We are behind in our posting in general, and specifically behind in posting the prayers from the morning worship service of Covenant Presbyterian Church. We hope you are blessed by these.

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Pastoral Prayer
Covenant Presbyterian Church, Oviedo, Florida
8/8/2010
Jon Boardman

Jehovah-jireh = “The LORD will Provide”

This name is found in connection with a well-known Bible story: Genesis chapter 22, where Abraham is tested by God. As the story unfolds, we learn that Abraham has taken Isaac, the son who is to continue his legacy and covenant, to be sacrificed in the region of Moriah.

Just as Abraham is about to slay his son, the angel of the LORD calls out to him, stops him, and announces that he has passed the test. Then Abraham takes a ram, which he finds stuck in some thorns, and sacrifices it instead of Isaac.

Abraham was not only greatly relieved that day from having to sacrifice his son, but he was extremely grateful that God had provided a sacrificial substitute via the ram. Abraham was confident that God would fulfill His promises and provide for his needs.

The passage tells us that “Abraham called that place ‘The LORD will provide’ [Jehovah-jireh]. What a reassuring name and reality this was for Abraham. And this name continues to be a reassuring reality for us for we know that God still provides for His people today. So let us confidently pray to Jehovah-jireh this morning.

LORD, You are Jehovah-jireh,

and we are confident that You will provide for all our needs.

Forgive us when we confuse our needs with our wants.
Forgive us also for overemphasizing our material needs over our spiritual needs and vice versa OR for overemphasizing our emotional needs over our need for holiness and vice versa.

As Jehovah-jireh, You meet all our needs: for the Scriptures declare that “my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

So we recognize that You provide for us on every level because You care for our whole being.

We look to You to give us what we need to grow closer to You and to reflect Your glory to the world.

We give You praise and thanks for supplying all that we need in this life to live for You.

We thank you for fulfilling our need for salvation.

You have made ultimate provision for our sins by sending Your son to be sacrificed on our behalf.

Jesus did for us what we were unable to do for ourselves, and now we can know You and have access to You through Your Son. Thank you Jesus!

We thank you for fulfilling our daily needs.

You give us our daily bread and You provide us with shelter and clothes.

We pray for those who struggle to have their daily needs met.

Be merciful and may Your church be Your arm of mercy to them.

We thank you for the many blessings You have bestowed on our church.

You have given us a pastor who ministers the word, a place where we can worship You, elders who shepherd, deacons who serve, staff who manage the daily operations of the church, a worship team who direct our thoughts to You, and volunteers who encourage and care for our children.

We thank You, LORD, that the needs of Your people are neither too small nor too large and neither too mundane nor too spiritual.

You care for Your people collectively and individually, locally and globally.

So we turn our thoughts and prayers toward them.

We thank you for the birth of Aria Dumas and the health of both mother and child.

We pray for your continued growth and protection for the Dumas family and for all families in our church.

We pray for Your provisions to those we support on the missions field.

We ask that You continue to provide the necessary means for them to serve You and that You protect them from the enemy.

We pray for those who serve You here – our domestic missionaries and evangelists.

We ask that You would supply them with the resources to spread the gospel.

Grant them the blessing to see the fruit of their labor and multiply their efforts.

We pray for those who are in need of Your healing touch. We ask that you provide them with Your strength and mercy.

We pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. We ask that you provide them with Your comfort and grace.

We pray for all those in our midst who are enduring financial, marital, relational, psychological, spiritual, and emotional hardships. May they find in You rest for the weary and the grace to help them in their time of need.

Lord, You are Jehovah-jireh, and we place our trust in You.

We pray in Jesus’ name.

Amen.