Dr. Bell has given us a memory verse today of Romans 8:28. But if you back up just a couple of verses, the Apostle Paul tells us that the Spirit of God prays for us “with sighs too deep for words.” When we do not have the words to express what we are feeling, “the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father, who knows all hearts, knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”
Sometimes, a lot of the times, I don’t have the right words to say to adequately express my thoughts to God. I shared with you last week that I grew up in the Quaker faith tradition… and one of the ways we would come into communion with Christ was through a silent prayer, knowing the Spirit would intervene on our behalf.
We would breathe deeply:
inhaling the good gifts that God provides,
and exhaling all of the things that we need to release.
I’ll invite you to close your eyes, if you wish,
as we quiet our hearts and lift our prayers to God..
Let us breathe in strength. (Pause for breath…)
And, let us exhale our exhaustion. (Pause for breath…)
Let us breathe in freedom. (Pause for breath…)
And, let us exhale all that holds us back. (Pause for breath…)
Let us breathe in a new sense of direction. (Pause for breath…)
And, let us exhale the paths we no longer want to use. (Pause for breath…)
Let us breathe in hope. (Pause for breath…)
And, let us exhale doubt. (Pause for breath…)
Let us breathe in unconditional love. (Pause for breath…)
And, let us exhale distrust and hate. (Pause for breath…)
Let us breath in stillness. (Pause for breath…)
And, let us exhale with the knowledge that You are God. (Pause for breath…)
O Good and Gracious God,
thank You for Your indwelling Holy Spirit,
who knows our hearts better than we know ourselves.
Take the inner yearnings of our hearts and beautify them,
so that we may live our lives in ways that glorify You.
Let us feel the mighty rush of Your presence in this place.
Blow away our fears and worries,
and help us to breathe in Your gifts of new life.
O Lord, Your extravagant love has called us together.
Long before we knew You,
You already knew us.
What amazing grace You have shown toward us!
And so we give You our praise and thanksgiving,
offering You the worship of our hearts and lives,
and opening ourselves to the prompting and leading of Your Holy Spirit.
O Lord, we celebrate today that as far as we know, we do not have any members of our church in the hospital… We praise You for Your healing mercies.
We also ask for You to bless those of our faith family who are continuing to recover at home after surgeries and hospital stays…
· Marvin Brossette
· Sue Cady
· Frank Bright
· Sheila Berry
You, O Lord, are the Great Physician.
May the powerful gift of Your presence overcome
Marvin, Sue, Frank, Sheila and their families.
May they unquestionably know You are with them.
And may they be fully aware that we,
as a community of believers,
are walking with them through sickness and health.
We pray also for the military members of our faith family, who have recently been deployed:
· Kyle McCotter
· Trinity Edwards
· Carson Huckaby
· Jamie Irvin
· Brian Smith
We call upon You, Lord, to protect not just our loved ones,
but all of the women and men serving our country,
both at home and overseas.
Keep us mindful to care for their families,
interceding on their behalf with prayer,
and tangibly loving them through serving.
We also hold in the Light of Christ those of our community
who have lost loved ones this week,
and we seek to walk with them in their grief…
· Sally Cox in the death of her husband, James Cox;
· Cindy Leopard in the death of her mother, Sandra Elaine Harris;
· Trey and Ashley Smith and the entire Smith family, in the death of Trey’s sister, Dr. Lisa Hodges;
· Our dear organist, Ray Peebles, in the death of his father, Jim Peebles.
Lord, we beg You to wrap these families
with Your gracious love and compassion.
Hear the Spirit’s groans on their behalf
when they do not have the words to speak.
Father, Son, and Spirit,
nothing is for naught before Your eyes.
When great difficulty comes upon us,
we believe that blessings will come
from the apparent ruins of our lives.
The gift of Your presence,
as we walk through the trenches of life,
blesses us with relationship and abundant love.
O Good and Gracious God,
thank You for Your indwelling Holy Spirit,
who knows our hearts better than we know ourselves.
Take the inner yearnings of our hearts and beautify them,
so that we may live our lives in ways that glorify You.
Let us feel the mighty rush of Your presence in this place.
Blow away our fears and worries,
and help us to breathe in Your gifts of new life.
O Lord, Your extravagant love has called us together.
Long before we knew You,
You already knew us.
What amazing grace You have shown toward us!
And so we give You our praise and thanksgiving,
offering You the worship of our hearts and lives,
and opening ourselves to the prompting and leading of Your Holy Spirit.
O Lord, we celebrate today that as far as we know, we do not have any members of our church in the hospital… We praise You for Your healing mercies.
We also ask for You to bless those of our faith family who are continuing to recover at home after surgeries and hospital stays…
· Marvin Brossette
· Sue Cady
· Frank Bright
· Sheila Berry
You, O Lord, are the Great Physician.
May the powerful gift of Your presence overcome
Marvin, Sue, Frank, Sheila and their families.
May they unquestionably know You are with them.
And may they be fully aware that we,
as a community of believers,
are walking with them through sickness and health.
We pray also for the military members of our faith family, who have recently been deployed:
· Kyle McCotter
· Trinity Edwards
· Carson Huckaby
· Jamie Irvin
· Brian Smith
We call upon You, Lord, to protect not just our loved ones,
but all of the women and men serving our country,
both at home and overseas.
Keep us mindful to care for their families,
interceding on their behalf with prayer,
and tangibly loving them through serving.
We also hold in the Light of Christ those of our community
who have lost loved ones this week,
and we seek to walk with them in their grief…
· Sally Cox in the death of her husband, James Cox;
· Cindy Leopard in the death of her mother, Sandra Elaine Harris;
· Trey and Ashley Smith and the entire Smith family, in the death of Trey’s sister, Dr. Lisa Hodges;
· Our dear organist, Ray Peebles, in the death of his father, Jim Peebles.
Lord, we beg You to wrap these families
with Your gracious love and compassion.
Hear the Spirit’s groans on their behalf
when they do not have the words to speak.
Father, Son, and Spirit,
nothing is for naught before Your eyes.
When great difficulty comes upon us,
we believe that blessings will come
from the apparent ruins of our lives.
The gift of Your presence,
as we walk through the trenches of life,
blesses us with relationship and abundant love.
Lord, remove any heaviness of heart
that might weigh upon us today
and deepen within us the assurance that ultimately
all will be well because You are God.
that might weigh upon us today
and deepen within us the assurance that ultimately
all will be well because You are God.
Though the plots may twist and thicken throughout our lives,
remind us, Lord, that all things work together for the good
for those who love You.
We pray all of these things in the name of Jesus,
with the words that He taught us to pray:
remind us, Lord, that all things work together for the good
for those who love You.
We pray all of these things in the name of Jesus,
with the words that He taught us to pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
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