Heavenly Father,
You who are nearer than breath and vaster than galaxies, seeing every inch of the creation You spoke into existence (Isaiah 40:22), we come before You, humbled by Your majesty and grieved by our sin. What must You think of us, Lord, as You have sent Your only Son and yet we ignore Your Spirit calling us back to Yourself.
We, the ones You formed from dust and breathed life into, we find fault in everyone but ourselves (Romans 2:1). You literally gave us paradise, yet we complained when You told us no to one tree.
We complain more than we create, criticize more than we comfort, expecting others to solve what we are unwilling to help provide a solution for.
Forgive us, O God. We place impossible burdens on new believers, expecting them to have it all together when even we, seasoned in the faith, still stumble and stray. We forget that You are patient with us, and we must be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2).
We expect the church to stay the way it has always been, even as we watch the next generation slip through our fingers. We cling to comfort instead of embracing the cross. Forgive us for placing our traditions above Your mission.
And yet… even still, Your glory is not hidden. We see You in the extensive night sky with twinkling stars that should light our way, but we ignore them because we have built skyscrapers that block the way (Psalm 19:1).
The rushing waves never fail to rise and fall at Your command (Jeremiah 5:22). Somewhere along the way, we lost Your gospel and tell ourselves You want us wealthy and healthy, when You Yourself were homeless and beaten.
We expect You to be like a genie in a bottle, giving us our every desire, not realizing we only need the spiritual milk of Your Word.
You provide great testimonies of Your faithful ones, and how they gave their lives to spread Your message. You share examples of a teenager who takes time to teach a young child how to swing on the swing set, and in the church body that becomes Your hands and feet—serving, healing, loving, and giving to those who are helpless and unable to do for themselves.
You are in the stranger who hears the cries of a single mom because she does not have enough money to buy her baby diapers or food, and comes alongside her and pays for it (Matthew 25:40).
In the homeless person who cares for all the stray dogs and cats, feeding them even though they have no food for themselves. What a great reminder that You are the God who rescues in the most unexpected ways (Psalm 18:16).
As we all have lost our way, You always provide a glowing path home—an echo of Your faithful presence that never leaves nor forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5).
You are in the Sunday school teacher who intercedes daily for her students, in the whisper of the Spirit through her heartfelt prayers (Romans 8:26).
You are in the pastor who labors, not knowing if his efforts are planting, watering, or falling on deaf ears (Hebrews 13:17).
We see You in the soldier who rises with purpose, in the officer who defends with courage, in the fireman who runs into the burning building.
In the farmer who sows in faith, in the artist who tries hard to capture Your artistry. In the choir who sings heartfelt hymns, praying it will bring You glory and touch a congregation that sits quietly in their pews worshipping You (Job 38:7).
O Lord, break our pride. Soften our hard hearts. Teach us to be slow to speak, slow to anger, and quick to listen to Your Word (James 1:19).
Give us eyes to see You at work all around us, and hearts that long to join in. Help us to build, not just critique. To reach out, not just see a need and not provide it. To remember that You are doing a new thing—even now it springs forth, do we not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:19).
Renew Your church. Revive our love. Restore our witness. Let the knowledge of Your glory fill the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).
We ask all this in the name of Jesus,
our Savior, Shepherd, Soon Coming King.
Amen.