"Glory be to God on High" - 22 December 2019


[This water color and pen picture was drawn by Elizabeth Mary Watt in 1949]

Glory be to God on high: and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise you, we bless you, we worship you: we glorify you, we give thanks to you for your great glory!

O Great King and Sovereign look upon our country and the nations of this world, and move over the plans and intentions of our Oklahoma State Senators and Judiciary. May all come to know your peace on earth, becoming men and women of goodwill.

O God of armies send forth your hosts to preserve and protect our greater Oklahoma City area firefighters, police officers, Sheriffs, deputies, and Troopers, and our military members, particularly those who are close to danger, at home or abroad (xxxxxx)...

Yahweh Rapha, Lord our healer, sustain and direct our doctors, PAs, nurses, First Responders, and specialists – especially those who are on call or working now and throughout this Christmas season. Thank you for their help and availability; and may they know they are appreciated.

LORD God whose steadfast love is great above the heavens; whose faithfulness reaches to the clouds (Psalm 108.4), pour out your refreshment and restoratives on those who are parched and paltry…that they and we may rejoice in your care and goodness.

O LORD who hears our prayer, who sees our tears, who is the One who heals us (1 Kings 20.5); there are many who are immobilized by tragedy, unbearable conditions, physical and mental anguish, and privations; and there are several who are carrying around deep sadness and grief; ….; Please raise them up, delivering and restoring them, hip and thigh, body and soul, inside and out, that they may find good cheer in your Christ and in your kindness, and happily and freely serve you all the rest of their days.

O LORD, who invites all to seek you while you may be found; to call upon you while you are near; who invites the wicked to forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; who beckons all to return to you, that you may have compassion on them, and to abundantly pardon them (Isaiah 55.6-7): by your Spirit’s enlivening, turn around the hearts and lives of those who have consistently rejected you that they would embrace Christ Jesus freely offered to us in the Gospel.

O our God, our rock, in whom we take refuge, our shield, and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold and our refuge, our Savior who saves us from violence (2 Samuel 22.3); help your Church in this world, including this congregation, as well as Northside Bible Church; Northwest Bible Church; Rhema Bible Church; and Alethia Temple Pentecostal Church. As we have come to Jesus, and point all people to Christ most poignantly during this joyful season, may we remember that he is our peace and has drawn us out of our tribalism, political partisanship and ethnic pride, to become one new man in him.

Hear our Prayer, O LORD; and let our cry come to you, because of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

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