Today’s prayers come from John Birch’s new book The Act of Prayer
Scripture:
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; Luke 1:46-55; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24;
Opening Prayer
At the rising of the dawn
and the setting of the sun,
we will rejoice in the Lord.
In the busyness of the day
and the quieter times within,
we will rejoice in the Lord.
In the joining of our lives
and the fellowship we enjoy,
we will rejoice in the Lord.
Adoration
You came to this world
for the poor in spirit,
the broken-hearted
those held captive,
those lost in sin.
You came to this world
to bring good news
and wholeness into lives,
to bring release
and to forgive.
You came to this world
to guide your people
from a desert place
to a kingdom of love and grace.
You came to this world
to show how far love
is prepared to go,
and, on a cross, showed heaven on earth.
Confession
When we trust the wisdom of this world,
straying from the pathway you would have us tread:
Lord, in your mercy
Forgive us.
When we fail to hear your gentle word,
choosing other voices to follow instead:
Lord, in your mercy
Forgive us.
When we hesitate to speak your name,
fearful of our failings or of what might be said:
Lord, in your mercy
Forgive us.
Thanksgiving
We give thanks
that even within the bustle
of Christmas shopping and consumerism,
an echo of the truth
can be discerned in celebration,
carols being sung and the offering of gifts.
Thank you for opportunities
to point the way through shopping mall,
Christmas trees and sparkling lights,
to the shepherds, a stable,
and, in deep humility, a Saviour’s birth.