assist the wounded one with compassion and wisdom, even when that one is our enemy. Fill us with courage to face the criticism of others who would narrowly limit the scope of care to those who are most like us.  

Fill our hearts with thanksgiving for all that You have done for us. Then, let us respond with gratitude and generosity to those You place before us. Enable us to show your likeness through our attitude and action. Amen.

Prayer for July 7-13, 2019
Sermon Text: 2 Kings 5:1-14

That we may serve without show or expectation of reward

God of Glory, we prefer our wonders with public drama. We want the big spectacle, the mighty feat, senses overwhelmed and reason stymied. We want no doubt that the action has been all of You and that no shyster has had a hand in the outcome that thrills us.

We want drama and spectacle, but You give us subtle action by unlikely characters. Your humble servants point to new possibilities. Your inspired servants describe the way foreward to healing. Your gentle servants provide impetus and reassurance when the way ahead seems unappealing.

God, enable us to receive the healing and comforting gifts of your most humble servants. Enable us to hear your word when it comes to us from uncredentialed spokespersons. 

Enable us to receive. Then enable us to give with the same subtle approach. Enable us to serve without show or expectation of reward. We do so as followers of the One who came to serve. Amen.

Prayer for June 30-July 6, 2019
Sermon Text: 2 Kings 2:1-15

That we may keep moving toward the ministry to which You call us

Eternal One, enable us to be tenacious in following the tough paths that often lie ahead of us as we follow Jesus and attempt to fulfill the ministry to which we have been called. Do not let us be deterred by distance, discouraging words, or lack of knowledge.

Give us eyes to see the wonders that You are already doing right in front of us. Give us voices to declare our awe and our praise. Enable us to draw from the energy and potency of your Spirit as we step forward with courage and grasp the opportunities for mission that You prepare for us.

We do not know what we may lose and what we may receive on our journey, but keep us going forward even in the face of resistance, confusion, and our own tilt toward foolishness. 

May You be glorified in and through us. Amen.  

Prayer for June 23-29, 2019
Sermon Text: 1 Kings 19:1-16

That you will move us to new resolve when we have given up hope

Knowing One, even when our faith has been strong and we have seen wondrous things happen among us, it is easy for us to become depressed and frightened when we face resistance and our lives seem to be under threat.

You know us! You see us in our weakness and need. You Know about our desire to flee, to lay down and give up on the life of faith – to give up on You. Still, You meet us at the low points of our trust and energy. You provide for our needs. And You send us where we need to go in order see reality from your perspective.

There You meet us. You show us that your whispered voice is more real, more powerful, more terrifying than the unleashed powers of your creation.  

Even though nothing may change in our external circumstances, your word gives us the ability to get up and return the way we came. You enable us to resume the tasks of ministry to which You have called us. You enable us to walk in trust, step by step. Amen.

Prayer for June 16-22, 2019
Sermon Text: Provers 8:1-4, 22-31

That we may be drawn into the wisdom that begins with awe

God of all, wisdom calls through the whispering of your Spirit in and around us. Wisdom calls, and though we claim to want wisdom, we shut out her voice. We turn away.

We listen, instead, to the voices of our most selfish desires. We listen, instead, to our most impetuous emotions. We listen, instead, to the many lies that are told in order to mollify us, mislead us, and keep us rooted in that which undermines our full humanity and urges us to settle for things that quickly turn to dust in our hands and ashes in our mouths.

Forgive us for settling for foolish ways. Forgive us for idolizing ourselves, the works of our hands, and the desires of our hearts. Forgive us and draw us into the wisdom that begins with awe in your Presence. Amen.