"Your Eyes Run To and Fro" - 25 April 2021

 

You are the God who will tend your flock like a shepherd; you will gather the lambs in your arms; you will carry them in your bosom, and gently lead those that are with young (Isaiah 40:11); so we gather in your presence glad for your goodness, and imploring your watchful care.  

Mighty God our Father, as your eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show yourself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal toward you (2 Chronicles 16:9); set your gaze on your Church worldwide, including this congregation. Show yourself strong on our behalf. And as King Asa prayed when his smaller army was outnumbered 2-to-1, we pray “O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude – the world, the flesh and the devil. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you” (2 Chronicles 14:11). O Lord, hear our prayer. 

Lord Jesus, you promised that when you were lifted up from the earth, you would draw all people to yourself (John 12:32). Draw the wayward and willful; the wrecked and ruined; the prosperous and those in penury; Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Yazidis, Zoroastrians, Secularists, Agnostics, Atheists, the “Don’t Cares” and “Could Care Lesses,”and draw to yourself these we mention in silence (…). O Lord, hear our prayer. 

Holy God, we have many adult children who have gone out from us, who have ventured into various venues and experiences, and a few are about to move on. Help them to make sound, solid, suitable, and sanctified decisions. There are tempters beckoning them to take different tracks than they were raised with. There are those wanting them to slip their standards, sacrifice their faith, sell out their chastity, and cease their sobriety. But Lord, we are confident in you that you will watch over them, and so we commend them to you, body, soul, mind, and strength. Ever keep in the forefront of their minds who they are, whose they are and why they are. O Lord, hear our prayer.