Almighty God,
In your graciousness, and by your Holy Spirit, you bless us with this time and place of sanctuary and rest in your son Jesus Christ. You bless us by turning us to you. Hear our prayer Lord through your Son, our mediator and our mediation.
Lord Jesus,
We all come to you with the struggle and burden of our sin this morning. Things we have done, and things we have left undone. Words of anger or condemnation we have spoken, and words of grace and forgiveness we have withheld. Thoughts and actions centered only on ourselves, instead of outward in love and service toward our neighbors, friends and enemies alike. Placing our faith and and hope in any number of people, places, and things, instead of placing our faith and hope solely in You. We come to you as beggars with empty hands. Be the Christ for us and pour out your gifts. Be the friend and pardoner of sinners. Be our righteousness. In your mercy turn our hearts to repentance, gift us faith and forgive us, renew us, and lead us that we might walk in your ways and not our own.
Lord,
On this Father’s Day morning, we give special thanks for the men in our lives. And we remember those whom you’ve called to rest with you in paradise. We thank you for those, who with a fatherly spirit, serve us, shape us and love us. Those through whom you mark your path of justice and mercy, discipline and forgiveness, guidance and grace. For those of us gifted with the role of father, by blood or in spirit, turn us to our true primary calling. Our calling to be the mouthpiece of forgiveness in our homes and amongst our neighbors. Make us new, that we may be the voice of the loving God who forgives on account of the person and work of Christ and for His sake. Possess us with your Spirit that we might bear your image for a world that desperately needs Gospel rest.
AMEN.