Immortal God, invisible to the human eye,
yet revealed clearly through the eyes of faith,
through the person and presence of Jesus Christ:
You are the source of light and life in every living thing.
In your light, we see light.
In your peace, we find our peace.
In your strength, we find our strength.
In your wisdom, we find our wisdom.
In your grace we are able to extend grace.
And through your forgiveness we are able to forgive.
Your word promises that if we commit our cause to you,
if we commit our ways to you,
then you will act according to your good purposes.
There is nothing – absolutely nothing – that can stand against your perfect will.
May we yield our wills to yours in true humility.
For there is no safer and more peaceful place to be,
regardless of where that takes us.
So this day, immortal, invisible God, yielded to you and your will,
we lay our petitions before you:
for the sick are here seeking healing;
the depressed and discouraged are here seeking encouragement;
the confused need to know which way to turn;
the grieving are in need of comfort;
the dying are here seeking eternal life and eternal rest.
And so we pray on their behalf, in the words of with the psalmist David:
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings
I will take refuge until the destroying storms pass by.
I cry to God most high, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
He will send from heaven and save me,
he will put to shame those who trample on me.
God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.
This is both our confession of faith and our petition for those we love.
O immortal, invisible God, who is brighter than a thousand suns,
we, along with everyone in this broken world, need your blinding light.
And we have seen that light in Jesus,
the One who is brighter and fairer than all the angels of heaven,
the One who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.