Psalm 77
June 26, 2022
Our Father and our God,
You are near. You call us to seek you and find you. You invite us into your steadfast love through the gospel of Jesus Christ. And you are our God who fulfills his every promise to us. When Moses asked to see your glory, you told him you are the Lord, a compassionate and gracious God. So, we come to you dear father, as we so often do, with many wants, many needs.
Lord, there are some here who arrived with no desire to be here. No desire to pray, or sing, or read your Word, or hear it. Indeed, like the psalmist, they moan when they think about you. They, though genuine Christians, dwell in the darkness of spiritual depression and desertion.
Father, may your grace and care for them be palpable and help them Lord, like Asaph, to make a diligent search – not searching introspectively into their own hearts, but extrospectively to who their God is. Though we lack sleep because you hold our eyelids open, you will not spurn us forever. Though we are so troubled we cannot speak, your steadfast love has not ceased. Though we faint on our way to the sanctuary, you have not forgotten to be gracious. Lord, for those dwelling in the slough of despond, lift their eyes above the mud of life to the mound of our great hope. Let us remember your deeds and meditate on your wondrous love displayed in your faithfulness. Asaph remembered the Exodus. On this side of the cross, let us look at Calvary where with your arm you redeemed your people.
Lord, if we ever doubt your love let us look to the cross. And if we ever doubt your valuing of us as human beings let us look to the incarnation of Jesus.
Lord, in that vein, we celebrate what happened on Friday with the Dobbs decision. We grieve at the horrific loss of millions of lives in the last fifty years as a result of abortion, but we rejoice and celebrate that more protection is now in place for the unborn image bearers you fearfully and wonderfully make.
But Lord, oh Lord please, let your church recognize that our job, our role as ambassadors of Christ is not over now when it comes to these matters. You warn that our religious hypocrisy brings about blaspheming among non-believers. That we sully and defile your majestic name when we claim to value your image, yet only attempt to protect the unborn while not also protecting those outside of the womb. You call us, oh God, to protect struggling mothers, fathers, children, prisoners, people of color, immigrants, refugees, the sick, the struggling, and the poor.
Help us to be people who love and value others truly and deeply from womb until tomb. Let us vote for policies and support organizations that support image bearers in whatever station in life they find themselves in. May we lay aside political allegiances to do what is right and support what is right for those you created.
Lord, let us be faithful and consistent as you have been to us.
Father, on this installation Sunday, you have shown your faithfulness. I pray for this body of believers, who has patiently waited for you to call a permanent undershepherd to minister here. Father, again we want to say thank you for supplying Pastor Dan and Beth and for their years here at Centennial.
And Father, we praise you for calling me to minister here. Lord, would you reward these brothers and sisters for their patience with a diligent, gentle shepherd who will love them with as tender of a heart as you do. Lord make me what they need me to be in whatever way you deem fit. I pray for my ministry here that it will be fruitful and, ultimately and above all things, be pleasing in your sight. Empower me, my great God, to fulfill the calling that lies before me. Give Centennial an extra dose of grace, humility, and patience as we get to know one another and I learn what it means to shepherd your flock before me.
And remind all of us Lord that I am not the chief shepherd, you are and we are thankful you are. As we enter the seas of life together, teach our Spirits that though you use human leaders like Aaron and Moses, you are our leader, though your footprints are not seen.
Help us Lord to follow you and you alone.
In Christ’s name we ask,
Amen.