Isaiah 40

Father

We desire to see you

To know your might and to be your reward.

You have measured the heavens and weighed the earth,

No-one comes close to your greatness.

You have measured us and directed our paths;

You watch us;

You watch rulers and nations;

You blow on them and they cease to be;

No-one comes close to your greatness.

But for those who wait on you,

You grant strength and power.

You renew them when they stumble and fall.

Those who hope in you have their strength renewed;

They will soar on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not be faint. 

Acts 15

Father

Banish our idols.

Tear them from our hearts.

Prise them from our hands.

Grow holiness.

Give us a hatred of evil.

Increase love.

Make us more aware of others.

Sensitive to their needs.

Less self-absorbed.

Let grace reign in us.

Let grace rule us.

Let grace be our vision and our guide.

Let grace be our joy.

And you alone our worship.

Amen 

Amazing Grace

Father,

you are ineffable, immensely great, and immeasurably gracious…

You have stooped down to us

and saved us

by your grace alone

Forgive our efforts to top up our salvation

Forgive our hearts desire to contribute to our own eternity

May we simply trust in Christ and his grace alone

Amen

Acts 13

Father, we thank you that your people come from every nation.

Thank you that you have reached down to the Southernmost tip of Africa – even to us.

We thank you that you are busy in our world drawing people into your family.

Thrust us out into mission.

Disrupt our comforts and our pleasures.

Disrupt our dreams and our treasures.

Do the work of faith and judgment – in our hearts and in our world.

We seek your glory alone and the honour of Jesus Christ our king. 

Amen

A Christmas Confession

Our Father in heaven,

We acknowledge that the only reason you would send a saviour is because we need saving…

You have been merciful to us.

You have performed mighty deeds so that we may know of your mercy.

You have redeemed your people.

You have saved and rescued us.

We confess to you our brokenness;

Our wilful rebellion;

Our toxic words;

Our self-centred actions;

Our desire to shake off the boundaries that you define;

Our attempt to live as if you are not there;

Our lack of compassion for those who need;

Our contempt for those different to ourselves;

Our indifference to the poor.

Forgive us and be merciful to us

Be merciful to our city.

Be merciful to our nation

Be merciful to our world

Remember your covenant to us.

Give us new hearts.

Give us your Spirit.

Forgive us

And make us like your Son Jesus.

We pray these things through our Immanuel, Jesus Christ, God with us

Amen

Christmas Blessing

May the joy of the angels be the song of your heart:

May the reality of Jesus birth, give you confidence in a world of despair:

May the favour of God provide you with security in this fragile life:

May the promises of God assure you of his love and unchanging commitment:

And may the sovereignty of God offer you peace in a world of conflict:

May the death of Jesus bring you forgiveness from your sin: release from your shame and confidence in your fear

May his resurrection give you the hope of life eternal:

And may his triumph over death remind you that there is coming a day when you will see him face to face…

Merry Christmas

Our God is for us

Our giving Father,

You are for us; who could possibly oppose us.

You have given us your son; there is nothing more precious that you could supply.

You have justified us; who shall convict us.

Christ intercedes for us; who shall condemn us.

We are downtrodden; but nothing will separate us from your love.

Attached to you we are hyper-conquerors.

Thank you.

Amen