A Prayer For The Church Universal

 

 

Eternal, Holy and majestic God, we sing of Your faithfulness and of Your forgiveness, of Your grace and of Your goodness, of Your salvation and of Your Savior, truly You alone are worthy of our praise, You alone are deserving of our gratitude, You alone are the hope of the world.

 

Who are we that we should dare approach Your throne of grace, yet You have taught us to come boldly, in the name of Jesus, knowing that even now He is our intercessor, presenting His shed blood as a propitiation for our sins.  We come repenting of our sins and short comings, admitting that we are more interested in self than in service.  We are more interested in comfort than in adventure.  We are more interested in getting than in giving, more interested in being loved than in loving, more interested in looking good than in being good.  Father, people see what we do, but You alone see why we do it. Forgive us of these and all other short comings which are frowned upon when You look down upon us.  We pray, encourage us, strengthen us, and help us to see ourselves as You see us.

 

We pray this week for the Holy, catholic, church.  We think of the church in China, Russia, Japan, India, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.  In our minds eye, help us to see and identify with those of other lands and languages.  Help us to learn from them and to love them.  We thank You for those who have left their comfort zone that they might lay the foundation for Your church in far off places.  We thank You equally as much for those who responded to the Gospel and built upon that foundation until today the church of Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

 

We pray this week for Pauline Muchina of Kenya and other woman of great faith, profound dedication and radiant humility.  Bless them as they work to stop the spread of aids in their own country as well as in other countries in the great land of Africa.   May they stretch us and move us to become better disciples of our Lord, showing compassion upon a crying, hurting world.  May they challenge us and free us from our provincialism that we might have a world view acceptable to You.

 

Father, hear this, our prayer as it is offered in the name which is above every name, the name of Jesus.  

 

Amen