Opening Prayers/Prayers of Adoration on Seasons
(Prayer of Adoration)
Lord of yesterday, today and tomorrow:
You alone rule the universe;
setting times and seasons according to Your will.
While nations and king come and go,
You, only, are King of kings and Lord of lords;
immortal and all-knowing,
never lacking power and wisdom.
You are strong; and you are good!
Therefore, we joyously and reverently call you God and King.
(Prayer of Confession)
Yet, in spite of all we know of You –
we are stubborn and rebellious still.
We think ourselves wise – disregarding Your truth.
We think ourselves strong – using violence to force our will.
We think ourselves right –writing-off others and refusing to
learn from them.
We think ourselves good – ignoring our corruption and evil;
pointing fingers and wagging tongues at others.
Forgive our arrogance minds, self-centeredness hearts
and ungracious spirits.
Take away our hearts of stone;
replace them with hearts of flesh,
hearts that best after Your own heart.
In silent moments, hear us confess what we’re too ashamed to name aloud – forgive and free us, Lord: (Silence)
God of grace, power and glory –
Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer – and our Father:
When we’re tempted to think it’s all up to us:
to change the world,
to overcome evil,
to establish Your kingdom.
to make things right, and good and just
we’re reminded that
where our hand is weak, yours is strong,
where our wisdom fails, yours holds fast,
where our love falters, yours endures,
where our wills vacillate, yours remains true forever.
That’s why we lift our hands to you in prayer.
In the end, victory in life’s battles is Yours not ours;
rejoicing over life’s joys is more for Your work than ours.
So we celebrate and give thanks to You
for marriages begun and families that grow;
for friends that succeed, graduate and move on to new things;
for ministries that bring hope, encouragement and salvation;
for work and play, for new friends and old friends,
for having enough, and even some more,
so we can give to others in need.