Advent 3c General Prayer

Gracious heavenly Father, maker of heaven and earth, we come to You in prayer, hoping in Your faithfulness:  

You have promised to execute justice for the oppressed and lift up those who are bowed down and so be with and bless all of those who are affected by the shooting in Connecticut.  Comfort those who mourn.  Heal those who are injured.  Strengthen first responders and all those who are providing help and aid to the victims.  Continue to abide in our midst so that we have no fear of evil.

We give You thanks and praise that You are the God who cares for His people, giving food to the hungry and setting the prisoner free and opening the eyes of the blind.  Meet the needs of all those who lack some material necessity.  Strengthen those who are persecuted for the cause of Christ.  Grant healing to those who are ill especially Sharron, Tom, Logan, Robert, Randy, and Nicole.

Our hearts are filled with gladness that You have taken away the judgments against us on account of our sins and placed them upon Your Son Jesus Christ.  His death and resurrection has cleared away our enemies of death and the devil.  Bless the work of Your church as we share this Good News so that others may be gathered into Your kingdom.

Lord, we rejoice in You as we give thanks for all the blessings and tender mercies You bestow upon us.  We thank You for the gifts of marriage and family and children and pray that you would continue to bless Cruz and Grace in their marriage as they celebrate a wedding anniversary.  Be with Abigail and Hope and Kaelyn as they graduate from college and begin a new part of their life’s journey.  

When we are confronted by doubts and questions that would undermine our faith, turn us again and again to Your Son Jesus Christ and impress upon our hearts Your words so that our faith would be strengthened and our life as your children be sustained.

Heavenly Father, this week we have once again been reminded that we live in a dark and dangerous world.  When we are overcome by worries and anxieties help us to be people of prayer so that your peace would guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  It is in his name that we pray.  Amen.