Vespers - 22 October 2017


(For adversity): Mighty God, whose almighty and everywhere present power – as it were by your own hand – upholds heaven, earth, and all creatures, and so governs them that herb and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty – indeed all things – come not by chance or mechanical procedure, but by your fatherly hand: Grant … to be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and with a view to the future they may have good confidence in you – O faithful God and Father – that no creature or condition will ever separate them from your love, since all creatures are so in your hand that without your will they cannot so much as move. All of this we ask through our great high priest, the Lord Jesus (based on Heidelberg Catechism 27-28). O Lord, hear our prayer. 

(For liberation): Mighty God, holy Savior – mighty over death and the devil; mighty over addictions and abuses; mighty to save and mighty to sustain! We pray for … that you would surround them and fill them (body, heart, mind and soul – their whole being) with your liberating strength and your undefeatable love! Be with their family that just as Jarius, ruler of the Synagogue, ran to you in desperation, crying out to you for his dying and dead daughter, and his faith was not in vain: give the family hope, steady their nerves, calm their fears, and grant them to see you mightily liberating these loved ones. Lord Jesus, our great God and Savior, hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you! O Lord, hear our prayer. 

(For healing): Lord God, who has made us, cares for us, and preserves us: bring to your servants and children … health and healing; heal them and in a fresh and refreshing way reveal the abundance of prosperity and security that is theirs in Christ (Jeremiah 33.6). We commit them to you, body and soul, recognizing that you know what is best, and how best to do this. We also pray that they would count this trial as joy, because we know that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. And so may they let steadfastness have its full effect that they may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1.2-4). We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who bore our infirmities and by whose stripes we are healed. O Lord, hear our prayer. 

All of these prayers we ask in the name of our Lord Jesus, as together we sing;….

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