Each Sunday ruling elder Jon Boardman leads the congregation I pastor in a pastoral prayer, and has been doing so recently using the names of God as a guide. We have posted these so far here and here. This Sunday, his petition was directed by a consideration of God as our sovereign Lord.
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Pastoral Prayer Covenant Presbyterian Church, Oviedo, Florida 7/25/2010 Jon Boardman
Adonai – Sovereign or Lord (Master)
Another name used of God is Adonai. In fact the name Adonai is often paired with the name Yahweh, which Bible scholars translate Sovereign LORD.
The first time we come across Adonai is when the Sovereign LORD makes a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15 – God promises Abraham an heir, land, and many other blessings. Later on in the Scriptures, in Psalm 71 verses 5 and 6, the Psalmist declares: “You have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you.” Here the Lord promises protection and deliverance.
Also in Isaiah 61 verse 1, Isaiah writes: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.” Here we have the promise of the Messiah. And, of course, Jesus read these words, as recorded in Luke 4:18, to initiate his ministry and to declare the fulfillment of these words in himself.
In all of these cases, God’s people acknowledged Adonai as the Master of their fates and of all areas of their lives. As God’s people, Jesus is our Lord and our Master. Let us humble ourselves before Him this morning in prayer.
O Sovereign LORD,
there are those who would have us to believe that we are masters of our own fate, and all too often we live as if this were the case.
Forgive us, Lord, for living as if we were lords over life.
We also confess that too often we accept You as Savior but fail to submit to You as Lord.
We acknowledge that You call us to submit every area of our lives to You.
We also acknowledge how difficult this is for us.
You want us to submit our finances, our marriages, our relationships, our employment, our materials, our children, our dreams, our entertainment, our desires, and our thoughts to You.
Help us to see that You have total possession of us and, therefore, we can have total submission to You; we know You are trustworthy.
We also know that you are a good master, one whose yoke is easy and burden is light. Thank you for giving rest to our souls.
So this morning, we submit to You, Lord.
We ask that your sovereign hand lead and direct us in our families, our church, our communities, and our country.
We pray for our families this morning.
For those who are grieving the loss of their loved ones like Anita Samuels and the Nuwayhids, give them comfort.
For those who are fighting various battles in life in the form of diseases, disorders, and cancers like Penni’s mother, Jim Fitzgerald, Lisa Whitener, Joseph Nuwayhid, and Rod Whited’s grandson, give them peace and endurance through this time.
We pray for Your mercy; give rest to the weary.
For those who are apart from us due to work or travel like Susan Culbreath, the Holts, Thomas McFadden, Josiah Katumu, Justin Frame, and others unnamed but known to you, give them and those who are apart from them Your protection and the assurance of Your presence and grace.
And for those in our midst with great expectations for children, for a spouse, for a job, for acceptance, and/or for material or spiritual blessings, we ask that, in Your sovereign mercy, You would grant the desires of their hearts so as to please You.
We also pray for our church family.
We pray for your direction as to a place of worship in the fall.
We pray for our pastors, elders, deacons, and staff that Your wisdom, through prayer, would govern all decisions made in the church.
We pray for our missionaries and evangelists seeking to lead others to You, so that every knee would bow to the name of Christ.
We pray for our volunteers, our worship team, and those involved in Christian education, and we ask that you draw them close to Your throne.
We also pray for Oviedo and the communities where You have placed us. Show us how to reach out to those in our midst and to transform these communities for the sake of Your kingdom.
Finally we pray for our country.
Despite the worries that many of us feel concerning environmental catastrophes, economic recessions, mounting debts, and wars overseas, we have the assurance of knowing that You are the Sovereign Lord and our hope comes from You.
We pray that our nation, along with all nations of the earth, would surrender to You and give You the honor due to Your Name. Lord,
You have the words of eternal life. For that we are at rest.
We pray in the name of Jesus, our Lord.
Amen.