Let us pray…

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Our Father,

First of all we acknowledge You as our God, our Maker, and our Saviour. We are awed by Your majesty. We are comforted by Your presence. We are grateful for every good and perfect gift from Your hand.

We are also sad and upset. Our friend Michael is sick. The news concerning him is not what we want to hear, not what we hoped to hear. We love him. Our hearts are heavy.

Lord, You know and love Michael so much more and better than we do. You know his frame, You know his mind, You know his heart, You know the burden he carries. Please be with him. Work in his life. Comfort his heart with the gospel. Heal his body. Lift his burdens.

Give him sweet sleep, a growing appetite and happy days of physical strength, mental keenness, emotional well-being, spiritual vitality, and Christian hope rooted in the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus.

Lord, we pray for our sister Denise. Strengthen her with your grace, give her hope, and grant her the joy of serving Michael now, as she has for many years. Grant them both that “joy unspeakable and full of glory” as they face these days together.

We pray for Noel and for Clay and their spouses. May they be comforted by You and able to minister to their dad and mom with the comfort they receive from You.

Finally (though certainly not least), Father, we thank You for the Good News. For that Gospel that Michael loves so much, that Gospel that he writes of and teaches with such joyful confidence and humility. Thank You that Your Son Jesus, our Good Shepherd, has gone before Michael in the place where he is now, in the valley of the shadow of death. Thank You that Jesus has been in the jaws of death itself and come out victorious. We trust in this Good News. We trust Jesus. We praise and thank You that Michael is trusting You as well. What a comfort and a blessing this is.

All these prayers and concerns and joys and sadness we bring to You, Father, in the words that Jesus taught us:

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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen

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