This prayer sheet brings together prayers on the theme of not giving up, keeping the faith despite opposition and reasons for discouragement. It also includes two of my songs, “Do not lose heart” and “Christ is in our midst”.
SONG (link to music in credits below)
Do not lose heart, keep on praying
Do not lose heart – pray
Till the Kingdom comes – pray
Till the darkness fades
with the rising sun
Do not lose heart – pray
A. CALL TO WORSHIP
(based on Psalm 124)
If it had not been for God,
where would we be?
If it were not for God in our lives,
what kind of people would we be now?
We are not alone.
Our help is in the name of the Lord
who made heaven and earth –
our Redeemer, our Creator,
and Friend!
B. LITANY
Who has been with us from before the beginning,
bringing us into existence?
Who has loved us and blessed us
and sent us on our way?
Who has pointed us toward the path
and posted the signs we need
to find our way?
Who has been at our side when the road
has been smooth and gently curving?
Who has remained with us through every hairpin bend,
construction zone, pothole and detour?
Who will celebrate with us when we
reach our journey’s end?
Only One. The One and Only.
Holy One. The One and Holy.
C. PRAYER
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think that
I am following Your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please You
does in fact please You.
And I hope that I have that desire
in all that I am doing.
And I know that if I do this,
You will lead me by the right road
although I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust You always,
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death,
I will not fear,
for You are ever with me,
and will never leave me
to face my perils alone.
Thomas Merton
D. SONG (link to music in credits below)
Christ is in our midst
He is and ever shall be
E. READING
Consider the reading from Ananias’ experience – the challenges he faced and the joy that came from following God’s lead.
F. RESTORATION SONG
God called forth a people,
and we responded to His call
‘Rebuild this ancient ruin,
restore my city walls.’
He has led us day by day,
as we listened to His voice
and we were fed on finest wheat,
and manna from the skies.
When we started, we were strangers.
We hardly knew each other’s names.
Now we are brothers and sisters,
and we will never be the same.
As we built, brick by brick,
we discovered the corner stone,
and as we let Him mould and fashion us,
He built us up in love.
Now we have seen, and we have heard,
that the Lord our God is great.
For a wilderness has been transformed,
into His holy place.
G. LET US PRAY
“Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands to God in heaven.” (Lam 3:41)
Let us pray …
H. CLOSING PRAYER
We have waited patiently for God,
and he has heard our cry.
He has set our feet on solid ground,
and kept us steady as we journey together.
We are the people of God,
shaped and moulded
by the story of God,
freed from our sins
and reconciled to the Father
by the work of His beloved Son.
For the potential You see in us
and the possibilities that lie ahead:
Christ be before us.
For our plans and their fulfilment,
for Your promises and their unfolding:
Christ be before us.
In the problems that beset us
and the perils that ensnare us:
Christ be within us.
Be around us,
above us and beneath us.
On your path, O my God,
and not my own, be all my journeying.
Rule this heart of mine
that it be only Yours.
Amen.
CREDITS
The following resources found on https://re-worship.blogspot.com/ and adapted for this prayer sheet:
H. inspired by a longer litany by Jeremy W. Yoder, posted on http://mennodiscuss.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9931
Additional credits
B. Unknown
C. by Thomas Merton, http://www.onbeing.org/blog/thomas-mertons-prayer-that-anyone-can-pray/7157
F. by Gerry Tuohy, from http://www.northumbriacommunity.org/meditations/meditation-day-12
Songs (Cover and D.): http://www.irenebom.com/songwriter/songs.php
Prayer sheet prepared by Rev. Irene Bom, OLM in International Presbytery of the Church of Scotland.
First used in Scots International Church Rotterdam at the monthly prayer service in June 2016, and adapted for general use.