"Hail the Heaven-Born Prince of Peace" - 26 December 2021

 

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! Great King and Sovereign, look upon our country and the nations of this world, move over the plans and intentions of all national leaders, including our Oklahoma State Senators. May we all come to know your peace on earth and become men and women of goodwill.

O God of armies, send forth your angels to preserve and protect our greater Oklahoma City area firefighters, police officers, Sheriffs, deputies, Troopers, and our military members, particularly those who are close to danger, at home or abroad. Thank you for those who are on duty this day. May they know that you have them in your hands and you have their back.

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

You, whose steadfast love is great above the heavens; whose faithfulness reaches to the clouds (Psalm 108:4), pour out the rains and showers we sorely need, that we may rejoice in your care and goodness. And please snuff out all the remnants of this pandemic.

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 arrested with 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; who bids them to call upon you while you are near; who summons 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 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 Apostolic Faith Tabernacle, Mt. Zion Worship Center, Bethsaida and Calvary Assembly of God. As we have come to Jesus and point all people to Christ most poignantly in this Christmas season, may we remember that he is our peace and has drawn us out of our tribalism and ethnic pride, to become one new man in him.

Finally, since there is none like you, who rides through the heavens to our help, who is our dwelling place and upholds us with your everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:26-27), sustain each of us and our families. Preserve our travelers. Prepare us for the new year. And make us your living Christmas carol so that our lives will sing, “Hail, the heav'n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, ris'n with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.”

Hear our Prayer, O LORD; and let our cry come to you, because of your Son, Jesus. And we pray as we have been taught, saying, Our Father…