From time to time I like to share an example of a Pastoral prayer that was prayed during a Sunday morning service at Grace Fellowship Church. This one comes from pastor Paul Martin and is based loosely on Psalm 27.
Promise-keeping, ultra-reliable, fully-engaged God, You are our salvation. You provide nothing but Truth to us.
Who are we supposed to be afraid of if you are ours? We admit we have many enemies. Satan is here. We are not sure how he will attack us, but we know he is in this world and hates us. The world is around us. With all if its selfishness and deception and vainglory tempting us. And our flesh. Oh, our flesh. So much of us is still so drawn to evil. But, even if all three of these enemies and the full complement of wicked demons should rise against us, we will be confident. Because YOU are on our side.
One thing we ask, O God. Let us see more of you. We want cleaner glimpses of the invisible God. We want to spend all of our days gazing upon your beauty and meditating on your ways.
But these enemies distract, discourage and even defeat us. O Lord, hide us in the day of trouble. Place us high upon the rock. Conceal us in your tent. Lift up our heads in the midst of the battle so that we all start singing and shouting for joy, “Our God is our Saviour forever and ever!”
Lord, you command us to seek your face. So here we are, Father, seeking your face. Do not hide your face from us — you told us to come. Do not reject us — where else could we go? Do not forsake us — you are our Father! Everyone else in this life has failed us. Even our best friends have let us down. But you will always take us in. So, Lord, teach us your ways.
Give us, as the members of this church, deep unity in the midst of this spiritual war. Grant us a deepening love and one mind as we meet together at our Members’ Meeting next Sunday.
Do not let our adversaries slow down the advance of your gospel in our province. Not only do we ask you to save Premier Doug Ford, but we pray that you would direct him to lead his government to legislate in a way that allows Gospel-preaching freedom and the ability to lead a peaceful and quiet life.
Give us faith that we will see you work even in our day. Like you already have in churches like West Toronto Baptist. We thank you for your grace to those dear saints. We praise you for the way you have used Pastor Justin to preach the Word and shepherd the flock there. Keep using him, Lord and bless that church.
O God, help us to wait for you. To be strong and courageous in our spiritual battle. To stand our ground in our day and to wait. Then, come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Now we ask you to feed us from your Word. Replenish our spiritual supply so we can fight with faith until the day you come back.
Amen.
