Our friends at the Evangelical Alliance have put together some prayers we can be used by individuals, communities and churches during the week.
Gather, Remember, Return
Gather
Great and gracious God,
We thank You for the miracle of the church.
You have gathered us, from every part of the globe.
People of every tongue, tribe and nation.
You have made us one family.
United in our love for You.
As Your gathered people we join together to worship You.
In Jesus name
Amen
from Psalm 91 v1-4
O Lord our God,
When we are fearful.
As loneliness, uncertainty and hurt assail us.
You gather us under Your wings.
Refuge is found in You alone.
You draw and surround us with gentleness and mercy
Thank You that You are our shelter,
In the squall that life throws at us, we gather in You.
The Lord most high.
Amen
Lord, I am no longer a stranger,
No longer alone,
No longer separated
Now I am part of Your family
Global, eternal, diverse and dynamic.
One family gathered in You,
To laugh cry, dance and kneel before You.
Gathered into the wonderful community of faith.
Amen
Remember
from Psalm 77 v11-12
Lord, we will remember all Your goodness to us.
Your mighty acts of love and faithfulness.
You have been so good to us.
We take time to reflect upon all You have done for us
We can face the challenges of today because we know that God has been with us in the past,
is with us in the present
and will be with us in the future.
Great is your faithfulness!
Amen
Lord, the valley is deep.
The pain is real.
The tears are stinging.
Lord, the world can be a hard place.
In my weakness I look to You.
I remember the sweetness of Your presence
You have sustained me and lifted me up.
Your still small voice has comforted me.
I shall not despair, I remember Your goodness.
You are worthy of all praise.
Amen
Lord, our hearts rise in adoration to You.
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The God of covenant and salvation.
We, Your people remember Your faithfulness throughout all generations.
In every situation, large or small,
In every area of our lives, You are the faithful God.
You are the God of renewal and revival
the God of transformation and hope.
Lord will You do in our day, what You have done in the past.
Come Lord, renew Your church, heal our land.
To Your glory Lord.
Amen
Return
from Luke 15 v11
God our Father,
You are rich in mercy and forgiving love.
We have run in all sorts of directions.
We rejected Your love, thinking we know better.
In mercy You never forget us.
When we realise we have fallen, gone astray and we long to come home,
You, our God are the Father who meets us at the gate.
You welcome us with lavish love.
Thank You for Your mercy.
Thank You for Your forgiveness.
Thank You that when we return to You we find our rest.
Lavish, beautiful, merciful King
We worship You
Amen
Lord Jesus,
You are Alpha and omega,
Beginning and end.
You have defeated death and conquered sin.
All glory is Yours.
Help us to live in the light of Your victory.
When we are drawn to apathy and arrogance
Help us to live in the light of Your return.
Believing that every tongue will confess and every knee will bow before You.
May Your glory fall and fill our lives with hope.
You have not finished with us yet.
King Jesus we offer You our hearts.
Amen
Gracious Lord,
Return to me the fire I once had.
When praying, worshipping,
Celebrating brought joy to my soul.
Now the fire is but a few embers, the worship is routine
Apathy floods my spirit.
Oh God I seek you
Reignite the fire my Lord,
return passion for Your Glory to my heart
Let me burn for You, Jesus.
May praise be ever on my lips
May I dance for joy with all Your people
Revive us O God,
Return passion for Your glory to our hearts.
Amen
A Prayer for the Week
Lord, gather our hearts,
The rich and poor,
Weak and strong,
Bold and fearful,
To praise Your name
Brothers and sisters, from every tribe and tongue and nation
To lift You high
To seek Your presence.
King Jesus, we remember
Your mighty deeds,
Your forgiving love,
Your wonderful salvation
And the presence of Your Spirit
We remember how You :
Listened,
Rescued,
Restored
Delivered
You have been good to us
Faithful God.
Forgiving Saviour,
You have been faithful, we have wandered,
You have listened, we have closed or ears,
You have been passionate, we have been apathetic.
Lord we run back to You, like the prodigal heading for home
We return to You.
Lord have mercy upon us, meet with us anew.
In the wonderful name of Jesus
Amen