Sunday, Week 7

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.
— Romans 12:12 (BSB)

All you need to do to learn to pray is to pray.
— Wesley L. Duewel

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who has graciously opened for us sinners a way into the holiest — we come to You, grateful for Your favor and mercy. We thank You for all the gifts of Your love — but especially for Your unspeakable gift Jesus Christ. On this Sunday may we have such a revealing of Your love as shall flood our hearts. Unveil the cross to us, and may we see Your heart, with its marvelous love for a lost world.

May Your word have new meaning for us today as we read it or listen to it. May our minds be opened to understand it, and may Your Spirit guide us into the truth. May this be to us a day for the strengthening of our faith, for the deepening of our love.

May it be a day also for much blessing in our own souls. Bless us by showing us our faults, our secret sins, the things in us that are not beautiful and holy. We desire to find them. Search us, O God, and know our hearts; try us and know our thoughts; and see if there is any wicked way in us — and then lead us in the everlasting way. We want to part with our sins and faults; we do not want to keep them. Have mercy upon us, and may this Sunday be a day for finding and putting away evil things out of our hearts.

We ask You to point us to whatever ministry to others You would have us perform today. Fill us with Your love, that wherever we go, we may carry healing for sick souls or for wounded hearts. Help us to be comforters of those who are in sorrow, and encouragers of those who are disheartened. Give us, Lord, a good Sunday, full of Your revealings of love and grace, full of holy inspirations. We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.