Lent 1c General Prayer

Lord God heavenly Father, we come to You in prayer confessing that You are our refuge and fortress, trusting You to hear and answer all those who take shelter in You:

We thank You for Your protection and provision which is both mighty and tender.  When we look out upon a world that is filled with many terrors of both body and soul, gather us to Yourself.  Use Your ministers in the government to protect us from those who would do us harm.  Bless the president, the congress, and all who make and administer our laws.  Protect our military men and women and bless their families.

When pestilence and plague threaten us and those we love, be our constant help and guard us in all our ways.  Bless those who are ill, recovering, and facing surgery and testing, especially:  Dolores, Tom, Logan, Colleen, Red, Robert, Randy, and Nicole.  Assure those who are hospitalized and in nursing homes that You are with them both day and night, especially Rosalie as she nears death.  Comfort all who mourn with the Good News that darkness and destruction has no place in the death of Your people but that all who trust in You abide in light and life. 

O Lord our God, when we reflect upon our lives we see that You have mightily blessed us along our life’s journey and brought us to a place of abundance.  Let our lives always be marked with joyous thanksgiving for all the good You have bestowed upon us.  Especially do we pray for Cate and Jeff as they celebrate a wedding anniversary.  Grant that their love for one another and You would deepen in the years they share together as husband and wife.    

We thank You that You are the God who delivers and sets free and by the mighty, nail-pierced hands of Your Son Jesus and by his outstretched arms upon the cross.  You have delivered us from the enemies of sin, death, and the power of the devil.  We know that through His resurrection we shall be saved.  By Your Holy Spirit working through the Word grant us faith to believe this Good News and courage to confess it to the world so that all might call upon Your holy name and be saved.

In our day-to-day lives as Your people help us to remain steadfast and faithful in times of temptation.  Let the faithfulness of Jesus be our own through faith in Him.  Grant us the ministering help of Your Holy Angels.  Help us to remember that we do not live by bread alone, that we are to serve and worship only You, and that we are to trust Your Words of promise.     

Lord God heavenly Father, You are our dwelling place and we pray that You would keep us from all evil throughout our days; through Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord.  Amen.