Every day our faith is tested, though rarely do we perceive we are being tested. Each Sunday we gather in worship, and by do doing we implicitly implore God to renew and expand our faith. Worship is one of the primary means God uses to strength us in our commitment to Him and to His purposes. Therefore let us, with confidence, worship God.
Pastoral Prayer
We praise Thee, O God, for bringing us to another Sunday whereby we may gather in Thy name to give Thee thanks. We thank Thee for the multitude of blessings that are ours, most of which we sadly take for granted. Continue to remind us that all good comes from Thee, and that therefore we ought constantly to express our gratitude. Even when we are feeling deluged by problems and challenges, when we look around us, we see that our lives seem to be without any dilemmas at all compared to many other people. Lord God, give us more objectivity of vision to comprehend how truly blessed we are.
We pray for those who currently are bearing burdens which seem too large for them to handle, burdens of illness, sorrow, guilt, remorse, loss, estrangement, hatred, helplessness, or hopelessness. When we are up against it, O God, we realize ultimately it only Thou who canst give us the strength and courage to carry on. Therefore we pray for those who feel they are beyond their limits to face whatever it is that confronts them. Give to them an inner peace which declares to them that Thou art there, that Thou dost care, and that by Thy power within them they shall prevail.
We ask that Thou wouldst forgive us if we might have been agents of Thy grace to people in great need, and we failed, because we were too concerned about ourselves and whatever blinded us to their concerns. Help us to nourish our faith, so that it may accomplish great things for Thy kingdom around us. Teach us that there is no deed to small, no act too inconsequential, that if it is consciously done in Thy name, it shall be either small or inconsequential. Enlarge our faith, so that it may have an increasing impact in the corners of Thy world in which we find ourselves. These things we pray in Jesus’ name, who has called us into the life of faith. Now we pray as he taught his followers, saying, Our Father….