Dear Lord God, we come before you this morning. And we quiet our hearts before you. I ask Lord that you would prepare our hearts to receive your word. I pray Lord that you would grab hold of our attention, that you would help us to lay aside the concerns, the frustrations, the distractions.
Of the week or even of the day, and Lord, help us to lay our burdens at the feet of Christ and help us with the time that we have to behold you, Jesus, Lord God. Help us to experience you this morning. I pray, Lord, that if there is anyone who is here who does not know Christ, if there is anyone who remains in the domain of darkness and they have yet to come into the light, who have yet to come into a relationship with Jesus, I pray for them in particular, Lord, that you would grab hold of their heart, that you would help them, Lord, to hear. To hear and to understand, Lord, give them eyes to behold Christ and ears to hear Him speak to them.
And for the rest of us, Lord, for all of us, Lord, will you speak? Speak to us through your word. Use me, Lord, as an unworthy and undeserving servant to be an instrument of your grace, to minister, Lord, to your people. We ask these things in Jesus' name.
Amen. Pity the person whose life is marked by comfort and ease. Pity the person for whom everything goes as planned all the time. Pity the person who when you share some great struggle in your own life, they simply stare at you like a deer in the headlights....
