As we continue to post the Sunday morning pastoral prayers from Covenant Presbyterian Church, here is the prayer from this past Sunday.
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Pastoral Prayer
Covenant Presbyterian Church, Oviedo, Florida
8/29/2010
Jon Boardman
Jehovah-mekoddishkem – “The LORD who makes you holy”
In the latter section of Exodus, Moses described the practical operations and implementations of God’s covenant, which began on Mt. Sinai and continued into the wilderness.
As the people of God moved on from Mt. Sinai, the place where God had revealed Himself and His commandments, they were headed for the unknown land of promise. They must have wondered: would God be with them on the journey?
God assured them that He would! He was the One who made provisions for his presence during their travels via the tabernacle and the priesthood.
Another such provision was the Sabbath, a day of rest, which was an important distinguishing feature between God’s people and the other nations. In Exodus 31:13, the LORD said to Moses, “You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for generations to come, so you may know that I am [Jehovah-mekoddishkem] the LORD, who makes you holy.”
We observe the Sabbath because God has set apart this day as holy, just as He has set us apart as holy. He is sanctifying us; he is making us holy. Why? So that He would be present with us along the journey to the Promised Land.
Let us go to Him with gratitude in prayer.
Jehovah-mekoddishkem,
we are deeply moved that You should make provision for us through Your Son, Jesus Christ, so that we might dwell with You and be in Your presence.
We are humbled by the fact that You saved us by Your mighty hand, You redeemed us from sin, and You set us apart as Your people.
We belong to You. We are Your prized possession. We take comfort in these truths, we take comfort in Your presence, and we take comfort in the provisions You give us in life’s journey.
We are especially grateful for the rest You give us along the way.
Each week we come together to worship You and build up each other.
Each week You give us the means of grace to live each day for You.
We thank You, LORD, for our church, our pastor, our elders, our deacons, our staff, our worship team, our youth and children’s ministry volunteers, Women in the Church, and the body of Christ.
We ask that all the people in Your church would be strengthened by You and would find rest in You.
Just as You taught Moses and the Israelites, we ask that You teach us how to worship You and walk with our holy God.
Help us to see that we cannot make ourselves holy; we can only trust in You to do so.
Grow in us a desire to please You and to trust You in all areas of this journey.
We pray also for the move and the transition teams. Grant us all the necessary means to make this move smoothly and without problems.
LORD, You who make us holy, have carried Your people “on eagle’s wings” and sustained them through the desert experiences of life.
We pray for those in our midst who are walking through the desert at this time and are in need of Your rest.
We pray for those who need rest from their pain.
For those loved ones who battle cancer, disease, illnesses, and weakness of the body, like Jim, Lisa, Joseph and others, we ask for Your healing touch and rest from the pain.
For Henry, Kedric’s brother, we pray for quick healing of his broken leg.
We pray for those who need rest from their fears and anxieties.
For Your people who have broken hearts and shattered lives, we ask that You would give them a sense of Your sanctifying work and Your putting them together into Your image – mend and restore them.
And for those who are in need of work and financial relief, we ask for Your mercy and provisions in having their needs met.
Give them and all of us Your daily bread.
Finally, we lift up Your people who are serving You all around the globe.
You are building up Your kingdom and You have called us to be a part of it.
Thank You for that honor and thank You for our missionaries and our evangelists.
We ask that You give them the rest and sanctification they need to serve You well.
We lift up our sister Carol as she ministers through EPI in Kenya and Uganda. Keep her safe and healthy in her travels and embolden her to serve Your people.
Lord, we acknowledge that You are making us holy and You are calling us to Yourself.
We need not strive; we need only to be still and to trust in You.
And it is in the name of Jesus, Our Holy Lord, the God of our Sabbath, and Sanctifier of our Souls that we pray.
Amen.