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

My prayer today has been inspired by a prayer guide used by a pastor in Ukraine over the last couple weeks.  This Pastor has been housing people in the church basement because it is safer than their apartments above ground. He has been hosting a nightly prayer meeting for his congregation along with those gathered in the basement.  I find it notable that the 5 points of prayer he is using daily in war torn Ukraine are equally appropriate for our church as we face our own trials and difficulties 5500 miles away.  Very different trials, but trials nonetheless.   

Let’s pray.      

Heavenly father, I pray with my brother in Ukraine, thankful for who you are God.  I’m grateful that you are holy, sovereign, infinite, good, merciful, gracious, immutable, righteous, just, perfect, all knowing and ever present.  You are the God who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them, while also being the God who holds all of creation together.  You are active and you are in control.  Despite out rebellion against you, your steadfast love for us never wanes or changes.   

Father, I Pray with my brother in Ukraine that you God would guard us from worry.  Help us to heed the command of Christ when he said “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ Comfort us Lord in knowing our heavenly Father knows what we need. Instead of worrying, cause us to obediently seek first your kingdom and your righteousness, trusting that you will provide all that we need.  Help us not to worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  This can be hard for us.  Guard our hearts from worry and the great temptation to listen to our deceitful hearts which proves to be the source of our anxious thoughts. 

Father, I Pray with my brother in Ukraine That the church would remain trusting in the Lord and that their faithfulness to God and sharing the gospel will prevail during conflict.  As Christ declared, believers are the salt of the earth, we are the light of the world. Help us to be effective ambassadors who eagerly shine the light of Christ wherever you place us and in whatever circumstances you ordain for our good and for your glory.  I pray the light of Christ will shine before men in such a way that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven.  May that be true for the church in Ukraine and the church here in Jackson county. 

Father, I Pray with my brother in Ukraine, that believers would smile at the future—even in midst of devastation—because of who God is.  Help us all to smile because we know the God who holds the future.  Our confidence should not be in the temporal.  We are all foreigners and aliens in this world.  Help us fix our gaze on the new creation that awaits us where peace and justice will rule the day.  Help us be like the prophet Habakkuk when everything normal and predictable collapsed, he still rejoiced in the Lord.  Though the fig tree didn’t blossom and the fields produced no food, he rejoiced in the Lord.  He found joy in the God of his salvation.  Help us be like Habakkuk knowing God, the Lord is our strength too.  

Finally, I pray with my brother for peace in Ukraine, and peace between people and their God.  We see examples of such prayer in both the Old and New testament.  We pray that peace would return to Ukraine.  We pray too that people would make peace with God through belief in Christ and repentance from their sin.  We pray for believers who have influence on world leaders.  We pray their influence would grow and their testimonies will bring Glory to God.   

Father we look forward to the day when The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. This will be a day when earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters covers the sea. The day when Christ will return.  They day when the Prince of Peace will reign.  On this day peace will prevail so all enmity among men and among animals will be gone.  Your word promises a time of universal peace to come in the future reign of the Lord.  We look forward to that day.  Lord, come quickly.   

Moreover, we look forward to that day when your glory covers the earth like the oceans cover earth today.  The day when we finally worship you rightly as our knowledge of you becomes perfect and our only response is pure delight, perfect satisfaction and never-ending praise.   

Until then, I pray our hope is solidly and solely in you, our good, faithful and just God.