"O God of Earth and Altar" - 9 July 2023

 

O God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, Giver of all good gifts, we pray for your Church throughout the nations, to include First Nazarene of Bethany, Bethel, Calvary, and Canadian Hills Nazarene Church. Sustain us through the hard and happy times. Look upon our needs and provide all good things necessary for us to do the work you have called us to. Strangely warm our hearts and inspire in us greater and greater holiness.

Kindly look on this congregation, Father, and give patience and joy to all the parents as they raise their children in your righteous ways. Aid the single that they may resist the pressures of our world and keep themselves chaste. Enrich our marriages so that they may be full of harmony, hope, and health. Strengthen the young adults to continue to follow Christ faithfully. May our children (younger and older) embrace the Christian faith we have been handing on to them with gusto and confidence. And may the fruit of the Spirit grow large in all of us. To this end, Lord, may our VBS this week be lively, loving, and have large impact drawing kids to our Lord Jesus.

We call out to you for those we know who have strayed away from the Faith; those who are lost; and those whose faith has been unsettled (…). Turn them away from the darkness to embrace the Son of our love, Jesus Christ.

We intercede on behalf of those who are distressed by poor health, scanty finances, family strife, unemployment, panicky fears and tumultuous anxieties (…). Raise them up and bring them forth safely, giving them hope, health and all that they need to recover.

We pray for all countries, including San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, and Senegal. Since “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34), may righteousness win in every land! 

O God, by your creating mankind in your own image you did bestow on all people certain, unalienable rights. We come today in rich gratitude for these God-given liberties which are assumed in the Declaration of Independence, described in the U.S. Constitution and longed for world over. Therefore, we pray for our nation, using the hymn written by your servant, G.K. Chesterton: “O God of earth and altar, bow down and hear our cry, our earthly rulers falter, our people drift and die; the walls of gold entomb us, the swords of scorn divide, take not thy thunder from us, but take away our pride. From all that terror teaches, from lies of tongue and pen, from all the easy speeches / that comfort cruel men, from sale and profanation / of honour and the sword, from sleep and from damnation, deliver us, good Lord! Tie in a living tether / the prince and priest and thrall, bind all our lives together, smite us and save us all; in ire and exultation / aflame with faith, and free, lift up a living nation, a single sword to thee.” And now, we join voices and hearts together to pray as our Lord Jesus directed, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven…

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