Holy Lord, we praise you that your word stands forever. We praise you that you alone are eternal. We praise you that you, Lord, are the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. We praise you that you do not grow faint or weary. We praise you that your understanding is unsearchable. We praise you that you give your glory to no other.

We rejoice in you this morning, Lord. And we rest in you. Many of us are tired and weary. We are faint and have no might. We are anxious and fearful. Yet, we rest in your promises. We graze in the pasture of your word. Give us strength, we pray. Cause our souls to wait eagerly upon you. Renew our strength, Lord. Remind us of all that you have given us. Holy Spirit, minister to our souls and apply the balm of the gospel that we would be refreshed, that we would find deep, abiding joy in the word and in communing with you in prayer, that we would eagerly seek out community looking for ways we can build others up.

Lord, we confess that we often find you dull and boring. We confess that we often walk in worry and fear forgetting your promises and your power. We repent of our sin. Help us hate our sin. We confess that we are more aware of what you haven’t given us or what we don’t have rather than being thankful for all that we do have. We confess that we think more about how others aren’t serving us than how we might serve others. We confess that we are quick to fight for our individual preferences even if that compromises the unity of the body. Forgive us, Lord. We repent of our sin. We confess that we often judge others by their appearances. We confess that we pridefully compare ourselves with others. We confess that we are impatient with people who annoy us. Have mercy on us, O God.

As we confess our sin, we celebrate our Savior. As we confess our sin, we cherish our blood-bought relationship with you, our Father in Heaven. We rejoice in your words that tell us, “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sin…I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like a mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.” So, this morning we return, we rest, we rejoice in you. Jesus paid it all, all to him we owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, but he washed it white as snow. Holy Spirit, warm our souls to the joys of this good news. Satisfy the taste buds of our souls with these unthinkable mercies and this lavish grace richly pour out upon us.

Make us heralds of this good news. Use us Lord to encourage each other. In our Community Groups help us, Lord, help us spur each other on toward love and good deeds. Use us to point each other to the joys of heaven as we walk alongside each other in the trials of this earth. We praise you for the gospel community and hospitality among us; deepen it all the more, we pray. Make us eager to serve others, to develop new relationships and deepen exiting friendships. Use us to see people come to faith in Jesus. Help us share the gospel with our neighbors and be a light to the nations.

Build up your church in the Middle East. Use us as an encouragement to R and E, and other gospel workers, as they labor. Grant our sister A much grace in these early days as she begins her work among refugees. Prepare our brother A as he gets ready to help a church plant in Leeds. Work mightily through our brother A and our sister M, and their children, as they look toward planting a Spanish-speaking church in Columbia Heights. We pray for our members that have recently left DC. Whether they are in Pittsburgh, Sacramento, Ottawa or Gillette, Wyoming use them to strength local churches and make disciples that delight in the supremacy of Jesus Christ. We praise you Lord that, in your kindness, you have made us a sending church. Let us rejoice in the many ways you’re using this little body to advance your gospel to the ends of the earth.

We pray for the children at Restoration Church. Thank you for the opportunity to disciple the littlest ones among us. We praise you for the dozens and dozens of members who serve in Restoration Kids. Help all of us enjoy and value teaching the gospel to kindergartners and first graders and pre-schoolers. As so many of our children get ready to start back to school, give them grace to not be anxious or worried. We thank you for the many teachers among us. As D, A, T, L, P, C, E and L and others get ready to start another school year, use them Lord. Use them to love students and teach them faithfully that they might be equipped to help humanity flourish.

We pray for this school. Continue to grant principal Kimberly M wisdom to lead this school with integrity and in a way that allows all students to thrive. We pray for Daniel I, who uses this room to teach his students. Use his creativity and giftings to help students enjoy learning and equip them to develop the arts. We pray for R and B as they start school here. Grant them grace Lord to make friends, for language comprehension, to learn the way of school here in the US. Use them as bastions of the gospel here at Woodrow Wilson High School. In your kindness Lord, give them joy and delight in learning and attending school here.

Lord, we are so thankful for who you are and what you have done. Retune our hearts this morning that we might not only sing your praise today, but rejoice in you all week. Take your word and plant it deep within us that gospel fruit might come in due season. We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.