Boronia Church of Christ Church Prayer

By David Allen Boronia Church of Christ Boronia, Australia Church Prayer Holy, mighty God, It is good to come into your house, to meet together to worship and adore You …. to raise our voices in songs of praise …. to talk to You and listen to you ….

By David Allen
Boronia Church of Christ
Boronia, Australia

Church Prayer

Holy, mighty God,
It is good to come into your house, to meet together to worship and adore You ….
to raise our voices in songs of praise ….
to talk to You and listen to you ….
to hear Your Scripture and to learn of Your plans and purpose for our lives through the message ….
and especially to participate in that ancient, simple feast of remembrance that Your Son began.

God of wisdom, we praise Your holy name for this opportunity.

Where hearts are breaking, where thoughts are confused, where worries seem overwhelming, Lord be our Comforter. When the black dog of depression pulls us down, when pain is persistent, and the future seems unpredictable and bleak, Father God, send Your calming healing Spirit.

We ask that Your special blessing will be the heartfelt experience of those who are missing from this fellowship today. Some are weary; some are traveling, while others are just too sick or too frail. Some are mourning the loss of their loved ones and are not quite ready to face the wider world just yet. We know You are with our separated family, and we know You are hugging and healing, caring and comforting these people through us. We ask to be constantly alert for all opportunities to be Your compassionate servants.

Thank You that Your Word is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. Help us to search Your Word, to live by it, and to strive to be all that we can be on life’s journey.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

God or mercy and grace, we know that there is not one thing that we can hide from You, so strip away all our pretenses and illusions about our own perfection. We confess our weakness and sin here and now.

You are the judge – but we still set ourselves up in judgment of others. We can be so critical and carping and self-righteous. We put people down instead of lifting them up.

You are Love itself, yet we find it so hard to love unconditionally.

You are the God of peace, yet because of the greed of Humankind, the world You gave us is wracked with conflict.

You are the Creator, creative and bountiful and generous, yet we treat Your gift of this remarkable, beautiful planet like a giant quarry or waterway to be exploited without thought for the consequences, or like

one giant trash-can.

And like the rich man of Mark’s gospel, we chase riches and status and possessions …. all that is illusory and temporary in this world, instead of all that is essential for eternity.

So Father, we know what is wrong, and we have the instruction manual to fix it, but the temptations are mighty, and we forget to put our trust in You.

We want to plead again for perseverance, self-control and determination to overcome our own weaknesses. And we want to thank You from the bottom of our hearts for Your amazing grace, through Jesus Christ, that allows us to come back again and AGAIN! – never rejected – never separated from You – never beyond redemption, no matter what!

* * * * * * * * * * *

We would be the servant church in the week ahead, Lord. We want to grasp every opportunity to affirm others, to praise others, and to love others. And as for ourselves, we want to stop whinging and whining and moaning about how tough life is for us, and to look around at how much tougher life is for the really unfortunate folk around us – and then to do something about their misfortune.

We want to live like Jesus, and to be fired up like the early apostles – men and women of action and simple faith. Guide our Elders in their decision-making as Your work goes on.

We know that none of this is too much to ask, because You have promised us that our prayers are always heard.

And so God bless us, every one.

In the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Submitted by,
Tod & Ana Gobledale

The Gobledales served the Common Global Ministries Board at Churches of Christ Theological College (Seminary) in Australia.