Pastoral Prayer by Paul Meeks (# 11)

Pastoral Prayer by Paul Meeks (# 11)

Our gracious and loving Heavenly Father, we come to you today in the name of Jesus. We know that you do hear us when we pray and we know that you speak to us when we listen to you. You're more willing to give than we are to ask. So, Lord, we want to talk to you but we also want you to speak to us. We need to hear from you today and our hearts and minds are open to you. You speak to us through our worship as we sing and pray and as we hear the message from your word. So, we come with anticipation and expectation.

We rejoice in who and what you are. You have all power in heaven and earth and you have all wisdom to use that power for your glory and honor as you rule over the entire universe. There's nothing too hard for you. We've seen your hand in our world and in the affairs of our own individual lives and we're so thankful that you're in charge. We don't always understand, but we trust you. You're too wise to make mistakes and to loving to be unkind.

And now, Lord, we want to talk to you about some of our needs and burdens. Some things seem like crises to us, but we know that you can do something about them. We can't make it on our own and we don't even want to try. There's nobody here today that doesn't have some kind of a need, all kinds of needs. Many in our fellowship have physical problems, cancers, heart problems, malfunction of organs and many others. You made our bodies and you know how they work. We bring you these needs today and ask that you would bring healing and wholeness and minister to each one. We pray, too, for some that have financial problems. Some need jobs and we ask that you would intervene for them. There are those that have relational difficulties; husbands and wives that are estranged need to forgive each other. Parents and children need to be reconciled. You're the great healer and we pray for healing of bodies and minds and emotions and relationships. Others have spiritual needs. They've failed you and they need to ask for forgiveness and restoration. Help each one to call out to you and find in you the answer to every need.

We pray for our president and all his cabinet and advisors. Give wisdom and understanding and help them to be worthy leaders. We pray for the men and women in the congress and in the courts of the land. May justice and righteousness and truth be the basis of their decisions and help them to be guided by godly principles.

We pray for our needy world, all around us and throughout the whole world. We pray for your kingdom to come and your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. We have continual concerns because of insurgents and those that are working to bring disorder and strife. We pray for the evil men who are planning and carrying out bombings and killings. We pray for the Holy Spirit to strive with them and to speak to them in dreams and through their conscience. We remember in your word that Saul, the persecutor was turned into the Apostle Paul through a dramatic encounter with Jesus, and that's what we pray for these evil men. You are the God of all grace and you love even these evil men and want them to come to repentance because you said it wasn't your will that any should perish.

We pray for your continual leading to us as a congregation. We want to follow your will and plan and we want to be a church after your own heart. Put into our hearts and minds your own thoughts and purposes and help us to be sensitive to your leadership. We believe that you are continually molding us into the kind of people you want us to be.

We pray for our building project and all the things involved there. We're thankful for the progress that's being made week after week. Give wisdom to those responsible for making decisions and finalizing all the plans.

We pray for Pastor Steve as he ministers your word again today. Speak through him to us and may we be obedient hearers.

In the name of Jesus we pray.

Paul Meeks
College Wesleyan Church
Marion, IN
PaulDarmeeks@aol.com