Lent 2c General Prayer

Gracious heavenly Father, remember this Your congregation which You have purchased with the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ to be Your heritage and hear our prayers:

Grant us a renewed zeal for Your house, that we would love to hear Your Word and receive Your sacramental gifts.  Especially do we pray for our brothers and sisters who have wandered away from this place, that You would once again gather them to Yourself.

Help us to take seriously the warnings that we hear from the Law so that we would mend our ways and our deeds and obey Your voice.  Let this Lenten season be a time of spiritual renewal for Your people throughout the church.

Continue to raise up faithful men like Jeremiah who will speak Your Word without compromise.  Bless the schools of the church and all of those preparing to shepherd Your flock.

Forgive our nation and our fellow citizens for shedding the innocent blood of the unborn.  Grant our nation time to repent of this grievous sin before Your judgment falls.

Empower us by Your Holy Spirit so that we would faithfully follow the holy example of the saints who have come before us and in this way be an example for the saints who come after us.  Remind us that we can daily return to our baptism where You called us to walk in newness of life.  Especially do we give You thanks for the baptismal gifts granted to Dolori, Chad, and Hope.

Remind us again and again that our citizenship is heaven and there is coming a day when our bodies will be raised from the dead and will be transformed into the likeness of Christ’s resurrected body.  Especially do we pray that this promise would give hope to the Rabalais family as they mourn Colleen’s passing and the Graf family as they mourn Rosalie.

Grant that the leaders of this world would serve to help rather than hinder Your mission.  Guide and bless our own leaders and protect our military men and women.  Help all of those who are persecuted for their faith to courageously stand firm in the Lord.

Give the church and especially this congregation the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ and his love for the lost.  Make us long to see our friends and neighbors in this community come to Christ in faith.  Continue to add to our number those who are being saved and especially do we pray for Rhett, that You would bring him safely to the waters of Holy Baptism.

Whatever else You see that we need, whatever is good for our neighbor and brings glory to You, grant to us dear Father in heaven for the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ in whose name we pray.  Amen.