We come before the throne of grace with hearts full of gratitude for the daily mercies and faithfulness of the Lord, as Lamentations 3:23 reminds us, "They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." It is by the name of Jesus Christ alone that we have access to the Father, and it is through His sacrifice that we are saved. There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). We rejoice in the truth that salvation is found in no one else, and we pray that all would come to know this life-giving truth.
We lift up the prayer for the salvation and edification of those from former seasons of life, asking that the Lord would stir their hearts to repentance and faith in Christ. Romans 10:1 tells us, "Brothers, my heartβs desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved." We join in this prayer, asking that the Lord would draw them to Himself, that they may be regenerated by the Holy Spirit and nourished by the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:15). We also pray for the prodigal to be saved early, protected, and directed into the love and character of Jesus Christ.
We acknowledge the tension between holding onto the old while embracing the new, as Ecclesiastes 7:18 instructs, "It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that donβt withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come out of them all." We ask for wisdom and grace to navigate this balance, trusting that the Lord will guide us in focusing on the new things He is doing (Isaiah 42:9, 43:19, 48:6). We pray for open doors for the Gospel, as Revelation 3:7-8 promises, "He who opens and no one can shut; and that shuts and no one opens... See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it."
We are grateful for the provision of quiet and inexpensive lodging, allowing for care of aging parents and the opportunity to minister to them. We pray that the Lord would give grace to honor father and mother (Ephesians 6:2-3), showing piety at home (1 Timothy 5:4) and giving honor where it is due (Romans 13:7). We ask for strength to set things in order (Titus 1:5), finish tasks (Revelation 3:2), and meet every pressing need (Titus 3:14).
We rebuke any temptation to dwell on the past in a way that hinders the work God has called us to today. Instead, we press on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14), forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. We ask for grace to lay aside every encumbrance and sin that so easily entangles us (Hebrews 12:1-2), that we may run the race set before us with endurance.
We pray for protection from temptation (Luke 11:4), sin (Zephaniah 3:13), evil (Matthew 6:13), evil people (2 Thessalonians 3:2), and the evil one (John 17:15). We ask that the Lord would keep us from falling and present us blameless before His glorious presence with great joy (Jude 1:24).
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the privilege of coming before Your throne of grace. We ask that You would open the heavens over us, drawing us nearer to You in prayer and study. Open doors for evangelism, fellowship, and counseling, that we may make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that Christ has commanded (Matthew 28:19-20). Empower us to glorify You in all we do, imaging God as we were created to do. We ask for grace to abide in Christ, walking in step with the Holy Spirit, and bearing fruit that brings glory to Your name. We pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.