The Pastor’s Corner

Prayer: Our God in heaven: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we praise your name and thank you for your infinite mercy offered to pitiful creatures of dust. We know our frame that we are dust. Yet, due to your great kindness, you have determined to save a people from their misery. Though we live as pilgrims in this world, exiled from our true home, we thank you that you have not left us alone. You bless us with your presence as you did for the church of old. In those days, you went before them in the pillar of fire and cloud, guiding and directing and protecting them. Today we have the constant presence of your Spirit that encourages and teaches us always present with us leading us to green pastures. We thank you for the promise that you will never leave us or forsake us. Though we often stray, you leave the ninety-nine to pursue your wayward sheep. Safe in your hands, we can never be lost. Please help us, Father, to love you and serve you. You are worthy of our whole lives for all you do for us. We pray all of these things through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Prayer: Grant almighty God that through your kindness and compassion for us, you would keep us from temptation and guard us against the evil one who seeks nothing but the ruination of our souls. We know that he is in your hands and that he can do nothing apart from your divine will. Grant, also, that we would be mindful of his devices and that we would also watch and pray lest we enter into temptation. We know our frame and know that we are prone to wander from your commandments. Often we are the cause of our own fall into sin, knowing that we are easily enticed by our sinful desires, which give birth to sinning against you. We know that we are often our worst enemy, but we are thankful that you provide a way of escape that we may be able to endure in the temptation. We confess to you our weakness and ask that you would grant us more of your Spirit. Without our Mediator, we would miserably fall, so we thank you for his continual supply of grace as he prays for us each day. Protect us and help us through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Prayer: My God—my Father and Preserver—who of your goodness has watched over me during the past night, and brought me to this day, grant also that I may spend it wholly in the worship and service of your most holy deity. Let me not think, or say, or do a single thing which tends not to your service and submission to your will, that thus all my actions may aim at your glory and the salvation of my brethren, while they are taught by my example to serve you. And as you are giving light to this world for the purposes of external life by the rays of the sun, so enlighten my mind by the effulgence of your Spirit, that he may guide me in the way of your righteousness.

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Prayer: Grant almighty God that we as your people would learn from the sins and transgressions of those who have gone before us. Please help us to learn from their successes as well. We know that your Word tells us that the things of old happened for our instruction, and yet we sometimes fall into the same traps and ways of life of those who have gone before us. We are slow to learn and often fail to heed the instructions of wiser, more seasoned, and faithful people. Forgive us for being so dull and arrogant in thinking that we are more enlightened today than the church was over the last twenty centuries. Grant to us a willing mind and heart that we would follow the pattern of sound instruction that has been passed down to us. Please spare your church from the novelty and inventions of men. Protect the pulpits of your churches from those who fail to heed the old paths and set out to forge a new road that leads to destruction. Please protect your church from those who have good intentions, but the end is death. We know that your Son told us that this would happen and that many will seek preaching that will not conform to sound doctrine. Please grant to us the wisdom to see the putrid fruit of their ways. Please grant more of your Spirit that we may discern these things through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Meditation for the day taken from Everyday Prayer with John Calvin written by Donald McKim:

Scripture: Romans 12:9-13

During my seminary days, there was a man that labored in the pastorate for over forty years that I came to know and appreciate. In many ways, our discussions, chats, and times of thinking out loud together were a seminary education in itself. His wisdom and counsel to me forged more into my heart and mind than some of my classes. The importance of that friendship granted me the opportunity to learn from one who had walked the road of ministerial life and walked it well. One of the things he would repeatedly tell me is, "Bill, more prayer!" I have vivid memories of the times that we talked in which he would remind me of that simple truth: more prayer!

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Prayer: Grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast once adopted us, and continues to confirm this thy favour by calling us unceasingly to thyself, and dost not only severely chastise us, but also gently and paternally invite us to thyself, and exhort us at the same time to repentance, – 0 grant that we may not be so hardened as to resist thy goodness, nor abuse this thine incredible forbearance, but submit ourselves in obedience to thee; that whenever thou mayest severely chastise us, we may bear thy corrections with genuine submission of faith, and not continue untameable and obstinate to the last, but return to thee the only fountain of life and salvation, that as thou has once begun in us a good work, so thou mayest perfect it to the day of our Lord. Amen.

