Sunday, March 24, 2013

Palm Sunday General Prayer



Lord God heavenly Father, we bless you and praise you and extol you for your great mercy and love.  On this day that you have made, when we gather together in your house, we pray that you would grant us success by giving us those things we ask according to your holy will:

We thank you for sending your Son Jesus into our world, bearing the gifts of righteousness and salvation.  We rejoice in the peace that we have with you through faith in him and the hope for a glorious future where all the fruits of his saving work will be our own.

Grant us humble hearts that follow in the footsteps on the one who suffered death for us—even death on the cross.  Help us to confess him as Lord in this life and willingly yield everything to his rule, so that we have nothing to fear in the life to come.

Bestow upon us your Holy Spirit so that we would always confess the truth about who Jesus is and what he has done, in the glad confidence that if we confess with our lips and believe with our hearts that you raised him from the dead we will be saved.

Make us faithful stewards of all that you have given us.  Like the master of the donkey let us regard our possessions as yours to use as you see fit, for the good of others and the extension of your kingdom.  

You have made a covenant of peace with us and sealed it with the blood of your Son Jesus Christ.  As we eat his true body and drink his true blood here in this place during Holy Communion, grant us faith to receive the benefits of life and salvation you give in this sacrament.

As we journey through life, hold us by the hand and guide us with your counsel so that we may faithfully walk the road that leads to heaven.  Renew in us pure hearts and that are ready and willing to lay aside the works of the flesh.

We look forward to the day when you will make a final end to the weapons of war.  Until that day bless all of those who serve as your ministers for our good in the government and military and keep them safe from harm to body or soul. 

We give thanks to you for you are good and your steadfast love endures forever.  Let your goodness and love be evident in the lives of all who stand in need of your help.  We pray for those who need physical healing.  We pray for marriages and families that they would places of love and care.  We pray for those who struggle besetting sins and addictions that they would be set free.

Whatever else you see that we need—whatever is good for our neighbor and brings glory to you—grant to us dear Father in heaven for the sake of Jesus Christ in whose name we pray.  Amen.

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