"We Thank You for Your Constant Care" - Congregational Prayer on the First Sunday of 2022

 

We thank you for your constant care for us personally and as a congregation, loving Father. We thank you for how you have been pleased to bring many people into this congregation’s life over the years; and we thank you for bringing us to a new year. 

O God of Israel, we join with Jabez as we pray over this coming year. Bless us and make us a channel of blessing to others, especially your Abrahamic blessing that in Abraham’s offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed. And in that regard, do enlarge our sphere of influence giving us a bit more space in your world rescue operation. But, Lord, keep your hand on us, because (as Martin Luther prayed), “if ever I should be on my own, I would easily wreck it all.” Yes, may your hand ever be on us. And do, please, liberate us from the hostage situation of the futile ways inherited from our forebears, keeping us from evil that we may not cause pain (1 Chronicles 4:9-10). May it be said of us that we are a most honorable people. 

Look upon your Church throughout the world, to include Christ’s Legacy Church, Christian Life Assembly of God, Covenant Life Assembly, and Discovery Church. Bestow your preserving care on your people. Guide them in the paths of righteousness for your name’s sake. Build up their resolve in tenacious faithfulness to you and the Gospel of Christ no matter the cost. 

We are concerned for our nation, Lord God. We are concerned that the citizens of our country may be losing their way and becoming handcuffed to pleasure, ease, covetousness, envy, personal peace, and affluence, and may be selling their birthright for a mess of pottage. We are concerned that our leaders may have forgotten that we are supposed to be a Constitutional Republic and are moving us along other paths that are harmful. O God our God, we love our country, please have mercy on us and help us that as a nation there would be a return to virtuous living daily, and justice and equity governmentally, communally, and personally. 

In every nation throughout our world, please set up good governments that will seek to be fair, where the leaders will care more for the welfare of their people than lining their own pockets or securing their own power. 

O God Most High, giver of all good gifts, who provides our daily sustenance and wellbeing, we ask you to lift up those who are broken in body or mind, who are grieved or terribly troubled with fear and anxiety, and we especially ask your care for these (…). Grant them recovery and restored health. 

Finally, we call to mind family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, enemies, and acquaintances who have not confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and continue to walk in darkness; as well as those who have turned away from the Christian Faith (…). Save them, O Lord, in your great mercy! And we pray as we have been taught, saying, Our Father…

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