Monthly Archives: June 2016

Prayer: Looking to Jesus rather than doctrine (Matt. 7:21-27)

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Liturgist:           I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
All:                      Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.  (Psalm 86:11-12)

Father, we never want to hear you say these terrifying words to us: “I never knew you.” Please help us to know you truly and to love you deeply as you designed us to do, because you have poured your love into our hearts by your Holy Spirit. Break down every wall and every barrier that we put in the way of knowing you. Seize the attention of our hearts from the distractions that we allow to seduce us away from knowing you. We long for your truth to set us free from every hindrance so that our hearts would be united and whole to know and honor you.

Liturgist:           I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, . . .

Lord, please help us be doers, and not just hearers, of your word. When we stand before you as our Judge, we pray that our lives will show the fruit of truly knowing you, the fruit of love that is more than merely being sentimental or doing thing that are convenient, but rather real love that sacrifices when it isn’t convenient or pleasant, the fruit of your character expressed in us as we do our jobs for your glory with skill and devotion, as we welcome strangers generously, as we care for the sick, as we forgive and bless those who hate us, as we visit those who are prisoners, as we care for and adopt children, as we serve a friend who suffers.

Liturgist:           I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, . . .

Father, please be our rock that holds firm when life’s storms put our faith to the rest: when marriage is hard, when friends disappoint, when children wander and won’t listen, when parents and leaders fail, when everything in us wants to give up and surrender to bitter anger, we pray for your strong, patient love to hold us fast, to calm us and give us courage to trust you and to love as we have been loved by you.

Liturgist:           I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, . . .

We pray for those who do not know you, for family and friends, for co-workers and neighbors, some of whom have attended a church and who think they know you but do not. Please open their eyes and hearts to think, to see, to understand, and to embrace you as their true Creator and Savior. Please make us your loving ambassadors in their lives. Help us adorn that good news with humble love. Help us to listen and share and discuss the truth for the sake of love and with a manner of love and a motive of love.

Lord, pray for the coming of your kingdom in all its fullness using the words that you taught us, saying, “Our Father…

Prayer for Pentecost Sunday: Walking by the Spirit and not by the flesh (Gal. 3:1-9)

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Spirit of wisdom and understanding, give us the mind of Christ. When we need direction, please bring your word to our mind and heart. When we need clear thinking, please show us wonderful things in your word and lead us in the way of right reason and Spiritual wisdom.

Spirit of counsel, when we do not know what to pray, when are too tired, or too hurt, or too afraid, or too confused to think and pray clearly, please remind us that you pray in us and for us. Please help us bring our simple lament and pain and confusion to you in the simplest thoughts, and words, and groans too deep for words. Thank you that you lead us to look to Jesus when we feel that we cannot. Please help us pray for others and offer your good counsel to others who need to hear it through us with gentleness and respect.

Spirit of the Father, when we feel alone and abandoned, please remind us that you are the guarantee that we are adopted daughters and sons of the Father and heirs of eternal life. Please help us receive and comfort others as we have been received and comforted by you.

Spirit of might, when we feel tempted and weak, please make us strong strengthen us to stand firm. When we want what we know is wrong, and what is bad for us and for others, please give us a stronger desire for what is right, and good, and true, and beautiful. Holy Spirit, make us holy and you are holy, and fill us with your might to stand firm against our flesh and against the schemes of the evil one; make us strong and courageous to encourage and strengthen others who are

Spirit of justice, when we see injustice in ourselves and in the systems and institutions in which we live in our work and our city, may zeal for your justice, goodness, and mercy consume us and compel us to work for justice for the poor, for the marginalized, for the powerless, for the oppressed, with whatever resources and opportunities you have given to us. Please give us courage to do what is right and to trust you for whatever results may come. We pray especially for groups in St. Louis seeking justice and mercy for all in law, in our courts, in housing and economic development, and in education. Please help our city flourish because your people unite to bring your Spirit’s truth, and blessing, and power.

Spirit of Christ, when we feel hopeless, please help us remember that you are the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. Fill us with hope that you are greater than the evil one and any power in our flesh or in the world that opposes the ultimate triumph of your mission to save.

Spirit of the King, we pray for the coming of your kingdom in all its fullness with the words that you taught us, saying: Our Father. . .

