Almighty God,
We come to you in gratitude for the undeserved love and mercy we find in Jesus Christ and for your beautiful creation in which you’ve placed us. Only in Jesus Christ, our mediator, are we able to pray, and on account of His promises we also know that we will be heard. You speak to us through your Word, and your Holy Spirit causes us to turn and speak to you prayer.
Lord, as we enter into a time in your Word together, send the Holy Spirit. Give us the Holy Spirit, who writes the preached Word into our hearts. Where we are turned inward on ourselves, turn us to you. Give us repentant, merciful and peaceful hearts when our pride turns us away from you and against each other. Restore us, Lord, have your mercy, peace, and righteousness win the victory in our hearts.
King Jesus,
Just a mustard seed, you said. Just a mustard seed of faith to move the mountain of doubts, sinful rebellion, and difficulties which we are often overwhelmed with in our weakness. We confess, Lord, that there are times when we reach out seemingly in vain for that mustard seed, seemingly in unanswered frustration or desperation for just a little seed of faith.
Cause us to pause, to think for a moment, to realize the truth that in the very act of reaching out, we reveal the presence in our hearts of the very seed that we seek, the very gift of comforting, life giving faith. Faith gifted from the God who provides. Faith gifted from the God whose love is steadfast and abundant in times of trouble. Faith gifted from the God who seeks out and hunts down sinners in order to make them new. Faith gifted from the God who knows our brokenness and suffered, died and rose again that we might have His wholeness. Provide, Lord. Seek us out and hunt us down through the proclamation of your life giving Word this morning. Stir faith in our hearts and re-create us as you would have us be. Make us new and make us whole, in You.
AMEN.