Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we adore your holy name this morning for you alone are worthy of our praise and love. We love you because you first loved us. You have opened our eyes and ears to the truth of the gospel of your Son, who invites all sinners to come to him, those weary and heavy-laden for he will give them rest. We thank you that through his work, we have no fear of death — though it is appointed unto us to die, we know that to be absent from the body is to be present with our Lord.
We confess our sin to you today. Though we are a redeemed people, freed from the bondage of Egypt and bought with a great price we often go astray as wandering sheep. Too often, we are enticed by the things of this life and caught up with the cares of this world. Rarely do we speak of your kingdom and glory to others. How little we write about you or think about you. Instead, we grieve you by spending too much time worrying about the affairs of the city of man. Forgive us, Father. We are weak, miserable creatures. Help us to speak more about the city of God and focus our attention on things above as we pilgrim through this life.
We do pray for our leaders, as you have commanded. We ask that you would be merciful to them and bring them to faith and repentance. We desire to be led by men and women who fear you. We know that you have placed them in our lives for the good of the church, and we know that you are using them for your purposes in this world. We ask that you would bind their hands so they would not harm your people. We pray these things in your Son’s Name. Amen.
Scripture Meditation: 1 John 4:19; Matt. 11:28; Heb. 9:27; 2 cor. 5:8; Matt. 6; Col. 3; 1 Tim. 2:1-2
