Opening Prayers/Prayers of Adoration on Calling
Holy One of Israel, of all
Your love is unfailing, steadfast, sure
You call
Your mouth opens wide
Your hand opens wide
Your storehouse opens wide
Your heart opens wide
You call
Come, Listen, Receive
We’re listening
We’re open
We need your gift of life
Holy One make us alive
You Call © 2021 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
Opening Prayer based on 1 Corinthians 12
Holy One, Giver of every good and perfect gift
It is your great grace that offers us salvation
It is grace upon grace that gives us the chance to join you in your saving work
You trust us that much
You empower us that far
Reveal our spiritual gifts
Reveal our calling in this time and place
so we may fulfill it together
so we may fulfill it for the common good
so we may honor you and one another
Holy One, convince us of our value and purpose,
Assure us of our place in your Body and our place in your plan
Use us for your glory, now and forever. Amen.
Opening Prayer based on 1 Corinthians 12 © 2022 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
The first act of calling is by your command in your Word,
‘Come to me, return to me’;
The second is to let in light,
so that I see that I am called particularly,
and perceive the sweetness of the command as well as its truth,
in regard to your great love of the sinner,
by inviting him to come, though contemptible,
in regard to the end of the command,
which is fellowship with you,
in regard to your promise in the gospel,
which is all of grace.
Therefore, Lord,
I don’t need to worry if I am your elect, or loved,
for if I turn you will come to me;
Christ has promised me fellowship if I take him,
and the Spirit will pour himself out on me,
abolishing sin and punishment,
assuring me of the strength to persevere.
It is your pleasure to help all that pray for grace,
and come to you for it.
Taken from An Excerpt of “Christian Calling” in The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, ed. Arthur Bennett (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1975). Language modernized for corporate worship by Stuart Strachan Jr.
Faithful God, our Father, Lord and Counselor:
By your grace you know our names before we are even born.
By your grace you call us your own sons and daughters.
By your grace you give us an eternal purpose. And,
By your grace give us everything necessary to fulfill that calling:
Your very own self before us, beside us, inside us, with us.
You invite us to open our hearts to your love and power;
And so we do.
Holy Spirit, Holy One
ONE:
People of God, Rejoice!
Our Eternal and Beautiful God is near
The One who gives us new birth by water and Spirit
The One who names us beloved
The One who delights in our very existence
Come and worship
ALL:
Holy Spirit, Holy One
Holy Spirit, Descending Dove
Alight on me that I may know your presence
Anoint me that I may know your call
Fill me that I may know your power
Guide me that I may know your path
Name me that I may know, that I know, that I know who I am
Amen
Holy Spirit, Holy One © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
Father God … our Abba:
You seek us with relentless love – coming after us in Your Son, Jesus.
When we are in the pits – You draws us up and out;
When we are broken – You fix us.
When we are lost – You find us.
When we are confused about who we are –
You call us by name and calls us Your own.
With hearts stilled and filled with Your love:
We bring our thanks and praise to You today.
(Prayer of Confession)
Yet – how often we forget who we are as Your children.
We live like we are not Yours but someone else’s;
Like we are not created in Your image,
redeemed by the blood of Your Son,
indwelt by Your very self in the Holy Spirit.
Forgive our wandering hearts, our lusty spirits,
Our self-centered attitudes and selfish actions.
You call us from what we know to something new
From a life on this sea with this family
From the nets of generations before us
You call us to a new beginning
A new being and doing
You call us to follow
To move and become
Help us turn towards you
Help us follow
Help us believe and trust you fully
Immediately
Help us live into our chosenness
To lay down what we know and pick up the new
Empower us to go out with you
Across, beyond, into the deep
Bringing in your wild, shining kingdom
Full, full nets
Full, full nets
Full, full nets
Full, Full Nets © 2019 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com