Prayer for Ascension Sunday (and Mother’s Day): Trust Jesus Rather Than Tradition (Mark 7:1-13)

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Liturgist:    Teach me, O Lord, the way of your law; and I will keep it to the end.
All:               Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
and observe it with my whole heart.   (Psalm 119:33-34)

Father, we give thanks today for mothers, both our biological mothers and our spiritual mothers in the faith, for the special ways they reveal to us your glory and goodness. Thank you for all the ways they have shown us Christ-like love, selfless sacrifice, protection and comfort and wisdom. Father, please help us honor your law that teaches us to honor our mothers and cherish all the ways they have taught us and loved us well. We pray for those who struggle with hurt and disappointment on Mother’s Day: for those who have longed to be mothers but have not been able to enjoy that blessing, for those with a difficult relationship with their mother, and for those harmed by abortion. Enable them to lament and bring that pain to you to find their identity in you as your beloved daughter, to find the freedom of your forgiveness, and to know comfort and encouragement that only you can give.

Liturgist: Teach me, O Lord, the way of your law; and I will keep it to the end. . .

Our risen King, you ascended into heaven to reign at the right hand of the Father, so help us to submit every thought we think and every tradition we practice to the authority of your word. Please set us free from sinful traditions and habits that we do not even see because we are comfortable with them, traditions and habits in our work, in our spending, in our friendships, in our entertainment, and in our ways of “doing church.”

Liturgist: Teach me, O Lord, the way of your law; and I will keep it to the end. . .

Please open our eyes and our heart to see and to savor the riches of your law. Your word is bread from heaven that nourishes us with communion with you, so fill us with hunger and thirst to take it in and savor it, to study it, to memorize it and meditate upon it. We pray that we would have your word on our hearts and lips when we rise and when we go to bed, when we work and when we play. May we sing it daily so that your word may dwell in us richly. Your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, so please help us to see clearly by it, to walk through life boldly in its light and to flee from every path that leads us away from you and your mission.

Liturgist: Teach me, O Lord, the way of your law; and I will keep it to the end. . .

Our risen King, you ascended into heaven to reign and to give us power by your Spirit for serving you. Please help us tell and show our neighbors with excitement that trusting you and submitting to the rule of your law and your authority is not irrational bondage but rather the way of truth and wisdom and love that truly sets us free. We pray especially for leaders in our city & our state, our nation & our world who will honor your authority over all others, respect and protect the dignity of human life, promote equality and justice, and lead as humble servants for the common good.

Liturgist: Teach me, O Lord, the way of your law; and I will keep it to the end. . .

Our risen King, you ascended into heaven to reign, so we ask you to complete the salvation that began in your resurrection. We long for the day when your glory will fill the whole earth as the waters cover the sea and there will no more crying, or pain, or death but only mourning turned to dancing and the deepest joy forever. We pray for this in the words that you taught us, saying: Our Father. . .

Prayer: Beyond Good Intentions (Matt. 25:1-13)

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Lord of love, we thank you for grace unmeasured, vast and free. We pray for your resurrection life in us that awakens hearts that have grown cold, and minds that have grown dull, and hope that has grown distracted and weak.

God of truth, we do thank you for a legacy of faithfulness in our church in proclaiming and teaching the truth of the good news that you have entrusted to you in your word. We pray that you would not allow us to lose our first love, but to show our commitment to the gospel in word and deed. We pray that Central would be known in our city for showing the truth in love as much as teaching the truth in words, for our giving as much as our resources, for reaching out to share the gospel with others as much as we delight to lift up our hearts together in worship.

And so we pray that you would enable us to love in the way that you have first loved us. Please help us move beyond good intentions to love you, to remember you are present with us every moment of every day, to choose to live a praying life and an obeying life in every situation.

We ask that you would help us beyond our good intentions in loving the people in our lives. We lift up to you now the people in our lives that we want to love and need to love, but find it very hard to love, the people that we need to forgive, people that we have avoided or insulted or pushed away in fear or anger. Please make us faithful to bless and to pray for your richest blessing these people that you have brought to mind. Help us forgive as you have forgiven us in Christ.

Sovereign Lord, we ask that you would help us move beyond good intentions in loving our city and the people in your world who are in great need. We pray for

– for partnership and unity with other Christians and other churches

– for friendships in our neighborhoods and work places and schools

– for new avenues to serve others in

We pray for your help through your church for refugees and those oppressed by the horrors of war in Syria and Iraq, for sisters and brothers suffering threats and pressure but still walking with courage and integrity in China, India, the Philippines, Nigeria, and elsewhere.

Father, in all these things we pray for the power of Christ to make us faithful ambassadors of your glorious gospel, so we pray in the words that you taught us: Our Father…”