Lent 3c General Prayer

Lord God heavenly Father, it is by the abundance of Your steadfast love that we have entered Your house this day.  Hear us as we bow down before You in prayer:

Continue to raise up watchmen for Your house who will speak Your words of warning and comfort without compromise or fear-- and grant Your people believing hearts to hear them and respond in faith. 

Help us to be a people whose faith in You translates into lives that are just and right.  Empower us by Your Spirit to walk in the statutes of life, repenting of our sins, and doing good to others.

Renew in us a love for Your Word so that we know and believe the lessons that are written there for our instruction.  Let us take heed of Your stern warnings and temporal judgments so that we would fear Your wrath and trust in Your merciful love.

You know that we live in a world that is broken by sin and evil—a world where the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for those he may destroy.  Each time we encounter great moral or physical evil, lead us to repent of our sins and be renewed in our faith in Your Son Jesus Christ.  Let Your Holy Spirit be at work in us through the means of grace so that when You look for the fruits of faith in our lives we would not be found lacking.

We believe that You are not a God who delights in wickedness but hate all evil-doers and so rid our nation of those besetting sins that destroy the lives of the poor and weak and unborn and undermine Your good gifts of marriage and family.  We also believe that You are a God who abhors those who are bloodthirsty and evil and so we pray that You would protect our military men and women who serve to protect our nation from those who would do us harm. 

Lord, You know the way of the righteous and we thank You that we can be counted in that number on account of Christ’s righteousness that is ours by faith.  Grant us those good gifts of healing- and daily provision- and rain that we need.  Especially do we ask Your blessing upon the Becker grandchildren who celebrate birthdays, that they would be counted right in Your sight every day of their lives and have all their needs of body and soul richly met by You.

As we have entered Your house today by the abundance of Your steadfast love, so be with us throughout our days that we would enter the eternal home You have prepared for us.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.