O gracious and loving God, who has led us beside still waters and offered us rest in green pastures, come to us now, we pray in Jesus name. The Bible tells us that you are the God of all humanity and there is nothing too difficult for you. You are able to abundantly exceed all we can ask or even think, infinitely beyond our highest prayers or desires or hopes. You put this church here many years ago and you put us each in this church. We are a part of your plan and purpose individually and collectively for this day and time; and we are trying to discern and fulfill your plans for us. Help us to be sensitive to your leadership.
O God, it’s just not fair. We mutter, “I already do as much as I can and it never is good enough.” “The more you do the more they expect.” “I’m only one person.” “What’s wrong with someone else for a change?” We have all felt this way at some point. When these thoughts go unchecked, we do not see our uniqueness and the value of our individuality but only see what we consider unfair. Help us to look carefully at our selfishness scale. Help us develop an attitude of gratefulness for what we have and stop evaluating our lives by what might be fair and be thankful for what we have.
Call our attention to the signs and wonders happening in our church; small as well as great that prove to us, we are a part of your eternal plan. Help us to take stock of our lives. Help us to value our unique skills and talents that we may be nourished by the good that is done through our labors. God, we invite you to look into our hearts and minds. Your amazing grace shines into the darkest corners of our lives and reveals to us our needs but your grace also assures us that regardless of our circumstances we can be victorious through Jesus Christ. So please help us in just the very ways we each need you. Make us into the kind of Christians you want us to be. Grant us glad and generous hearts that our spirit would become contagious and spread beyond these walls.
We pray for our church today. May your kingdom live in our hearts, may your kingdom be active in our lives as your people to reach out into our world. May our church be strong as we endeavor to show your love to those all around us.
In faith, we thank you for all our answered prayers as we pray in Jesus’ name.
Pastoral Prayer Fourth Sunday of Easter Year A
My Spirit Soars 