How are you? How is your week going? I don’t know about you, but I feel like God is pressing on our hearts to pray.
For the past few months, we’ve experienced sickness and death, loneliness and isolation, depression and anxiety, and loss and hardship. In the past week, we have witnessed injustice, racism, brutality, riots, destruction, and death.
God is always calling us to pray. It is our way to bring our hearts before Him after reflecting upon His words to us. It is an act of our faith. It is entrusting our lives and our world onto our Sovereign God. It expresses our humble reliance upon Him.
And again, in light of recent events, God is calling us to pray. One of my pastoral mentors shared with me a long time ago what his mom told him: “All we have is prayer.”
All we have is prayer. And that is more than enough, since God in Christ is more than enough.
If you have some time this week, pray with me in the spirit of the Lord’s Prayer, reflecting on Pastor Dan’s words this past Sunday, in light of the injustice in our society and in our own hearts.
Our Father
“You are not only our God. You are our Heavenly Father. You have loved us as Your children. We know this, because You did not spare Your own Son, so that we who were your enemies may become Your children.
Not only are You my Father, you are OUR Father. Your children consists of every nation and tribe, including our hurting black brothers and sisters in this nation. We cry out to You on their behalf.
In Heaven
You are glorious. You are all-powerful. You are all-reigning. You are sovereign. You are ruling from Your heavenly throne, and we beseech You, O God. Please intervene, revive, transform, and redeem.
Hallowed be Your Name
You are holy. You are transcendent. Your name is to be praised. We are broken. Our world is broken. You are not. You are the Restorer. You are the Redeemer. You are our Great God. We glorify You. We need You.
Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven
Father, we pray that Your kingdom will go forth, starting with us. We pray that Your kingdom will occupy our hearts. Help us to live with You as our Lord and King. Help us to submit to You. Help us to obey You. Help us to follow You.
Help us to live out the calling of Your Kingdom: to love as You have loved us, to be merciful as You have been merciful with us, to fight injustice as You have fought against injustice, and to stand up for the oppressed as You have stood up for us in Christ.
We pray that Your will may be done. Your will is exhaustive, and your plan is perfect. We trust in Your plan, not ours. We ask that Your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.
We know that in heaven, there will not be any injustice. There will be no more pain and shame. There will be no more sin and death. We pray that the heavenly justice, love, and peace may reign here on earth as it is in heaven. We pray for healing. We pray for reconciliation. We pray for grace. We pray for love.
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
God, You are our Provider. Please provide the food and the shelter that we need. Provide for our needs today.
And at the same time, give US our Daily Bread. Provide for the needs of those who are hungry, sick, poor, hurting, and oppressed. Provide peace and justice. Provide grace and protection.
Forgive Us Our Debts
Forgive us, O Lord. We beg for your mercy and forgiveness. We thank you that forgiveness has been purchased for us through the cross of Jesus Christ. And we stand redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
But we still plea for your forgiveness upon our own sins. Forgive us for our own racist hearts. Forgive us for our unjust tendencies. Forgive us for our lack of compassion. Forgive us for our apathy. Forgive us for being silent. Forgive us for our lack of love for our neighbor. Forgive us for our lack of mercy and justice. Forgive us for our pride and selfishness. Forgive us for our sins of omission.
As We Forgive Our Debtors
Help us to forgive. Just as we have hurt others, people have hurt us. People have sinned against us. Please give us the grace to forgive, the grace that is only found in your forgiveness of us first. Heal our hearts as we grieve deeply and hurt truly. Help us to die to ourselves and our bitterness. Help us to crucify the flesh that demands vengeance for our pain. Help us, Lord.
And Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us from Evil
Lord, lead us not into temptation. And when we are tempted, give us strength to obey and follow. Give us boldness when we are tempted to cower. Give us hope when we are tempted with despair. Give us strength when we are tempted to give up.
Deliver us from evil. Deliver us from the evil within our own hearts. Deliver us from the Evil One. Deliver us from the evil in this world. Deliver our black brothers and sisters from the systemic evil in our society.
For Yours is the Kingdom and the Glory and the Honor Forever and Ever
We entrust all these things to You. We pray that Your name may be praised. We pray that You may be glorified. May you receive all the honor forever and ever.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen
We don’t bring ourselves to You, but we know that it is You who has come to us. You have brought us into Your presence. You listen to our prayers. You hear our hearts. And we know that this is through the cross of Jesus Christ. His blood is the sacrifice that allows us to pray to you and intercede for ourselves and others. It is in His name we pray, Amen.”
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
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