On sunday I am Preaching on Psalm 133 and the focus for the prayer of thanksgiving and confession is the relationships God has called us to live out our faith in: Our family and friends who walk along the road with us. The people who have spoken into our lives and God has used to bring us to faith and help us to grow to maturity in Christ. Those who Christ has called us to serve and show his to... and of course as this sunday is reformation sunday and we celebrate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing the ninety five theses to the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral those who have reaffirmed salvation by grace alone and the authority of scripture.
As Always feel free to use any part of this prayer you may find useful... all of it if you like or none of it if you don't.
Loving God
This morning
we gather to give you praise and thanks
We especially
want to praise you for the people around us
People who make
life special and good
Who have
spoken into our lives and bought us near
Those who we
love and walk alongside us in you
And people
you have called us to serve and care for
Righteous
God
Thank you
that we know what love is because you first loved us
You sent
your son to die so our sins maybe forgiven
In his resurrection
we know new life
As he
ascended to heaven we know his kingdoms rule
In the small
acts of love we see around us that rule makes itself known
We have hope
it will all be put right when Christ returns
Gracious God
We thank you
for those who have gone before us
Those who
for two thousand years have witnesses to the gospel truth
Who in the
face of persecution and trouble have spoken your truth
This morning
in particular men and women of the reformation
Who reaffirmed
salvation by grace through faith alone
Who Emphasised
your word and reformed your church
Holy God who
leads and guides
We thank you
for the mentors and role models in our lives
Those who
you have used to speak into our lives and inspire us
Who have
used their talents and gifts to minister to us
Taught us,
loved us, shown us and prayed for us
Those in the
past who are now at rest with you
Those around
us today who you continue to use
Caring God
Thank you
for the people you have allowed us to show your love to
The ones in
need who we have been able to help
The ones looking
who we have been able to help see
The least whom
in simple acts of kindness we have met and served you
Those we
find it hard to love, who you call us to persevere with
Just as you
will not let us go
Father God
Thank you
for our family and friends
Parents,
great and grand parents
For children,
and great and grand kids
Brothers and
Sisters, all those other rellies
For wives
and husbands, we hold dearest in our hearts
For friends who
are always care, and mates who are just there
Righteous
and just God
While our
lives are enriched with so many people
We confess
that we do not always love as you have loved us
We do things
that are wrong and hurtful and unjust
We leave
good things undone, and injustice unchallenged
We ask that
you forgive us and wipe the slate clean
We thank you
are just and righteous that in Christ we are forgiven
God who is with
us on the way
We ask for
your continued presence with us through the Holy Spirit
May the
Spirit pour Christ like love on all our relationships
Bring the
words of Jesus to our minds and help us to obey them
Enable and
empower us to share you love and good news
Break down barriers that divide, unite us with
your people everywhere
So you O God may be glorified, Father, Son and
Holy Spirit
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