Prayers of the People/Intercession on Grace
Lord, may your glorious Majesty surround us,
the blessed Trinity protect us,
and the eternal Godhead preserve us.
Your unlimited mercy support us;
your loving kindness encompass us;
your favor cause us to rejoice.
The eternal truth of God be our delight,
the saving knowledge of Christ strengthen us,
and the all-prevailing grace of God be sufficient for us.
May the grace of God the Father lead us,
the wisdom of God the Son be our consolation,
and the power of the Holy Spirit enlighten us.
Lord our Creator, stand by us;
our Redeemer, save us;
and our Comforter, dwell with us.
Amen.
Johann Habermann, Trans. Emil H. Rausch, Morning and Evening Prayers for All Days of the Week, Language adapted for Corporate Worship by Stuart Strachan Jr.
Good and Gracious Lord, You hold us in the palm of Your strong hand, working all things for our good and to Your glory. There’s no place we can go that escapes Your notice and is hidden from Your loving attention. We’re amazed by Your power and in awe of Your grace: You take what’s inadvertently or intentionally evil and bend it to Your will and ways. So, remembering Your wondrous grace and awesome power, we open our hearts, lifting our burdens and cares to You. For our world, we pray: For peace: end the warring madness that threatens to destroy all.
For the victims of natural disasters and for social and political unrest around the globe: Protect the poor and needy from exploitation. Give food to the hungry and freedom to captives. For our nation, we pray for justice and honesty for elections in states and cities, that individuals with a heart for your ways of truth would find their way into office.
We also pray for our nation’s president, vice-president, congressmen and senators – that they would lead us in Your ways of justice, righteousness and truth. We intercede also for those who have been touched by the grief of loss this week. We pray on behalf of friends and family, brothers and sisters in Christ who are ill or injured, recuperating and recovering; we ask Your healing power and restorative touch for them.
May they know Your presence to comfort and encourage. May they rise up to call you “Blessed” for Your goodness in their lives. For the anxious among us – give them confidence and peace. For those feeling the pain of broken relationships – bring Your reconciliation, love, forgiveness and grace. To the lonely – be a friend and bring a new friend.
For the hopeless – show them a way and give them a light in the darkness. For all of us, never leave us nor forsake us, remind us always of your love and power. For all this, and more in our heart of hearts, we pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
God of Grace and Power—our Friend, who sticks closer than a brother: You know when we screw up …and You know when we manage to get it right. You know when we forget you … but You never forget us. You know when we’re weak, for then You are strong. Today—because of Your grace, we can come to You just as we are, not as we aren’t nor even as we might pretend to be.
Because of Your power, we know You can do what we can’t. So, we humbly ask you to hear us as we pray for those who are ill or injured, for those whose sickness is incurable by us, for those unjustly imprisoned, for those without hope, and those who are homeless or abandoned. As You move toward us in love, lead us in Jesus’ name to be with them in their suffering as Your Spirit is close to them.
We ask You to sustain those who need Your healing touch; please… restore the wounded and make the sick whole and strengthen their caregivers. Please, Lord, give hope to the dying and comfort all who mourn–whether their grief is fresh or lingering. Indeed, please uphold all who suffer in body or mind, not only those we know and love, but also those known only to You … that they may know the peace and joy of Your upholding care.
We also ask that You hear the cries of the world’s hungry and suffering–and answer them. Give us, who consume so much of the world’s resources, the righteous will to reorder our lives so all may have a rightful share of food, water, medical care, and shelter, and have what they need to live a life of dignity. Lord, we ask that You guide rulers and leaders of all nations.
Move them to set aside fear, greed, and vain ambition, and to bow to your gracious and sovereign rule.
Inspire them to strive for peace and justice, so all people may dwell securely, free of war and injustice. For our nation, we ask You to renew us in the ways of godliness and grace, justice and peace. Guide those who make and administer our laws to build a society based on trust, respect and faith in You.
Erase prejudice that oppresses. Give all our citizens a new vision of a life of harmony that reflects Your eternal kingdom. Lord, we pray for Your church around the world: that You’d empower its life and witness.
Break down barriers that divide us and, instead, unite us in Your truth and love, so that our witness brings glory to You and hope to the world. And strengthen us in this congregation in its work and worship. Fill hearts with Your self-giving love; enable voices to speak Your praise; and bring lives into conformity to the image of Your Son, Jesus our Lord.
