Opening Prayers/Prayers of Adoration on Family
In Christ there is no East or West,
In Christ no South or North;
But one great family of love
Throughout the whole wide earth.
In Christ shall true hearts everywhere
Their high communion find;
His service is the golden chord
Close-binding humankind. Amen.
Join hands, then, people of the faith,
whatever your race may be.
All children of the living God
are surely kin to me.
In Christ now meet both east and west,
in him meet south and north.
All Christly souls are joined as one
throughout the whole wide earth.
John Oxenham, Adapted
Jesus, Lord—because you took on flesh,
You know what it’s like to be us.
You know what keeps us awake at night,
or yanks us out of sleep in the early morning.
You know what it’s like to have good days and bad days, too.
You know the feelings of being physically tired,
emotionally exhausted and mentally drained.
We’re grateful for a God who knows what it’s like to be us.
You know the joys of a newborn child in a family.
You care about parents who care for their children
with wisdom, love, grace and faithfulness so that
one day they’ll turn and follow You.
Give them what they need to fulfill their calling to love as You love.
You care about weddings and marriages that follow.
Bless husbands and wives with your love that bears all things,
hopes all things, endures all things, that never fails.
May our homes reflect Your love for us
and ours for You to all who see them.
You also know what happens when the wonder fades
and real life takes its toll on families and marriages—
when relationships get strained, sometimes to the breaking point,
when our own strength is not enough,
when forgiveness and reconciliation is tough.
Lord—come as the One who specializes in reconciliation,
in hope and in persistent love.
Make a way home for those who’ve wandered;
and an open door when they return.
God of Grace and God of Glory – rich in love and mercy, all powerful and everywhere present: We come to You at Your bidding, trusting in Your faithful compassion and not in our fruitless efforts to do what is good or right or loving.
We thank You always for the gift of new life in a child, the gift of new relationships in an engagement or marriage; the gift of new birth for those who hear the gospel and respond; and the gift a new heaven and a new earth there for all who know You. All that is truly new comes from You, not from us.
Lord – We come this morning at the start of another week to worship You, our Alpha and Omega, our beginning and end.
You guided, protected, strengthened and blessed us this past week – for which we thank You and praise You.
There’s no one like You. There’s no one who loves us like You do; no one who knows us like You do; no one so good and so strong, so powerful and compassionate as You. We worship You in glory.
You bind us one to another – each of us to You and all of us to each other. Together You make us Your family, marking us with the same Spirit. Thank You.
You show us Your way, give us Your truth and impart Your life to us in Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord – the One who we trust. Bless you, God our Savior.
God, our heavenly Father –
from whom all families gain purpose, direction and life:
When we need bread, you don’t give a stone;
and when we ask for fish, you don’t give a snake;
for you are good, you are strong and you are loving.
As your children we come to you asking, seeking
and knocking and you respond:
“Come, child – and open your heart.”