Almighty God,
We thank you for this church family, for each and every one of us whom you’ve gathered to receive your gifts this morning. To receive refuge, renewal, restoration, and new life in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Thank you for this time and place of rest. Where our restless hearts find rest in you.
Lord, as we enter into this time together with you and each other, give us your Holy Spirit. Send us your Holy Spirit, who writes the preached Word into our hearts. When we are turned inward on ourselves, consumed by our own self-interest, our ambition, our fear, our desire to control, turn us instead to you. When our pride turns us away from you and against each other and against our neighbor, bring us to the foot of the cross, where the ground is level and we find we are all equal in our sin, equal in our powerlessness to overcome it and equal in our need for our Savior’s forgiveness.
For those of us who are falling, by your Word, hold us up. For those of us who are bowed down with sickness, grief or loneliness, by your Word, raise us up. For those of us walking a crooked path, by your Word, turn us to the Way of Christ. For those of us walking in darkness, by your Word, turn us to the Light of Christ. For all of us whose hearts are thirsty and hungry, fill us with living water and the bread of life.
AMEN