Lord, Teacher, Savior, Friend: We need Your grace, which forgives our sins; Your truth, which anchors our lives; Your presence, which calms our fears; Your call, which gives us purpose; Your hope, which overcomes our despair; and Your love, which satisfies our deepest longings. We need You.
We need you to do what we can’t: for You are strong and You are good, and we are not. Jesus: Heal our friends and loved ones. Heal their bodies. Save their souls. Lift their discouraged and depressed spirits. Calm their troubled minds and tossing emotions.
We pray especially today for…Rebuild crumbling homes and families. Lay a strong foundation in Your Truth. Fill them with the light of Your Grace. Warm them with the fire of Your Spirit.
Enable each person to say, “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you.” Make our homes, marriages and families models of your love so that others may see Your gospel lived out and we may know joy in right relationships. We pray for our world: Where there’s fighting, bring peace. Protect those who seek to promote peace, and who serve as agents of justice.
Empower Your people to live the gospel of peace, to be reconcilers between peoples, and between persons and You as Savior and Lord. We pray for our nation: Send the cleansing fire of your Holy Spirit. Call us to righteousness and away from immorality. Guide us in ways of truth. Judge our sin and our leading others into sin. Make us a holy nation. Forgive us by Your grace and lead us in Your ways. We intercede for our leaders: Nationally: for our President, Vice-President, Senators & Representatives; Justices and Judges; Locally: or freeholders and township officials, for those on school boards and other public servants; And for our church: for it’s pastors, and staff, its elders, deacons, trustees, teachers and volunteers.
May all know your strength to serve,Your wisdom to teach and lead, Your courage to do what’s right, Your grace when they stray and Your truth to return them to Your way. Now, we pray for our preacher:May we hear Your voice in his/hers. What is not of You–may we forget immediately. What is of You–may we always remember. And when we Hear You, may we follow where You lead. This we pray, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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. We pray for a world gone mad–no longer safe (if it ever was), and increasingly filled with war, disease, terror, ambition, prejudice, greed, and distrust. Please, Lord …Bring peace between people and nations. Give leaders wisdom, courage and grace.
Open doors of reconciliation and healing between peoples. Protect those who serve in dangerous places to protect our freedom; and comfort families of those who’ve met harm in so doing. We pray for your church, called to graciously offer your truth in confusing times, your light in dark days, and a welcoming place of refuge amidst the chaos.
Enable us, along with those who serve you as missionaries, to remain loyal, bold, gracious and loving. Make us one in purpose, in faith, and in commitment to you. For this congregation: we thank you for a year gone-by, full of your grace and faithfulness; and we ask your blessing on the year ahead: that men, women, girls and boys may come to know you intimately, as Lord, Savior, Father and Friend. We also interceded for those sick physically or emotionally. Heal them by your power, love and grace; and make them whole again. Give your comfort and peace to those separated from loved ones by death. Now, we pray for our preacher this morning: Give him/her strength, vitality, and your clear Word for us; and enable us to hear, believe and receive your Truth. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God, you call us to prayer. Throughout the Scriptures, we read about your people praying.
The Israelites cried out for you to rescue them from slavery. You sent them Moses.
Hannah wept, asking you to remember her. You gave her a son.
King Solomon asked for a discerning heart to govern your people. You gave him the gift of wisdom.
Esther declared a fast and prayed for favor with the king. You spared her people.
The disciples Peter and John prayed for boldness. You shook the ground and filled them with the Holy Spirit.
An unnamed woman poured out her brokenness at Christ’s feet. He forgave her sins.
Jesus himself prayed for us to be followers who are continually sent. You send us as you sent your Son.
O Lord, help us to be people of prayer, willing to cry out to you, humbly naming our needs, desiring to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and constantly praying for one another’s ability to serve you.
We take a moment now to reflect on:
where we need to give or receive forgiveness. (Pause for a moment of silence.)
The people we know who are in need of your grace and healing. (Pause for a moment of silence.)
Our community, our nation, and our world. (Pause for a moment of silence.)
Almighty, attentive God, Thank you for being a personal Lord whom we can approach with honesty, with frustration, and with hope.
We pray these things together, as your grateful people. Amen.
Ellen R. Dawson