Here’s a pastoral prayer / prayer of intercession
from the Lutheran Forum website.
Prayers
of the People
(inspired by Isaiah 2:1-5, Matthew 24:36-44)
Heavenly Father, we enter this new church year with
song, wreath and lessons. The very coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is near. Stir up in us
a yearning heart, an open mind, a spirit seeking your Spirit as company for our journey of faith. And when
the day of birth for Jesus finally comes, may He
be born in each of us also.
Stir up your power and come:
Be
born anew in us.
Lord Jesus Christ, you have come and are coming. You
have been here from the beginning, you have been here in time, and now you come to us in this
very hour. You remind us about yet another day, and another hour, another coming of which no one knows
the moment, except the Father. You bid us to be ready.
Stir up your power and come:
Be
born anew in us.
We bring before you, Holy Spirit, all the other
spirits that would rob us of the joy of Jesus' coming. We fearfully invite you to help us rid ourselves of all
the temporal and earthly concerns of this season, so that we may truly focus upon God incarnate, God in
flesh, God for real, God with us now.
Stir up your power and come:
Be
born anew in us.
Known to us, Lord, are persons with needs beyond our
own ability to fix. We thank you for all who attend to the sick, the weary, and the ones who feel
separated from you, the church, even each other. Hear our prayers for those whom we name who need a
special measure of your grace (bidding
prayers). As you come to them and be their healer, hear us pray.
Stir up your power and come:
Be
born anew in us.
In a world of rich resources, help us remember the
poor, not only in memory, but also in love, for they are our brothers and sisters. Use our caring,
giving, helping, and living with the poor as ways to be your incarnation. And may we see you incarnate in them.
Stir up your power and come:
Be
born anew in us.
We yearn, Father, for the day when nations shall
beat their swords into plowshares. We yearn for the day of peace, when we can all walk in the gentle
light of Christ. We look to your Son, who lived another way, taught a different lesson, emanated the
Holy Spirit, and died a sacrificial death. He is the Messiah, and through Him we boldly pray.
Stir up your power and come:
Be
born anew in us.
All the earth, seas, and heavens are yours, and we
pray these prayers because you have promised to listen to us. Amen.
~ posted on the Lutheran Forum website. http://www.lutheranforum.org/extras/Advent_1.pdf
