Corporate Worship Prayers - March2021

3/7/21

Father, thank you for gathering us here today, around your table as your people. These are not seats we, by any means, deserve to inhabit, but you invite us gather here and take the bread and the cup in remembrance of your son, Jesus, and we are grateful you've made space for us. These days are hard, they are just filled with confusion, and struggle, and friction. And it seems like we're always just waiting for the other shoe to drop. And it's against that backdrop that we allow doubt to creep in. We doubt your goodness. We doubt your faithfulness. We even doubt your love for us. As if you didn't sacrifice your own son–your own son–on a rugged, gnarly cross because we needed saved from the darkness of our own hearts. Yet we're so bold to question you. The truth is we give ourselves over to this thinking so very easily. Father, forgive us. Forgive us for doubting your goodness and your faithfulness. Forgive us for doubting your love for us. And, Spirit, help us to trust that for those who love you and are called according to your purpose, all things work together for good. Help us to rest in the assurances we have in Christ, to trust in the one who draws us into his life, his death, and his resurrection and claims us as our own for all eternity. It's in the wonderful name of Christ that we have gathered, and in his name we pray, Amen.

3/14/21

Gracious and Loving God,

We give you thanks and praise this morning, Maker and Creator of all things. We humbly come before you today weary and broken, with many of us carrying pain and sorrows too heavy to even put into words….. The weight of our sins binding us down…….the weight of 12 months of a worldwide pandemic, of masks, of illnesses, quarantines, fear of the unknown, division and separation from our communities and those that we love.

Lord, you set every star in its place in the vastness of the galaxies, and you cause the spring flowers to peek up from the late winter’s snow; revealing to us your divine providence and care, promising the hope that each new day brings. 

Forgive us, Lord, for not trusting in your tender care. Forgive us for allowing ourselves to stray from you.  Forgive us for clinging to fear or grasping at the empty temptations of this world, rather than the hope and peace that you offer us through Your  blood bought victory on the cross. 

Spirit, we pray that you would fix our wandering hearts. Help us to cling to the Truth of Your faithfulness that you make known to us in Your Word. Reveal to us those places in our hearts that we have withheld from full surrender and trust. And lead us in the way of righteousness to the foot of the cross as you gently remind us of who we are: your beloved children. Let it be the cry of our hearts to speak of your faithfulness and trust in your ways, the only way which leads to eternal life. It is in your beautiful Name that we pray this morning.

-And all of God’s children said…Amen!

3/14/21

Father God,

Thank you for the opportunity to come before you today.

Your love, grace, provision and protection for us is far beyond what we deserve.

We are a sinful, selfish people who turn our hearts from you daily seeking the fleeting joys of the world instead of focusing on attaining true joy in you and you alone.

But in your great grace, you sent Jesus to make a way. Jesus - our redeemer. Through his perfect life, tragic death, and unparalleled resurrection, we are made right with you. He defeated Satan, sin, and death and made it so that we may be viewed as righteous in your eyes to live and worship you eternally.

We love you, and we thank you.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

3/21/21

Hear us, Lord, as we come before you and speak to our hearts as we open them up here this morning. Father, we are stiff necked and stingy. You are steadfast and gracious in love. We are prideful and quick to judge while you are merciful and slow to anger. God, none of this is hidden from you. No moment of anger, lack of patience, apathy towards our brother, goes unnoticed or ignored. But, you have covered it with your blood. You see the depths of our hearts that we aren't even willing to acknowledge and yet you choose to call us yours-setting your affection upon us for no reason other than your goodness and grace. Lord, we see the wicked prosper and we doubt that goodness. We see evil seemingly winning and it casts fear into our hearts. So, we gather here today to remember who you are - that you are faithful even when we are not, that you are our deliverer, our stronghold, our refuge. Please, strengthen our hearts here this morning. You brought us out of death into life and we rejoice as we sing praise here to you today. Let those songs be a path to our hearts as we prepare to hear your word. Amen.

3/28/21

Father, we ascribe ALL glory, ALL honor, ALL wisdom, ALL strength and ALL power to you alone. Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Salvation belongs to you.

Father, we confess our short-comings to you in this moment. We admit our wrong-doings and ask for your forgiveness. Lord, we often seek control over our lives and our circumstances and we even seek control over the lives of others at times. Father, we think we know what is best . . . we think we know what will bring us the most happiness . . . we think we know what will bring us the most pleasure . . . we think we know what will bring us the most comfort . . . we think we know what will bring us the most power . . . we think we know what will bring us the most freedom. Lord, how wrong we are. And even though we, as Christ-followers, know that you are sovereign over all and that you know what is best for us and that you are ultimately in control, we still try to wrest that control from You. How foolish we are, Lord . . . please forgive us, please remind us that you are our joy, that you are our comfort, that you are our power and in being slaves to you we find freedom.

Thank you for loving us so greatly that you chose us as yours. You did not leave us in our sin . . . hopeless and desperate, but you made a way for us to be reconciled to you through your son Jesus. Father, we thank you for the gift of salvation.

Lord open our eyes today so that we may see Your truth and love more clearly. In Your name we pray, Amen.