Opening Prayers/Prayers of Adoration on God’s Word
Inspired by John 1
Father God,
Out of the darkness You spoke the word:
“Let there be light, and there was light”.
Into our darkness You spoke Your Son,
the Word made flesh to live among us
the Light of the World to bring us life –
“and we have beheld His,
the glory of the one and only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.”
Lord God, we come to adore you. You are the ground of all that is.
You hold us in being, and without you we could not be.
Before we were born, before time began, before the universe came into being, you were.
When time is finished, when the universe is no more, you will still be.
Nothing can take your power from you.
And in your presence we can only be silent before the mystery of your being, for no words of ours can do justice to your grandeur.
(A silence)
Yet you have spoken to us. Out of universal silence your living word has sprung.
You have spoken, and given form and beauty to the world.
You have spoken, and given purpose to human life.
You have spoken, and declared the forgiveness of our sin.
You have spoken, and freed us from the fear of death.
Lord Jesus Christ, divine Word, speak to us now.
Show us the beauty of life; unite us to the eternal purpose; remove our guilt; conquer the fear of death in our hearts.
Speak and let us hear, for your name’s sake.
Contemporary Prayers for Public Worship, Ed. Caryl Mickelm, Erdmans, 1967.
Who spoke and this world was,
Who breathed and this world lived,
Who counts the hairs upon our head,
Who sees our thoughts and reads our hearts,
Who loves us more than we deserve,
How can we not bring today,
Our sacrifice of praise?
For in the child at Bethlehem
Lies the promise of intimacy
With a Saviour who would die even for me,
And the promise of an eternity
In which to praise you more each day.
God of promise we praise your name, Amen
John Birch, Faith and Worship
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the calling, privilege, and importance of worshiping together on the Lord’s Day. Because it’s a calling, we dare not dismiss it easily, or take it lightly. Because it’s you we get to meet with, may we come prepared, expectant, and evermore grateful.
According to the Scriptures, our gatherings will become increasingly important, as the Day of Jesus’ return grows closer and closer. Help us to take corporate worship more seriously, and engage more whole-heartedly than ever.
Father, may we, as your beloved children, give you, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit the worship of which you are alone worthy. Feed our minds with your Word; fill our hearts with your grace; empower our worship by your Spirit. May we gather, not as selfish consumers, looking to be pleased; but as true worshipers, longing to be consumed with your glory and grace.
We pray for those who lead us in your worship, and those who bring us your Word. Theirs is a great stewardship and responsibility. May the gospel be powerful in their hearts and fresh on their lips. May they see and savor Jesus, that we might do the same. Free them to honor and glorify you, and empower them to love and serve us.
Father, through our corporate worship, we pray you will be blessed, revealed, and magnified; and that we will be humbled, gladdened and transformed. As we lift Jesus up, we trust you to take us low and draw the nations in. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ loving and worship-worthy name.
Scotty Smith, The Gospel Coalition, “A Prayer for Our Corporate Worship”
From the very beginning was
Your Word,
Which spoke this world into being,
Your Word,
Which thunders from the skies,
Your Word,
Which flows like mountain streams,
Your Word,
Which whispers in morning breeze,
Your Word,
Revealed through kings and prophets,
Your Word,
Revealed through Angels’ praise,
Your Word,
Revealed in humble service,
Your Word,
Revealed through a tiny child,
Your Word,
Alive from the beginning of all things,
And to eternity.
John Birch, Faith and Worship
Words and Ways
Your words and ways are
Perfect
Sure
Right
Clear
Your words and ways are
Pure
True
Righteous
Every one
Their value, beyond price
Their goodness, beyond delight
Their counsel, enduring blessing
Place in me a longing
To desire them
Become them
Every one
Words and Ways © 2021 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
Lord God, we come to adore you. You are the ground of all that is.
You hold us in being, and without you we could not be.
Before we were born, before time began, before the universe came into being, you were.
When time is finished, when the universe is no more, you will still be.
Nothing can take your power from you.
And in your presence we can only be silent before the mystery of your being, for no words of ours can do justice to your grandeur.
(A silence)
Yet you have spoken to us. Out of universal silence your living word has sprung.
You have spoken, and given form and beauty to the world.
You have spoken, and given purpose to human life.
You have spoken, and declared the forgiveness of our sin.
You have spoken, and freed us from the fear of death.
Lord Jesus Christ, divine Word, speak to us now.
Show us the beauty of life; unite us to the eternal purpose; remove our guilt; conquer the fear of death in our hearts.
Speak and let us hear, for your name’s sake.
Contemporary Prayers for Public Worship, Ed. Caryl Mickelm, Erdmans, 1967.