Prayer: Our God in heaven, we give you thanks for your Son who grants us access into the throne room of heaven to pray and plead with you and set our burdens and cares before you. We thank you that you are not a mute or deaf god, but the one true and eternal God who created all things and orders all things according to your divine purpose and decree. Wicked and deceitful people often assail us, but we are reminded that your Son was reviled and rejected by men. We are often treated with hateful and hurtful actions and are often mistreated, but we are reminded that your Son served the weak, healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, and was hated by many. We often give our love and care to others, and in return, we are accused and attacked. We confess that we grow weary of such behavior by those made in your image. We acknowledge that we are often frustrated by these things, but our hope is in you, and it is to you that we turn and look and trust.
We pray for our enemies, asking that you would change the disposition of their hearts and open their eyes to the truth of the gospel. We pray for your people who face ill-treatment daily. We ask that you would sustain them and help them and use them to advance the love of Christ. We ask that you would vindicate your children and defend them against the efforts of wicked people. We further pray that you would help us to love those who mistreat us. WE ask that you would soften our hearts toward bad actors and enemies. We plead with you to give us compassion towards those who would seek our ruin. We know that these things are unnatural for us. As sinful people, we are prone to respond with bitterness and hate. We know that we are inclined to react in the same way we are treated. Please forgive us for our evil thoughts and hateful response. Purge from us any bitterness and work in us kindness and care we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Meditation: Ps. 109:1-5; Lk. 6:27-36
