Elder's Prayer

Please find below the notes from the Elder's Prayer this past Sunday.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed - holy - is your name! And yet, though your name is holy - your nature different than our own, your character perfectly pure and sinless, your existence otherworldly even predicting our own existence - yet still you privilege us by permitting us to identify you intimately as “Abba”, as Daddy, as our Father…

Do your will, Father. Not as we would will, but as you would will. For your will is perfect. And your purpose is fulfilled by your will. And your perfect purpose - unchanging and self-glorifying - is unable to be resisted. And for that we praise you! Change us where we don’t accept your will. Change us that we may have the honor of being conformed to your own will and purpose.

Give us our daily needs. Provide daily for our physical needs - health, finances, clothing, and food. Provide also for our daily spiritual dependance upon you - daily recognizing our need for you, our imperfections, and your gracious use of us to fulfill your purpose regardless of our dependance upon you.

Your promise is to provide all our needs according to your riches in glory through Christ Jesus…. Father we need your forgiveness. Forgive us, Father! You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins. You have promised to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Our debts are many, but you have paid the price - by sacrificing your own Son, Jesus, in our place so that we should not perish in eternal death and torment, but that we should have eternal life!

Father, do not test us above that we are able to overcome. And we are grateful that you have made us more than conquerors in trial and temptation because of your love displayed through your Son, Jesus. And no power, no height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will ever separate us from that love.

This world is yours, Father. Every facet of creation is within the realm of your kingdom. And yours is the power in it, and in it is your power displayed. And your power is displayed for your glory.

So to you, we give all the glory and praise this morning. And it is because of Jesus and in his name we pray, Amen.