(From Calvin's commentary on Hosea)

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Prayer: Our most merciful and holy God, we plead that you would grant us the wisdom that comes only from you. Cause us to see and seek knowledge by praying and pleading for it and searching for it in your Word. We know that your Word is the bread of life that man must have to be filled. It is there that we find truth and wisdom to help us on our pilgrimage to our heavenly rest. We confess that we often seek what is most needful in other things. Too often, we put our hope in the counsel and advice of this fallen world. WE know that leads to instability. Forgive us, Lord. Please help us strive after holiness and godliness and righteousness by seeking it in prayer and your infallible Word through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Prayer: Grant Almighty God that we would remember how zealous you are for your glory and worship. You have commanded that we have no other gods in your sight. We are painfully aware of how prone we are to make idols out of everything good. We create and fashion them in our hobbies, recreation, entertainment. We develop them out of our loved ones, family members, spouses, and children. We replace you with them and those other good things you have blessed us with in our lives. Indeed the "The mind of man, I say, is like a work place of idolatries, and every one of us is, even from his mother's womb, a master craftsman of idols." Please show us plainly those ways in which we have sinned against you and grant us the desire to strip those idols down from that exalted place that should be reserved for you alone. We know that if we hold too tightly to them, you will not bless us and may even remove them. Therefore, holy Father, do not let us wallow in the madness of idolatry that so ensnared your people of old. Please grant us your Holy Spirit to help us to do what you command. We humbly pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Meditation for the day taken from Everyday Prayer with John Calvin written by Donald McKim:

Scripture: Romans 1:8-15

The passage under consideration today is found within the opening words of Paul's letter to the church at Rome (1:7). As is his custom, he indicates to the church that he is praying for them, and he does so with words of thanksgiving before petition (1:8 cp. with 1:10). That is a good model for us as we pray. So often, we move right to petition and forget to be thankful for the many ways in which the Lord has heard our prayer and answered us and how he has tended to our needs every day—praying prayers of thanksgiving tends to cultivate a genuinely thankful heart.

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Prayer: Grant Almighty God that you would offer your comfort and compassion to your people who you love and pity. Please remind them of your love and favor and how you order all things according to the counsel of your own will working all things for your glory and their good. Too often, we question your divine providence and fail to see your hand of goodness through difficulties and trials. Please help us to remember your love as you seek to shepherd your people through their pilgrimage in this life. We confess that we live in a fallen world, and we confess that we are fallen. Therefore, we grow weary and anxious and sinfully worry about our lives. Please help us to place our whole trust and confidence in you regardless of the circumstances. Help us to count it all joy when we meet trials of every kind through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Prayer: Grant Almighty God that you would cause your people to strive to do all your holy will today. Please remember your promises to grant your Spirit to your children as they cry out to you for help and strength with a desire to serve you and love you with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Forgive us, merciful Father, for the many ways in which we displease you. Thank you for the provision of your only begotten Son that we who have believed and trusted in him may not perish but have everlasting life. Thank you for your present promise to forgive all those who humbly bow before you and for casting our sins into the deepest ocean. Please help us honor and adore you today because you are good and do good to your people through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Prayer: Almighty God, we thank you for giving us your moral law that tells us of your holy and righteous demands upon us. We know that you are the creator and, as such, you can demand from us whatever worship or obedience you desire. We know that the law demonstrates your character and calls to a redeemed people to strive to be obedient to it diligently using the outward means of grace. Though we love your law, we are forgetful and stiff-necked at times and break it. We know that we sin daily in thought, word, and deed, and we seek your forgiveness through your Son. We thank you for our Savior and Redeemer because he has freed us from the dominion of sin by keeping your holy demands perfectly in every way. Finally, we thank you for your Spirit given to us that we are then made able and willing to do all that you have commanded us through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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